Retirement Rebel: One woman, one motorhome, one great big adventure

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It’s about an attitude, thinking for yourself and not accepting authority’: Frank Cutter. Photograph: Perou/The Observer I can clearly remember the moment I realised that retirement wasn’t something that I ‘had to do’. It was liberating to say the least! I literally could not put this book down - it should be read in homes, schools, prisons, rehab facilities, everywhere. - Jonathan Mantle, bestselling writer. A truly great book, a story of not only drug addiction but also the strength of the human spirit, told with humour and honesty. - Dave

Reformed criminal and drug addict Steve was so kind and generous to share his story and if anything spoken about on this episode resonates with your situation, please speak to a friend, colleague, your GP, Reach Out For Mental Health, Samaritans, MIND, Calm, SOBS or just google suicidal feelings The ‘honeymoon period’ lasted about a year. All that freedom! But then I felt like my life was starting to slow down. Time dragged, and I ceased to flourish, both mentally and physically. And that’s when I realised the idea that retirement is good for us might just be a myth. So, I decided to investigate further. Approaching retirement and frustrated with her job, Siobhan Daniels made a BIG decision: to start living life on her own terms. Rather than hiding from life's challenges, she bought a motorhome and drove off to find them. By assimilating this new understanding of how our mind works, we can change our present by creating new thoughts. And as we are emotional addicts, we can replace our past memories by imagining a new future, a new purpose, a new life. Rewire your beliefs by learning how to use your subconscious mind That is always a hard question as my mistakes have brought me to where I am now as much (if not more) than my good choices. I wish I had learned guitar as a child because it is so much harder to start from scratch now – I am struggling with that, although the band I am in is very supportive.

Helping Retirees Find a New Beginning

I don’t think the punk generation thought we would live to 30, let alone 60,” he says. “But those who made it are doing interesting things, working as filmmakers and photographers and musicians and artists. It’s bloody brilliant to see.”

In 2019, Siobhan Daniels found herself in the driving seat of a motorhome, about to rev into retirement and a brand new adventure. By putting retirement in perspective, and by taking off our rose-tinted spectacles and stopping the delusion that retirement is a wonderful place to be, we can then understand that this is life’s last call to discover and implement our purpose and our legacy, before the final curtain comes down. Assimilate a new understanding of your mind

Moving forwards

I followed these steps and now, in my mid-sixties, I can honestly say that I live with more purpose and passion than I thought possible. So, whether you are close to retirement age, or a while off, take time to think about how you plan to live in later life, because, as Cicero said, “Old age is the crown of life, our play’s last act.” Definitely not retired. I stepped down from my job as an actuary this year after 30 years. I loved that role, but life is short and I wanted to take on some other challenges before the opportunity to do that slipped away.

Last year, Smith’s Bengal cat, Rococo, died at 16, and Smith decided to throw caution to the wind and have the green-eyed tabby tattooed on her forearm to memorialise her feline fellow traveller. She also dyed her long white hair a fetching shade of cerise. “They say you can’t have long hair when you’re older. They say you shouldn’t dress in bright colours and have tattoos, particularly as a civil servant, but I just thought: ‘I’m 63, I’ll do what I want. I’ll wear my hair pink and long and I’ll wear band T-shirts and skinny jeans and great big platform shoes.’” The four steps of D.A.R.E. are Discover, Assimilate, Rewire, and Expand. The method requires you to summon courage to emerge from your comfort zone of retirement to embark on a new journey. It will give you the knowledge, the psychology, the strategy and the tools you need to make positive changes. Here’s what each step entails: Discover what retirement is and what it’s definitely notThere were a lot of laughs over Zoom. I have known the six people on the call since we were all teenagers. There is something special about meeting up with old friends. An unconventional retirement wasn’t always on the cards for Siobhan. After working as a nurse for 9 years, in the 1980s she decided to retrain as a journalist after hearing an advert for a trainee reporters’ scheme run by the BBC. This opportunity led to a successful career as a reporter, presenter and producer on various programmes across regional BBC radio and TV. If you’re looking for a deep intensive read with overly detailed instructions on what to do to make your retirement life work this book probably isn’t for you. But if you need a light read that can nudge you in the right direction to finding YOUR path, the one that you design around what lights your fire than grab a copy and enjoy a what feels more like a chat with a good friend. I don’t really know anyone my age who thinks that they will be able to fully retire any time soon,” Cutter says. Having spent her youth in squats across west London, Cutter and some of her old punk friends often talk about returning to communal living. “It’s not for everyone as you have to be flexible and sociable and God knows loads of us get fixed in our ways as we age,” she laughs. But living an uptight, ever-decreasing later life is everything Cutter wants to avoid.

Maff’s best story though is setting up a homeless shelter in the World’s biggest building for Christmas, the millennium dome, for charity Crisis. A must read message of hope for those suffering with, or affected by, the pain of addiction. - Chris There's a point in this deep and compelling story where Rosen says he felt as if he were observing the conversation he's describing from the third person perspective. And that's how reading this superbly written tome hit me; I felt as if I were in every scene with him, a silent and invisible, yet viscerally present witness to the depths of darkness and depravity of a life of crime and addiction, but also right alongside Rosen as he experiences a sublime spiritual awakening and begins the lifelong journey of accepting, understanding, and loving himself. This is one man's story of adventure, misadventure, suffering, redemption, and ultimately, finding meaning in the sometimes painfully ugly, sometimes divinely beautiful, but always interesting and exciting world which he (and indeed, we) inhabit. I'm looking forward to reading more from this talented, insightful, and wise gentleman. Bravo, Mr. Rosen, BRAVO!!! - Martin Munro - Artist New York Camarados puts people in charge of their own solutions through Mutual Aid – helping people who are not necessarily friends to self-organise to support each other through tough times. The main focus right now for the movement is to see communities set up Public Living rooms – a place to go on a tough day or when you’re lonely to help others and get connection and purpose. Mental Health Nurse John-Barry Waldron is our guest on this week's Reach Out PodcastJohn-Barry works in a secure hospital, supporting people experiencing mental illness and helping them return home to their communities.He's also capturing the stories of staff and patients through the On The Ward Podcast which you can also get wherever you get your podcasts.Also in the conversation - We discuss access to mental health services, and how stigma still bring issues for patients and their families.

Life on four wheels

In this blog, George Jerjian – mindset mentor, coach and author – shares his journey to becoming a ‘Retirement Rebel’ and tells us why his passion and purpose is to inspire people entering retirement to do the same. How do your thoughts on retirement differ from most people – in other words, what makes you a retirement rebel?