Unfortunately, many people don't realize that in order to live a fulfilling life in their golden years, a little planning needs to take place beforehand.

Jim Stafford, an instructor at West Valley Community College, understands that and is trying to educate new or soon to be retired people through his class called "Retiring? Now What Will You Do?"

Stafford, who retired nine years ago, explains that retirement is supposed to be the equivalent of the "American dream" for people. He says that many are disillusioned to find out they have focused only on the financial end of it and have not even considered how they will spend their extra time and what they will do to pursue a meaningful life.

Stafford explains, "People have focused on the money side only. They think that if they solve the financial issues, everything else will magically fall into place. It just doesn't work like that. A fulfilling retirement doesn't just happen—you have to make it happen."

Stafford explains that when people enter retirement, they sometimes have a difficult time adjusting. "Retirement is a transitional period. People are sometimes confused, overwhelmed and trying to bury their burdens. They don't understand that millions of people have the same concerns. They are not alone in it. They need to find direction, contentment and relevance. That is the most important—relevance. I try to help people realize their dreams and then get specific with the details," says Stafford.

He works on this in the three-session course through thought-provoking exercises and small-group discussions that focus students on long-forgotten passions and interests that they may have had years before. Stafford explains that many people forget what their early goals and ambitions were. Life sometimes takes them in a direction that doesn't allow them the opportunity to fulfill the goals they set for themselves in their younger years. The class starts out by encouraging people to identify these interests.

Stafford also attempts to get his students used to the idea of not having job titles and helps them learn to create a sense of self-worth apart from their careers. He tries to prepare his students for the complete change of identity that comes with retirement. He has found that the more successful people are with their careers, the harder it is for them to adjust to retirement. "In class, I ask people to introduce and describe themselves without a job title, and they have nothing to say. They look at me with the 'deer in the headlights' kind of look. I try to help them over this," says Stafford.

Stafford stresses that during the transition period into retirement, a person can be thunderstruck by the complete change that comes into their lives, but he says that it is possible to overcome the turmoil. "Feeling lost, depressed and overwhelmed is so unnecessary—retirees that feel like this need to get out and talk to friends that have retired. Friends that have gone through it understand more than a person would think," says Stafford, who stresses the need to connect with people to avoid feeling isolated in retirement.

Stafford is knowledgeable about the subject of retirement because he has gone through retirement twice himself. He has also researched the topic by interviewing many retirees who have faced the issues talked about in his class.

One person that has helped him with the concepts of the class is Dick Valentine, who Stafford labels as "one of the best examples of how to live a satisfying and balanced life in retirement." Valentine, a Saratoga resident and retired Pennzoil executive, lives life to the fullest. In addition to planting a vineyard on his property and entering local wine competitions, Valentine is a dedicated volunteer for SCORE, an organization that offers free consultation to small businesses by retired executives.

"Nowadays people are retiring earlier, especially with the economy forcing some people to take an early retirement," says Valentine. "I encourage people in retirement to stay busy and to keep active. Assist and help people; it keeps you alert and your mind working."

Valentine feels that many younger retirees wrongly think of retirement as an extended vacation. "There is more to retirement than playing golf. The truth is, you'll find you don't play as much as you thought you would anyway. You have to learn how to keep busy in retirement."

He also encourages retirees to volunteer in organizations such as SCORE, which is constantly in need of volunteers to help consult with small businesses in accounting, marketing and other business matters. "We'd love to see some people come out and help us," says Valentine, who explains how rewarding it is to transfer expertise to people who are opening or expanding businesses.

Valentine, who has given Stafford a lot of practical retirement advice, speaks highly of Stafford and the class that he teaches. He stresses that people need to think of things they want to concentrate on in retirement months before they actually enter into the retirement period of their lives.

Bob Brown, a Los Gatos resident who took Stafford's class a few months ago, has taken advice such as this to heart.

"I'm not retired yet," says the 53-year-old accountant and part-time instructor at Evergreen College, "so I'm in a different position than people who have already retired, but I do know that retiring is not easy. You have to plan for it; it doesn't just happen. You have to plan for not just the financial end but everything else that goes along with it. Golf and travel get boring and expensive—you need a purpose in life, which I've learned through Jim's class."

Brown encourages anyone entering retirement to take the class, stressing the benefits of the class and also Stafford's strengths as an instructor. "Jim has done more research on retirement than even seems possible, and he continues to research it," says Brown, who has learned through the class that he is not a person who could ever retire 100 percent, that he should probably always work part-time for personal fulfillment.

Photograph by George Sakkestad Instructor Jim Stafford explains the difference between an activity and a project.

One of these students is Bill Anderson, a former Santa Clara County attorney. "Jim is thoughtful and skillful as an instructor. He is good at what he does," says Anderson. "He is authentic and enjoys what he is doing and likes giving pragmatic advice. I honestly don't think he is teaching the class to get anything out of it—he's really just trying to help people," says Anderson.

Just beginning retired life two months ago, Anderson has learned a lot about the emotional aspects of transitioning into retirement. "If you do work that has a high stress level or work that is a defining priniciple in your life, retirement can feel strange and awkward. It starts as a walk on the beach, but there is a process you have to go through, and you have to begin somewhere. It's hard to find a class or good books on the psychological and emotional aspects of retirement. Jim's class seems to cover this well," says Anderson.

Anderson stresses that the class really helped point him in the right direction, explaining that it is helpful to sit down with people who have gone through similar experiences. He finds that although at first retirement feels as though you are on a long vacation, eventually you have to "set some order and find structure in your daily life." He has found that one can only loiter around the house watching television and relaxing for so long—eventually schedules and meaningful events need to transpire.

Anderson has been spending his first few months of retirement doing the things most people long for—bicycling, taking day hikes and reading fiction and American Revolution history. He has also worked on "reversing the habit of disappearing into his job" and has taken the time to connect with old friends when he is able. He stresses the need for personal connections with people.

In addition to developing personal relationships, Anderson encourages retirees to pursue interests and activities as a tool to ease into a retirement lifestyle. "You need something in your life that is significant," advises Anderson. "Most people concur that you need projects, something that has a goal and takes a period of time and that is purposeful in its outcome." Anderson stresses that this is the one key to living a fulfilling retirement life. He explains that projects, volunteering and writing memoirs could all be significant undertakings for a newly retired person.

In talking to many people who have retired, Anderson has seen a gamut of different experiences that people have had. "Many of my contemporaries have retired; some men have acted as if it were no problem from day one, that it was as easy as falling off of a log, but on the other end I have seen people who were miserable, didn't have a clue as to what to expect. They had no interests or friends outside of their job, and it made retirement quite difficult," explains Anderson.

"People who are about to enter into retirement need to be aware that it is a big change. They need to be ready to move on to the next chapter. It's a challenge to move on to the next step—it's not a passive thing like some would think," says Anderson.

Photograph by George Sakkestad Mary Jane Bogoger, Joy Walsh and Bill Anderson discuss retirement issues with each other in class.

"People are retiring earlier," says Terrat. "Sometimes they are trying to find things to do that are less stressful or just trying to find something they are passionate about—I help them through that."

Terrat says that not everyone adjusts well to retirement, which she explains as being a "very fluid time in a person's life." She emphasizes the fact that newly retired people can face depression and also go through a process very much like grieving. "Retirees are suddenly faced with isolation and boredom. They are not feeling connected with people and can face a whole loss syndrome," says Terrat.

Stressing that retirees must find a new identity, Terrat warns that they have to understand that their old identity will not work anymore because who they are has changed. She encourages retirees to gradually retire instead of making an abrupt change. In the past, she has counseled Los Gatos teachers who gradually cut back to substituting or volunteering instead of hastily quitting their profession. "A gradual letting go helps," stresses Terrat.

Stafford agrees and encourages retirees to volunteer, work on projects, or even go back to work part time if they desire. "I don't preach the way you are supposed to do it. Instead, I help specify problems and discuss the implications."

Stafford says he is grateful that he has been able to touch his students' lives in a positive way. For him, the most rewarding aspect of teaching the class is the difference he has made in the lives of those who have taken his class. Stafford says, "In all of my years in the computer field, nobody ever told me that I had impacted their lives in some way—now people come and tell me that I have. It's very rewarding to do this."

Helping people to live their lives as fully as possible is Stafford's ultimate goal in teaching the class. His deep concern for those who have taken his class is evident as he tells of a recent student who never reached retirement, having died of a massive heart attack recently. "When I hear something like this, it strengthens my resolve to live my life the best way I know how."