Celebrating Next – Virginia Macali

It is our mission at Lifelaunch Consulting to help others define their ‘next’ with purpose and intention, and to celebrate as a new chapter unfolds. As part of this, we maintain a blog featuring our friends who have successfully navigated the move from ‘now’ to ‘next’ and are thriving as a result! It is our hope that by sharing these stories, we inspire others to live their lives to the fullest.

Name:

Virginia Macali

My career:

My business, High Point Transitions, was founded to support people through change and transition. I started by coaching people in mid-life career transitions, advanced into coaching and leadership development, and now include coaching pre-retirees to plan for the next life chapter. Prior to that, I worked as a lawyer in public policy.

Three ways I spend my time in retirement:

Work, volunteer activities, and creative pursuits.

What I love most about retirement:

Having a lifetime of experience and wisdom and using it to make a difference.

My biggest challenge with retirement:

So many choices.

What I did to prepare for retirement:

Self-reflection, reading about aging, conversations with friends, and experimenting with new activities.

Something I’ve recently done for the first time:

Joined Urban Sketchers to explore creativity with others.

Most recent book/article I’ve read:

Smart Women Don’t Retire—They Break Free.

My future:

Continuing meaningful work and volunteer opportunities, spiritual deepening, lifelong learning, writing, and engaging in communities of care.

My advice for future retirees:

Take your time, explore a wide range of options, find meaning and connectedness, experiment, and enjoy the journey.