Kim Shea is a retirement coach, and runs a mental health practice serving older adults.
I was fortunate enough to be a guest on Kim’s podcast, Pivot & Thrive. It didn’t take long for both of us realize that Kim and her expertise on all things retirement needed to be available to our Kuel Life Community. We are thrilled to add Shea to the Kuel Life Thought Leader Roster.
Help Me Welcome Kim Shea:
KUELLIFE: What type of business do you run/work for?
Kim: I have a Retirement Coaching practice.
KUELLIFE: What prompted you or drove you to join your company – what keeps you there?
“Many women want to reinvent themselves…”
Kim: Retirement has changed in our lifetime. Thanks to modern medicine, many women live 20 to 40 years past retirement. They don’t necessarily want to spend those years living the way their mothers and grandmothers did. Many women want to reinvent themselves and plan how to live fully, but don’t know where to start. I like being their cheerleader and helping them to make a plan.
KUELLIFE: What’s your biggest struggle?
Kim: The biggest challenge is educating the public about why they need a retirement coach. A lot of people have never heard the term and they cannot imagine what it is. They often wait until they are depressed and anxious to get help. It doesn’t have to be that way.
Roadblocks:
KUELLIFE: What is your biggest fear about your career? How do you work through it?
Kim: The biggest fear is what to do when I can’t help someone. Some clients put up roadblocks to an extreme. For example, some clients will automatically say, “Yeah, but I can’t do that because…” for every single suggestion that I offer to help them take just one step forward.
The disappointment is that they are still stuck, but the big fear is that they will tell their contacts that I was useless to them or that retirement coaching doesn’t work. All I can do is know in my heart that I did what I could, and then focus on the clients who I have been able to help and encourage their referrals.
“Those moments feel successful to me.”
Supremely Rewarding Retirement:
KUELLIFE: How do you measure your success?
Kim: When a woman shows up for her first session, weepy and looking depressed it’s truly sad. But when they show up for a later session looking like they’re on their way out to dinner, with a giant smile on their face, I know there has been a huge transition from despair to confidence. That is supremely rewarding. Those moments feel successful to me.
KUELLIFE: Finally, what career advice would you give other women in midlife and beyond?
Kim: Do not be afraid to try something new that will fill you up on a deep level. Whether it’s a complete career change, a lifestyle overhaul, or an all-consuming new hobby, take the leap. Midlife is the time to find time for you and your needs.
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