WHO WE ARE : Stories

Our story, as told through insights from a few DWN participants:

 
"As someone who is most definitely in the discovery phase of "Discovering What's Next," I suppose I can talk about the amount of courage it takes to quiet down the fear and anxiety of not knowing exactly what is going to come next.  The decision to make a big change-whether it is a retirement, a relocation, or a shift in career-is fraught with the anxiety of letting go of what was. But I think it is a mistake to hold on too tightly to things that are more secure -- if your heart is telling you to let go.
 
Sometimes, the sensible voices telling us to stay put, hold onto a known quantity (even if it is not what you want) or abide with things because "you might not know what you are giving up until it is gone" are simply wrong.  Or maybe they are.  The point is, you cannot know.  No amount of making lists of pros and cons, no financial calculator, can give you a clear-cut answer about what to do.  The unknown is just that. 
 
So right now, I am simply deciding to do what I've long been wanting to do, telling myself that it is important to take risks.  The many steps between here and where I want to be are full of tedious things like sorting through papers, weeding out photographs, packing up books, selling possessions (or giving them away) and dealing with real estate in a time of declining market value.  But somehow, I'll get through it. 
 
Despite the anxieties now, I have this insane confidence that things will work out.  DWN has filled my head with ideas for five years.  Proximity to panels full of people who have switched careers, or followed their dreams, or retired from one career to start something entirely different, has encouraged me to try.
 
The possibility of satisfaction in a new, unimaginable future is a message that got through to me as early as 2003, about when I began to hear about DWN.  Though I participated as a community partner, every part of me was listening to the stories told by people who had changed.  And it was those stories that stayed with me, meant the most, and reassured me about my own decisions." (Barbara S.)

"An invaluable network for all of us who are launching mid-life careers..."

New to Newton, I volunteered to be a Transition Navigator® at the DWN HUB. 

I thought it would be a good way to meet people my age who are also making life transitions.  During the training, I mentioned to a TN sitting next to me that I had started a business preparing and staging homes for sale.  She gave me the name of a fellow Discovering What’s Nexter who has recently embarked on a new career as a realtor.  I contacted him, we met, and he hired me to stage one of his listings.  I’ve since worked with him many times, and he has referred other realtors to me.  Other DWNers have also passed my name along.  My company, "Best Square Foot Forward", is now off and toddling.  It's a wonderful example of how DWN provides an invaluable network for all of us who are launching new careers or starting our own businesses here in mid-life.  (Christine O.)

"...so many ways to use a brain hungry for productive possibilities..."

How can you define chemistry?  Our monthly Transition Talks® have drawn me

to Cissie and George, the co-leaders, who visited me in rehab after surgery and brought wonderful treats.  I have also connected with Corinne and Scott, perhaps because I have a passion for classical music, their expertise.  I invited Scott to speak at my women’s group.  Fascinating!  Then Scott connected me to a symphony conductor in New Jersey who needed a jump start creating his promotion materials, a project that was a delight.  Above all, I see through DWN that my years in the communications and academic world await someone’s pleasure, and so many ways to use a brain hungry for productive possibilities.  (Joan M.)    

"I've been meeting other people who are also in transition..."

After a long career in the corporate high-tech world, I have a great chance to set

a fresh direction for myself.  DWN is providing just what I need.  Getting exposed to and trying out new roles and activities is most valuable to me at this stage.  Early on, I volunteered to consult on the DWN HUB’s computer and e-mail office practices.  It’s a tangible way for me to participate and get to know people.  I enjoy not only being part of the DWN team, but also gaining insight into what it’s like to consult for non-profit organizations, an activity I’m likely to pursue.  Through DWN, I’ve been meeting other people who are also in transition.  It’s encouraging to feel their support, listen to their stories and exchange ideas.  (Jim F.)

"For the first time, we've made connections to a community..."

DWN has been a critical part of my wife’s and my success in making a huge

transition: changes of place (a move from NJ to MA), workplace (the end of 60- hour work weeks in corporate America), and relationships with family members

and friends.  The first DWN activity I participated in were the Transition Talks™, where I met wonderful, supportive individuals who were experiencing their own personal transitions.  I then became a Transition Navigator™, a teacher of English as a second language, and a trustee on my condominium board.  My wife and I feel that for the first time, we’ve made connections to a community.  Our enjoyment, stimulation, feeling of purpose, and engagement with these new connections have been extremely gratifying.  DWN was the genesis.  (Bruce D.)

"...a ready-made community of energetic, talented, interesting people..."

Although I had lived in Newton since 1981, I was always too busy with my work to expand my social connections beyond a small group of long-standing friends.  Also, having lived in several other parts of the country, I had assumed that as we got closer to retirement, my husband and I would make another move.  So I was surprised to discover, after attending some DWN activities such as the Film Club and Transition Talks®, a ready-made community of energetic, talented, interesting people who had the inclination as I did to forge new relationships in their lives.  Since my involvement with DWN, I’ve gained new friends and a new appreciation of Newton.  My dormant roots have sprung loose.  (Corinne S.)

"It's stimulating to interact with a team of bright, articulate people..."

Having always had a volunteer job, and my most recent becoming stale, I was looking for change when I became involved in DWN as a Transition Navigator. 

The intensive training kept me interested.  I've found it stimulating to meet and interact with the team of TNs, all of whom are bright, articulate, and come with

varied experiences.  The need to use a computer at the DWN HUB gave me that final push to purchase one, and as I struggle with its mysterious complexities, I'm grateful to be in cyberspace.  Working with Sally, as we share common interests

yet very different backgrounds, has enriched my life.  (Ruth P.)

"DWN has introduced me to a wonderful array of community resources..."

As a baby boomer, I find myself needing information that will help my husband and me plan for retirement and also, help us take care of my aging parents, 87 and 91.  DWN has introduced me to a wonderful array of community resources and a group of talented, energetic people who want to accomplish things.  I like theTransition Talks®, which provide an informal setting where people can feel comfortable pursuing any relevant topic, bounce around ideas, and share experiences.  The Meeting-Up program gave me an opportunity to conduct a workshop on flower arrangement and orchid care!  I enjoyed the Transition Navigator® training and by volunteering at The HUB, I've loved helping others as well as myself.  (Sally P.)