A while ago, I write a wrote a three-part piece about the things that I felt I now know or understand about retirement. While I was doing that, it struck me that maybe it was time to think about this thing in a whole different way. Was it time to redefine retirement, or rename it, or rebrand it, or re-something TBD? My resounding conclusion was… maybe.
Assuming that there is nothing new under the sun, I immediately searched to see what thoughts others were having in this area. And there were plenty – too many to mention here, in fact. The general idea was that “things have changed, it’s not what it used to be”. So, I thought I would at least take a stab at doing a renaming. Something that would be more in keeping with what it has become at the very least. But rather than wading through a mountain of posts to stimulate my thinking I decided to consult the font of all modern knowledge … ChatGPT.
My Attempt to Rename Retirement
To be quasi-consistent, I asked ChatGPT to provide me with a list of words that began with “re” and ended in “ment”. From this list, I would search for potential successors to the historic label. I am aware that this is probably just a sad, verging on pathetic, attempt on my part to look clever. 🙂
It came up with a list of about 100 different words, and I won’t bore you with even sharing a couple, because none of them were really what I was looking for. My second ask was to come up with “re-ment” words that could be used in place of the word “retirement”. It came up with seven words that again didn’t suit and weren’t worthy of mention here as well.
But after that … IT ASKED ME!!! … scary …
“Would you like me to suggest fresh coined alternatives (new “re…ment” words that sound natural but aren’t standard dictionary entries) that could work poetically or creatively in place of retirement?”
Suuuuuure I responded!
Here’s what it came up with …
“Freshly Coined Alternatives to Retirement
Renewment – a fresh start, a new chapter after leaving work.
Reposement – settling into rest or relaxation.
Releasement – being released from duties and obligations.
Relaxment – enjoying a period of rest and leisure.
Refulfillment – finding new meaning and fulfillment in later life.
Reseasonment – entering a new “season” of life.
Reenjoyment – rediscovering joy outside of work.
Refinement (already a real word, but could be repurposed as the “refining” of one’s life after work).
Rebalancement – restoring balance between work and personal life.
Rediscoverment – finding new passions and interests post-career.”
“Rebalancement” appealed as did “Refulfillment”, but…
Ultimately, I decided that the word “retirement” was good enough because I wasn’t prepared to plough through the dictionary looking for non “re-ment” words that suited. But I felt a need to at least add something to the mix to make it more representative of what retirement has become. And after much thought, what it all boiled down to was that our generation… and hopefully future generations … can now enjoy “Bespoke Retirements”.
The Bespoke Retirement
Before I delve into what I mean by “Bespoke Retirement” let’s review.
The original idea of what retirement was:
Traditionally, retirement has been viewed as a well-earned reward for a lifetime of hard work. It marked the transition from the responsibilities of employment to a period of rest and leisure — the so-called “Golden Years.” A full-time vacation if you will.
Retirees were typically encouraged to slow down, enjoy hobbies, travel, and spend time with family, particularly grandchildren. The ideal retiree was someone who had planned carefully, saved diligently, and could now live comfortably without the pressures of work. Social norms and government policies reinforced this image, promoting retirement as a peaceful and respectable phase of life devoted to relaxation rather than productivity.
More recently:
In recent history, however, the meaning of retirement has shifted. Longer life expectancy, better health, and changing economic realities have challenged the notion of retirement as a complete withdrawal from the workforce. Many retirees today pursue part-time work, volunteering, or new careers, seeking purpose and engagement rather than rest alone. Retirement has come to be seen less as an endpoint and more as an opportunity for reinvention – a flexible, active stage of life shaped by individual choice rather than a single cultural ideal.
The last statement perfectly encapsulates the essence of Bespoke Retirement: the freedom to make individual choices and decisions about your life’s course. Within the limits of one’s personal financial situation, retirees can select their own path, whether that means working, travelling, spending time with family, or pursuing various activities and responsibilities that align with their unique needs and desires.
Alternatively, I suppose it could be referred to as the “it’s all about me retirement”. But that seems a tad more self-centred than referring to it as a more genteel, Bespoke Retirement. Tomato-Tomata!
So, what is Bespoke?
Again, let’s have ChatGPT spell it out for us
The word “bespoke” means custom-made or tailored specifically for an individual’s needs or preferences.
It originally came from British tailoring — when a suit was “bespoken for,” it meant it was reserved or made to order for a particular customer.
Today, it’s used more broadly. For example:
• A bespoke suit → custom-tailored clothing made to your measurements.
• A bespoke travel itinerary → a trip plan designed specifically for you.
• Bespoke software → a program built for a specific company or purpose.
In short: “bespoke” = made just for you, not off-the-shelf.
And when I look around at all the retired people I know, what I see is a bunch of folks of my generation who have worked hard and gotten themselves into the position to do exactly that – pick and choose on an individual basis what they are going to do in their lives after work. We the Boomer generation have more choice and flexibility than every other middle-class group that has come before us. My hope is that this becomes the future norm and not just for the affluent … and yes, very lucky, let’s face it …. Boomers.
Finally, I say all of that recognizing that I may not the first person to have talked or written about how retirement has become a bespoke undertaking.
Regardless, Happy Bespoke Retirement everyone!
*ChatGPT Footnote – As you have seen, I used ChatGPT to help me work through my attempt to rename retirement. I was happy with how all of that worked out. So, I decided that I would attempt to try out another of its features. The title image for this piece was created by ChatGPT based upon design instructions I provided. I was happy with the design, but if you were not keen on it, it’s a result of my thinking, not ChatGPT’s. 🙂
