Good News in Extraordinary Times: Emotional Intelligence Guide for Fulfillment.

Embrace Your Executive Encore: Good News in Extraordinary Times

Retirement. For decades, it’s been synonymous with stepping away from work, slowing down, and settling into the sidelines of life. Not anymore. For today’s dynamic, driven women, this time in our lives is not about stepping back; it’s about stepping UP and remastering life and work in a vibrant new chapter. It’s a chance to redefine who you are, what you do, and how you impact the world. This is your Executive Encore.

Many of us have long awaited this crucial chapter—a time to embrace the life we dreamed of while dedicating years to building our careers, families, and futures. Whether we’ve carefully planned our transition from work to a new chapter of financial freedom (as retirement planning wisdom suggests) or find ourselves relying on work as a vital source of income, current events can feel overwhelming—or even threatening—to our vision of maintaining a comfortable lifestyle.

Global uncertainties, social challenges, and economic shifts can cloud our plans and stir up doubt. However, what if self-trust and optimism could help build resilience and become the driving forces that help you thrive in this next chapter? What if you could create a life that prioritizes purpose, creativity, and joy over the size of your bank account—even in the face of external challenges?

The truth is, this isn’t just possible; it’s entirely within your grasp. Shifting your perspective to embrace the idea that "money isn't everything" can bring greater peace of mind, even if your nest egg isn’t perfectly intact. Here's why.

The Foundation of Your Encore: The EQ-i 2.0 Self-Perception Realm
One of the most critical factors in navigating this stage in life is understanding and trusting yourself and focusing on self-actualization. Emotional intelligence (EI) can sharpen your ability to adapt and thrive, and it starts with the self-perception realm as defined by the EQ-i 2.0 model.

The Self-Perception realm includes:

• Self-Regard (appreciating your strengths and recognizing your worth)
• Self-Actualization (striving for personal growth and meaning, and feeling fulfillment in your current stage of phase of life)
• Self-Trust (believing in and relying on your inner strength and knowledge)

A strong self-perception helps create a firm foundation for your aspirations. Among these, self-trust plays a particularly vital role, especially as you begin rewriting the script for your executive encore.

Self-Trust vs. Self-Confidence
While the terms “self-trust” and “self-confidence” are often used interchangeably, each carries a distinct meaning. 

• Self-confidence is about confidence in your ability to perform or achieve specific tasks. It’s outward-facing, connected to your competencies and accomplishments.
• Self-trust, on the other hand, is deeper, more profound, and more personal. It’s the belief that you can rely on yourself, your inner wisdom, values, and decisions—even when the path ahead is unclear.

It's the difference between "I think I can" and "I know I can"

For women navigating new and uncertain chapters in life, especially during the transformative journey of an Executive Encore (retirement), self-trust becomes an essential compass, a guiding force. Self-trust allows you to face ambiguity and complexity with resilience and a strong sense of your value, capacity, and capability because you know that, no matter what happens, you have the strength and clarity to make decisions that align with your values and that are in your best interest.

Optimism as Your Superpower
At the heart of self-trust and emotional intelligence lies optimism, a trait that fuels your ability to see possibilities even in uncertain times. Optimism isn’t about ignoring reality, staying blissfully unaware, dismissing life’s challenges, or wearing a forced smile amidst chaos. It’s about acknowledging challenges and uncertainties while choosing to focus on solutions, embracing opportunities for growth, and finding ways to make a positive impact on the world around us.

By strengthening both optimism and self-trust, you empower yourself to chart a fulfilling course for your Executive Encore. Here’s how you can nurture both in this phase of life:

Reframe Challenges as Opportunities:
Uncertainty can feel overwhelming, but it allows you to view your life through a new lens. For instance, if leaving your corporate life and work disrupts your identity as a successful executive woman, reframe this as a chance to redefine what success means for you now. Self-trust helps you believe you are capable. You can navigate this shift, and optimism helps you focus on its possibilities.

Rely on Your Inner Compass Through Reflection:
Take a moment to reconnect with your inner self through a practice that resonates with you. Whether journaling, mindfulness, or pursuing creative hobbies that bring a sense of flow, the choice is yours. Think back to the moments when trusting yourself brought success. Recall when fear lingered, yet you chose to move forward anyway. Let these experiences remind you of your strength and reinforce your belief in your ability to make empowered decisions as you enter this new chapter. This may be the perfect opportunity to work with a qualified coach. Engaging in deep work can be transformative, and a skillfully trained coach can guide you through the process, helping you unlock its full potential. A coach skilled in administering and interpreting emotional intelligence assessments can be an invaluable resource, guiding you through the process and helping you create a tailored development plan.

Spotlight Small Wins:
Acknowledge and celebrate small achievements aligned with your mid-term and long-term aspirations. For instance, learning a new technology or attending your first networking event as a consultant builds self-confidence, develops self-trust, and fosters an optimistic mindset for pursuing your milestones and achieving your larger goals.

Crafting Your Executive Encore
Redefining the concept of "traditional retirement" can be challenging, especially amid the overwhelming noise about what it "should" entail. It can be very discouraging, especially if you are still stuck comparing your life with others - past and present. Redefining what "it" will look like for you is a journey, not an instant transformation. Let's begin with intentional, deliberate steps. Reflect on how you can approach things differently. Consider this phase of your life as a powerful opportunity to innovate, reignite your creativity, and lay the foundation for a meaningful future.

Start with Your Strengths
Your life experience and career have likely equipped you with invaluable skills, insights, and networks. Identify the strengths you value vs the strengths your employer valued. What strengths do you wish to embrace and carry forward as you begin this new chapter? Perhaps you’ve been a leader in your field, family, or community, where you have become adept at solving complex problems. How can you apply those skills in new ways, like mentorship, entrepreneurship, or consulting?

A Word about Lending a Hand to Uplift Other Women
How can you pay it forward? Let's empathize with young women navigating the challenges of balancing their lives, families, and careers in these uncertain times. We've all been there. Can you offer compassion and/or inspiration? Can you empower them? Can you support their businesses? Now is the perfect time to champion women-owned and family-led businesses. It can become part of our collective mission and legacy, bridging the gaps created by uncertainty and transforming struggling families and communities from barely surviving to truly thriving.

Pursue Growth That Excites You
Self-actualization, another key pillar of self-perception, seeks personal growth that brings fulfillment. Whether it’s rediscovering an old passion, contributing to causes you care about, or developing expertise in a new field, these pursuits strengthen your sense of purpose.

Permit Yourself to Explore
You don’t need a flawless five-year plan. Consider adopting a flexible 12-week plan that allows room for adjustments and the freedom to explore new directions along the way. Focus on taking small, intentional steps forward. Some examples:

• Join a local or online meetup of women in transition. 
• Volunteer your knowledge to an organization that needs experts in your previous field. 
• Take a class or workshop—even or especially something unrelated to your career path—that sparks joy.

Each step yields insights into what feels meaningful, fueling both your optimism and your self-trust.

The Guiding Power of Self-Trust
Self-trust anchors you when external circumstances feel shaky. Trust in yourself reassures you that, even amid global uncertainties or personal transitions, you have what it takes to build a life that reflects your true essence. Trust in your inner abilities fosters the courage to step up and stand by your decisions to carve out a rich, rewarding Executive Encore.

When combined with the uplifting force of optimism, self-trust becomes a compass perched on a solid foundation. Rather than being distracted by the expectation of perfection or comparison, it guides you toward authenticity, connection, and growth. It forms the foundation of your ability to care for yourself, make decisions in your best interest, and protect the life you’ve worked hard to build.

Your Encore Begins Now
If you’ve been waiting for a sign to remaster your life and work, this is it. There may be uncertainties, but there are also endless possibilities. Use the wisdom of the EQ-i 2.0 self-perception realm to shape a future that combines self-trust and optimism in pursuing what's next for you.

The stage is yours. How will you step out onto the stage to experience your encore?

No matter your path, one thing is clear: your experience and unwavering self-belief will fuel the resilience needed to make you truly unstoppable.

The world needs your voice, your vision, and your leadership. The path to your Executive Encore starts today.

Resources:
TheEQEdge: Emotional Intelligence and Your Success, Steven J. Stein, Ph.D. and Howard E. Book, M.D.

The 12-Week Year, Get More Done in 12 Weeks Than Others Do in 12 Months, Brian P. Moran and Michael Lennington

Browse the website for remastering life Programs, based on Emotional Intelligence. Choose Your Path: Online self-paced course. EQ-i 2.0 Workplace and Leadership Assessments. EQ360 Assessments. Signature 6-month or 12-month coaching programs.