Okay, let’s be real. How many times have retirees been pictured enjoying endless days of golf, afternoon naps, and maybe a little light gardening? Sounds idyllic, right? And for some folks, it is! But I’ve got a sneaking suspicion that the reality of retirement is a little more… complicated than those postcard-perfect images. We often think of retirement as the end of something. The end of a career, the end of the 9-to-5 grind, the end of…well, let’s face it, feeling useful. But what if it’s the beginning of something else? What if we could tap into the ridiculously undervalued resource that retirees represent, with their decades of experience? Think about it. These are the people who’ve seen it all, done it all (or at least, a lot of it all). They’ve navigated office politics, survived countless project deadlines, and probably witnessed every management trend come and go. That’s a treasure trove of knowledge right there! And we’re just letting it… sit on the couch, enjoying reruns of MASH*. (No shade to Hawkeye and the crew, though—they’re true legends!) The Retirement “Void” – More Real Than You Think Let’s address the elephant in the room (or maybe it’s the empty armchair in the living room): boredom. I’ve talked to enough newly-retired folks to know that endless free time isn’t always the paradise it’s cracked up to be. After the initial honeymoon phase of sleeping in and catching up on all those neglected hobbies, a lot of people find themselves… well, a little lost. It turns out that human beings are wired for purpose. We crave connection; we want to feel like we’re making a meaningful contribution to the world. And while golf and grandkid duty are essential, they often don’t fill that deep-seated need for intellectual stimulation and a sense of accomplishment. Consider this: for decades, these individuals have been problem-solving, mentoring, and making valuable contributions to their team. Suddenly, that’s gone. And that void can be a lot bigger and scarier than people anticipate. Channel surfing just doesn’t cut it after a while. Trust me, I’ve tried. (Okay, maybe not