About The Book
For the first time in history, career women—women who have worked outside the home for most of their lives—are retiring. Without role models, they look to one another to face the changes this life transition brings. Career women from the baby boom and pre-baby boom or silent generations are approaching retirement. They want to know what it means to suddenly find themselves back inside their homes after having devoted themselves to careers outside of them.
These women are highly skilled, educated, and successful and have achieved visibility, status, and influence. And because they are the first large group of American women to define themselves by their work, they have few, if any, models for retirement. Project Renewment will show women that giving up their careers does not mean giving up who they are.
What Does “Project Renewment” Mean?
Project Renewment is a grassroots movement among women close to retirement or recently retired looking to connect with one another. "Renewment" is a term the authors made up as an alternative to the word retirement, which they associated with negative stereotypes and clichés. A combination of retirement and renewal, Renewment suggests optimism and opportunity, growth and self-discovery.
The women of Project Renewment believe that retiring is a process of change and increasing self-awareness. As they redirect the commitment and passion previously devoted to their careers, they transform and reshape their lives. Project Renewment provides these women an enriched and safe environment in which to explore and confront the challenges that lie ahead as they leave behind a lifetime at the office, hospital, studio or courtroom.
How the Book Offers Insight and Support
Diverse topics are discussed such as… Who am I without my business card? What if he retires first? What is productivity anyway? Why do I feel guilty reading a book at 3:00 p.m. on a Tuesday? How do I feel about not earning another dollar? Project Renewment offers insight and support in a friendly, humorous and meaningful way.
Divided into two sections, the book first addresses the challenges that career women tackle when looking to retire. The second part teaches readers how to start and maintain their own Project Renewment group so they can find support, inspiring relationships and even a few laughs as they look to get the most out of the rest of their lives. At the end of each essay is a list of questions readers can use as launching points for lively discussions.
