• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

SuperGuide

Superannuation and retirement planning information

  • SuperGuide Premium
  • Account
  • Log In
  • SuperGuide Premium
  • Account
  • Log In
  • How super works
    • Super for beginners
    • Super rules
    • Employers guide to super
    • Super contributions
    • Super and tax
    • Accessing super
    • Super news
    • Women and super
    • Super tips and strategies
    • How-to guides
    • Super quizzes
    • Superannuation Q&As
    • Superannuation glossary
  • Super funds
    • Best performing super funds
    • Super fund rankings
    • Best performing pension funds
    • Pension fund rankings
    • Super fund average returns
    • Super investing strategies
    • Comparing super funds
    • Choosing a super fund
    • Choosing an investment option
    • Super fund fees
    • Insurance and super
    • Super fund profiles
  • SMSFs
    • SMSFs for beginners
    • SMSF administration
    • SMSF checklists
    • SMSF compliance
    • SMSF investing
    • SMSF pensions
    • SMSF strategies
    • SMSF Q&As
  • Plan your retirement
    • Retirement planning for beginners
    • When should I retire?
    • How long will I live?
    • How much super do I need?
    • Will I get the Age Pension?
    • How much will I spend in retirement?
    • Financial advice
    • Retiring overseas
    • Preparing for retirement
    • Retirement planning strategies
    • Retirement calculators and reckoners
  • In retirement
    • Income in retirement
    • Super lump sums
    • Super pensions
    • Age Pension
    • Working in retirement
    • Life in retirement
    • Senior concessions and services
    • Aged care
    • Estate planning
    • Super death benefits

Home / In retirement / Life in retirement / Video: Wellbeing in retirement

Video: Wellbeing in retirement

July 1, 2020 by Tracey Spicer Leave a Comment

Reading time: 8 minutes

In this video Tracey Spicer talks to world-renowned positive psychology and wellbeing expert Sue Langley of the Langley Group about ways to think about wellbeing in retirement.

Transcript

Tracey Spicer

Hi, I’m Tracey Spicer. We’re talking today to world-renowned positive psychology and wellbeing expert Sue Langley. But one of the best descriptions I’ve heard of her is that she’s just a really nice person. Hello, Sue.

Sue Langley

Hello Tracey. It’s lovely to be here.

Tracey Spicer


Advertisement
SuperGuide Premium is ad-free

What a beautiful way to be described. Do you know, one thing I’ve been thinking about lately is the misuse of the word wellbeing. What does wellbeing mean to you?

Sue Langley

Yeah, look, it’s an interesting one. Because when you look at the research, everybody wants to operationalise everything so that we can define it, and then research it, etc.

I always think of wellbeing as linked to flourishing. As in, it isn’t about always being happy. It’s about being able to handle adversity and having overall wellbeing. If you look at the definition, it’s about how people feel and that they function well. So it’s, do I feel well, in general? I might have my ups and downs. But do I function well both personally and socially?

And the other interesting thing about wellbeing is it’s my evaluation. So that’s a really important thing. Because it’s how I evaluate my life. So you might say to me, “How’s your wellbeing out of 10?” And I go, “I think it’s, I don’t know, eight and a half.” And you’re like, “Really?” Well, you don’t get to define whether I evaluate I have high levels of wellbeing. So that’s a really tricky thing. It’s subjective.

Tracey Spicer

Compare super funds

Read more...

Advertisement

And is there some kind of overlap with resilience, as well?

Sue Langley

Yeah. So if you think about resilience, resilience is our ability to, if you like, bounce back from adversity and things like that. But for me, it’s part of wellbeing. So if you think about emotional intelligence, that’s how intelligently we use our emotions. That’s linked to wellbeing.

Resilience is how I manage my emotions. So of course that’s linked to wellbeing. Because if I manage them badly, and I get hit by adversity, and I don’t have the strategies to handle it, my wellbeing will take a hit. If I do have the strategies, those resilience strategies, to manage my emotions as they come up, then my wellbeing will continue to thrive.

Tracey Spicer

Based upon that, how does wellbeing change as we age? And should we approach it differently at different stages of our lives?

Advertisement

Sue Langley

That’s a good question. So again, if you look at the research, it will say, in general, wellbeing increases as we age. So if you look at the common theme, it says, “woo-hoo, wellbeing goes up as we get older.” The interesting thing is the dip that it takes when you have children. So if you look overall, usually what happens is sort of your wellbeing goes up, you get married, it has a little bit of a thingy. And then if you have children, it takes a big hit. And then it starts to creep up when they start leaving home.

But that doesn’t mean to say that children don’t make you happy. It’s just a different type of wellbeing. So we don’t tend to be happy sometimes when we’re wrangling our children. But we might have a huge sense of meaning that comes.

What they’ve found is, as you get older, there’ll be different components that contribute to your wellbeing. So you might not necessarily have the high highs of adrenaline rushing stuff that you have when you’re in your early 20s. But equally, you probably don’t have the devastating lows, because you’ve learned the skills to handle it. But what you do tend to find is that, as we get older, that sense of meaning often tends to be more… There’s more fulfillment, and what they call psychological wellbeing, as opposed to just the am I happy type of wellbeing.

Tracey Spicer

I’m so glad you said that thing about kids while the kids are out of the house. I’m so glad they didn’t overhear that. You also write about how we need to feel like we matter. And that, in a way, that matters more as we get older. Particularly once we go into retirement.


Advertisement

Sue Langley

Yeah, look, it’s an interesting thing of, human beings have basic psychological needs, if you like. We need to feel that we’re competent. We’re making a difference, if you like. We’re contributing to something.

And sometimes what can happen, particularly if we’re associated with a particular role, a job, a career, or something like that. When we move into retirement, that raison d’etre, the thing that is who I am, if that goes, and we don’t have something else, we can feel that we’re not needed anymore. Or we’re not contributing in the same way.

So sometimes when we move into retirement, a lot of people look for things that they can still feel needed. That we feel like we matter. And I think the word mattering is actually a really critical one.

We all want to feel like we matter to somebody, or to society. And sometimes we can lose that as we get older, if our identity is wrapped up in our task, or our job, or those sorts of things.

Tracey Spicer

So have you noticed a gender difference in this? For example, a man who’s worked his whole life feeling a loss of meaning when he retires more so than a woman.

Sue Langley

Yeah. I think there are differences. And I think as you kicked off, it’s often to do with the older style stereotypes. I’d like to think the world is changing a little bit more now. But often it was the male who went out and had the career in the 40 or 50 years, in a particular role.

And we’ve all had examples over the years of, when people retire, it’s almost like everything’s over. And sometimes death is followed quite quickly. Because it’s like people sort of wither up and die without that sense of mattering. That sense of competence and I’m contributing.

Whereas traditionally, women have often had other interests, or other components. As I said, I’d like to think that that’s changing. And hopefully not in a bad way, that both men and women will fall off the end of a cliff at the end of their career. But actually that we’re learning to perhaps be more even, more well-rounded, if you like. And know that we get our sense of self not just from our career. People have multiple careers now, multiple roles. So I’d like to think that that’s going to be different.

Tracey Spicer

So regardless of agenda, how do we create or retain that sense that we do matter?

Sue Langley

Yeah, look, that’s a really interesting one. And there are some key themes that have come out of the whole positive psychology and wellbeing space, that do give us a bit of a clue. One of the key things, and this is universal across cultures, which is why I love it. It doesn’t matter your age, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, whatever it is, other humans need other humans. As in, one of the key contributors to wellbeing is human connection.

So one of the ways that we can ensure whatever age we’re at, but certainly into retirement, is that we stay connected to people. And this is why, even if you’re no longer connected to a particular work role, what other roles or what other groups, or… you mentioned book club. You’re a member of something. You’re a part of something. You’re a part of a group, and you’re connecting.

So that seems to be absolutely critical. And I don’t think that’s a surprise to anybody. The challenge for us is, is sometimes when we are not in a great emotional space, we disconnect from people. We don’t want to reach out. We don’t want to help, or volunteer, or support. We actually pull away. So I think that’s a key driver.

The other thing is some form of contribution that is meaningful to you. So we feel like we matter if we’re contributing in a way that’s aligned with my values, or my sense of meaning, if you like. Now that might be different to yours, to 10 other people. But if I am making a contribution of something that’s meaningful to me, and aligned to my values and who I am. And again, there’s a whole lot of research around this, called self determination theory and self concordance. As in, are we living concordant with who we are?

And I think that’s really critical as we get older. That we don’t feel we have to, “Ooh, all my friends say I’ve got to volunteer for meals on wheels or something. So I’ve got to go and do that.” If that is not meaningful to you, and it’s not contributing in a way that’s aligned to you, go find something that is. But we do need to matter in some way through contribution. That seems to be a key thing.

Tracey Spicer

And you’ve just got to find whatever floats your boat.

Sue Langley

Yeah, you really do. And investigate. Because one of the things, sometimes, is we get quite narrowed. And I think being curious about what else is out there. And again, we know that curiosity is a key thing that’s linked to wellbeing. Because it expands us.

You know, I spent my morning doing a whole session on neuroscience. And we were talking about how we grow new neurons. And I love the fact that they’ve recorded the oldest person growing a new neuron was 92. And I don’t know about you, Tracey. I want to be growing new neurons at 92. I think that’s pretty cool.

But that comes from learning new things, from being curious, from noticing, from exploration. And sometimes we can, as we get older, because we’ve got so much experience, we can narrow our world. We can get very critical because we know a lot. So other things it’s like, yeah, yeah, that’s not how we used to do it. This is not how it works, etc.

And it’s not to say that we aren’t experienced, and that experience isn’t valuable and valued. But sometimes curiosity as we get older is really, really important. Because it expands our view. It opens our mind, and helps us grow new neural connections.

Tracey Spicer

It’s encouraging to know that we still keep learning during a lifetime. I often tell the story about how my dad, in his 70s, taught me how to use Facebook. What role does social media and online connectivity play in all of this?

Sue Langley

Yeah. And that’s an interesting one. Because we know that lots of people can dismiss social media as negative. And there is lots of bad research about what it can do to our sense of empathy and connection and whatever you. But if you are feeling more isolated, for a number of different reasons, whether it’s physical health, mental health, or as we are at the moment, you do find that that can give us a connection to people.

But I suppose it’s like anything, whatever age you are, it’s using it wisely. You know, we can complain about what it can do for us, but it’s actually user error. If we use social media well, it can be really beneficial for us.

Tracey Spicer

So you mentioned to me before we started recording, that used to be a lorry driver. You’re one of these incredible people with a portfolio career. What is your own personal plan for your retirement?

Sue Langley

Well, Byron Bay features on my plan. But I want to be doing a PhD when I’m retired. Mainly because I’m too busy enjoying life. And I spend all of my days sharing knowledge and facilitating learning. And it’s what lights me up. So I figured that my PhD will be something I’ll leave till I’m in my retirement, potentially.

But I still want to be doing this for many, many years. And I remember quite a few years ago… I didn’t do my study still a little bit later in life. But I studied at Harvard, their positive psychology course, quite a few years ago now. And one of our assessments was, if there was, you didn’t need any money, and nobody would know that you had done what you’d done. So there’s no recognition and there’s no money required. What would you do?

And I wrote, I would do exactly what I do now. I would go out and share knowledge, facilitate learning, all this sort of stuff. And I got an A-plus. Because I love what I do. So I hope I’m doing this well into whatever retirement may mean. But I would like a few more walks on the beach up in Byron Bay. That would be pretty cool.

Tracey Spicer

Sounds like a magnificent retirement. Sue Langley. Thanks so much for your time.

Sue Langley

You’re welcome. Thank you, everybody.

Want to understand the super and pension rules in retirement?

Become a SuperGuide Premium member and access independent expert commentary on important retirement rules, including taking a super lump or starting a super pension, working in retirement, the Age Pension rules, Commonwealth Seniors Health Card and the latest super rates and thresholds.

Includes performance rankings for 235 super funds and 166 pension funds, more than 600 articles, how-to guides, checklists, tips and strategies, calculators, case studies, quizzes and a monthly newsletter.

Find out more


Learn more about life in retirement in the following SuperGuide articles:

Reverse mortgages: What are they and how do they work?

December 2, 2020

Age Pension rates (March 2020 to March 2021)

September 18, 2020

Age Pension calculator: How much could you be eligible for?

September 18, 2020

Case studies: How is the Age Pension assessed?

September 17, 2020

How to maximise your Age Pension

September 17, 2020

Am I eligible for the Age Pension?

September 3, 2020

What is the Pension Loans Scheme, and how does it work?

September 2, 2020

What government services are available for older Australians?

September 1, 2020

How to make super contributions after you’ve retired

July 8, 2020

Worried about your post-virus finances? 10 tips to help stretch your retirement dollars

April 1, 2020

What strategies can I consider to reduce tax on my super pension?

April 1, 2020

Minimum pension payments for 2020/21 (including calculator)

April 1, 2020

Is a bucket strategy the solution for your retirement income plan?

March 23, 2020

How does your super affect the Age Pension?

March 1, 2020

Introduction to aged care

February 13, 2020

What concession cards are available for Seniors and Pensioners?

January 15, 2020

Your simple guide to state Seniors Cards: How they can save you money

January 1, 2020

How to choose an investment option for your super pension

December 11, 2019

Commonwealth Seniors Health Card: What it is and how to apply

October 15, 2019

Have you got an exit plan? The importance of estate planning

September 4, 2019

Who gets your super when you die? A guide to death benefit nominations

July 12, 2019

Starting a pension from your super

July 1, 2019

Related topics

In retirement Life in retirement

Related features

Video

IMPORTANT: All information on SuperGuide is general in nature only and does not take into account your personal objectives, financial situation or needs. You should consider whether any information on SuperGuide is appropriate to you before acting on it. If SuperGuide refers to a financial product you should obtain the relevant product disclosure statement (PDS) or seek personal financial advice before making any investment decisions. Comments provided by readers that may include information relating to tax, superannuation or other rules cannot be relied upon as advice. SuperGuide does not verify the information provided within comments from readers. Learn more

© Copyright SuperGuide 2009-21. Copyright for this article belongs to SuperGuide Pty Ltd, and cannot be reproduced without express and specific consent. Learn more

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

How super works
Super for beginners
Super rules
Employers guide to super
Super contributions
Super and tax
Accessing super
Super news
Women and super
Super tips and strategies
How-to guides
Super quizzes
Superannuation Q&As
Superannuation glossary
Super funds
Best performing super funds
Super fund rankings
Best performing pension funds
Pension fund rankings
Super fund average returns
Super investing strategies
Comparing super funds
Choosing a super fund
Choosing an investment option
Super fund fees
Insurance and super
Super fund profiles
SMSFs
SMSFs for beginners
SMSF administration
SMSF checklists
SMSF compliance
SMSF investing
SMSF pensions
SMSF strategies
SMSF Q&As
Plan your retirement
Retirement planning for beginners
When should I retire?
How long will I live?
How much super do I need?
Will I get the Age Pension?
How much will I spend in retirement?
Financial advice
Retiring overseas
Preparing for retirement
Retirement planning strategies
Retirement calculators and reckoners
In retirement
Income in retirement
Super lump sums
Super pensions
Age Pension
Working in retirement
Life in retirement
Senior concessions and services
Aged care
Estate planning
Super death benefits
Advertisement
Compare super funds

Footer

Important: Disclaimer

All information on SuperGuide is general in nature only and does not take into account your personal objectives, financial situation or needs.

You should consider whether any information on SuperGuide is appropriate to you before acting on it.

If SuperGuide refers to a financial product you should obtain the relevant product disclosure statement (PDS) or seek personal financial advice before making any investment decisions.

Learn more

About SuperGuide

SuperGuide is Australia’s leading superannuation and retirement planning website. Learn more

Superguide Pty Ltd ATF Superguide Unit Trust as a Corporate Authorised Representative (CAR) is a Corporate Authorised Representative of Independent Financial Advisers Australia, AFSL 464629

  • Contact us
  • Advertise on SuperGuide
  • Careers

Before using this website

  • New to SuperGuide?
  • Terms and Conditions of Use
  • Financial Services Guide
  • Privacy Policy and Privacy Collection
  • Copyright Policy
  • Editorial Policy and Complaints
  • Disclaimer

  • SuperGuide Premium
  • Subscriber feedback
  • Sitemap