Brewster Author: Retirement Can Be ‘The Rest Of Your Story’

BREWSTER – This year, around four million baby boomers are looking to retire. Resident David Corbett, author of “The Rest Of Your Story,” is hoping his new book provides a sense of comfort once they do. 

“The Rest Of Your Story” focuses on the transitional years after one retires. Corbett writes that today’s retirees need a fresh start, a new perspective on how to view life without the “shackles” of the past. Instead of moving on, he hopes to inspire retirees to think of this period as a graduation. 

“When you leave a job or a profession,” he writes, “you may lose your particular job title but you don’t lose the years of experience you have lived through. Be flexible about how you or others define you. Let your new character evolve and grow as you do. And don’t be afraid to try on a new persona to see if it fits.”

Corbett’s experience in the area of “life after career” is extensive. 

Corbett served in the Navy for three years after attending Northwestern University. He credits those years with his love of learning about people. After leaving the Navy, he focused on helping military men and women find meaning after retirement. 

In 1986, he founded an organization called New Directions which offered professionals new opportunities once retirement came along. Many of his clientele were military men and women who didn’t know what to focus on after being discharged from their service. 

“I had that for about 30 years,” he said in an interview. “It was for people north of their 50s…up to 90s. They were really just looking for something to do.” 

Corbett enjoys creating opportunities for people, especially newfound passions to pursue. He said the extra years should be filled with meaningful activities and purpose. 

After selling his company, Corbett moved from Boston to Brewster to take care of his wife, Linda, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Adjusting to life as a caretaker was a new experience that instilled an appreciation for qualities like patience, tenacity, resilience and endurance. 

In his book, he writes, “Caregiving is much like a career change. It’s new, it’s necessary, the stakes are high, and it requires planning. Like a job, it is an obligation that must be fulfilled.”

The guide includes multiple paths or circumstances that retirees may be facing and looks to support unforeseen challenges. Instead of just surviving through the change, Corbett writes about finding ways to flourish in it. 

“The Rest of Your Story” is available now, and can be found at Corbett’s website, corbettbooks.com and can be ordered by local bookstores or found online.