AAUW Dialog

By Anna M. Rappaport, FSA, MAAA

I want to share with you my interest in a new book, Project Renewment. I am a woman who has had a busy career since my early 20s; I am now in my late 60s. I am working to stay active, to re-invent myself, and to try to do things that will make an important contribution to the world. At the same time, I face the reality of entering a different life stage. This book was wonderful because it offered so much insight on the pluses and minuses of this new stage and the opportunities it presents.

The book describes itself as “the first retirement model for career women.” Authors Helen Dennis and Bernice Brattner offer essays on 38 different topics and provide guidance on how to establish a project renewment group if one wants to work on tackling these and similar issues with their peers. Each essay provides a discussion of issues, insights from experiences and interviews with women in project renewment groups, and questions that are important for third-stage women to ask.

Some of the chapters I loved included

Who am I without a business card? Based on my experience, this is a key issue for many active career women. I decided that my solution was to create a website and new identity for my next stage, www.annarappaport.com.

What is productivity anyway?

The queen of multitasking is taking a break.

In addition to presenting essays about activity, work, and building a new life, the book also addresses a number of subjects that are difficult and, therefore, sometimes omitted from books that focus on a new career or an endless vacation. They include Going it alone, Losing a mate, Sex: Lest we forget, and others. These chapters provide windows to many issues, including what we fear, what we are reluctant to discuss, and where we might find opportunity.

This book makes it clear that there are no common answers but rather widely shared questions. To learn more about Project Renewment, look at http://www.projectrenewment.com.

For women who need to balance their focus and think more about money and benefits issues, I also recommend Women at Risk, www.actuarialfoundation.org.