Much of our career is our identity. And it's easy to feel lost after you've given up that identity piece. But there’s more to life than your career. 

Leaving your old career makes way for Creating Your Encore Career. An encore career does not necessarily mean that it's paid or that it's full-time. It could be part-time or volunteer. 

The Breadcrumb Legacy

• Jann Freed developed a concept – called The Breadcrumb Legacy™ – in which people create new meaning for themselves and others through small daily actions.

• The more years of life experience, the more time, flexibility, and resources you have. We may not be dividing our energy as much as when we were working. But we have more resources now than we did, that we can make a difference.

• Research says that people, who have a purpose or reason to get up in the morning and feel like they have meaning in their lives, tend to live an average of seven years longer. Finding companionship is also important for our health and well being.

• Rethink when asking people you meet. Instead of asking "what do you do?" – ask, "what are you interested in?" or "what are your passions?"

Practical Steps to Leaving a Legacy

• Think about why you get up in the morning. Remind yourself everyday of your purpose and meaning. Drop your tools. Learn and unlearn. Have a growth mindset. You just have to go and grow.

• Become a nobody. Much of our life, we strive to become somebody. But as we get older, it's really not so much about us, but the difference and the impact we're making.

• Embrace your mortality. When you learn how to die, you learn how to live. And if you can get over that fear, you are free to explore, grow, and experiment.

• Who will help you move the couch? As we get older and gain life experiences, it’s harder to make friends since much of our lives are structured around life stages. People miss a lot of things, but it's all about relationships, and they miss relationships.

• Enjoy every moment. Be present, show up, and make the most of every moment.

Think of your life as breadcrumbs you will be leaving in every interaction. It’s not about getting older but about how many years of life experience you have. The more years of life experience, the more time, flexibility, and resources you have.