Established in 1946!
The baby boomers have had a profound impact on the social norm since their establishment.
Being the largest generation, the baby boomers have shown an independent spirit that has influenced politics and the culture we live in today.
Baby Boomers have reshaped all phases of life and are redefining the retirement outlook.
The youngest baby boomers are now grandparents and the oldest are now 65 years of age. This is making a serious mark on the senior citizen population.
The boomers have lived through difficult and challenging times. The have seen wars and a technological boom like no other.
Their experiences will guide them well into their senior years and help shape the generations to come.
In this article, we will discuss what traits the boomers have, what they are doing today to stay active, and how they are reshaping what retirement and leisure lifestyles will now be.
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Attributes That Define The Baby Boomer
One of the things that can define my brothers and sister as we are all baby boomers is our strong work ethics. Our parents were the product of being raised during the Great Depression and they shaped our lives to embrace the will to work hard for the things you have.
Success was defined by the effort and time invested into the work we chose as our profession and careers. Boomers struggled with the concept of finding the right work life balance.
Independence has been a strong trait within our family of baby boomers. With this independence came self-assurance.
As the boomers would follow the rules of society, they were open to always voicing an opinion (my family included).
Baby boomers were drawn to competition. Boomers loved the challenge of climbing the ladder in the corporate world. Visuals that allowed boomers to see where they compared to their peers were valued by them.
For the baby boomers that were raised by Great Depression parents, they were taught to be resourceful and have the knowledge to take on challenges by solving problems and creating easier ways to accomplish goals.
Baby Boomers are goal oriented as this was evident in their professional lives and at home. Most baby boomers love checklist to accomplish a task the right way the first time.
Lastly, boomers have a strong sense of community and love structure in their lives. This is probably why baby boomers embraced the technological boom of the 70s and became proficient in personal computers and being online.
Driven By Events
Over the years, the baby boomers have been influenced by an array of events that has help shaped their outlook on life.
Early boomers became of age during the time of the Vietnam war and civil rights movement.
In the sixty’s, the boomers were involved in the Vietnam war both from the military side and as protesters of the war as it lingered on.
The civil rights movement involved the boomers as they provided protest that shaped the future for protest tactics as the years went on.
This antiwar movement did not end the Vietnam war, but helped define the boomers that had entered adulthood during those times.
As the Vietnam war played out, domestically the civil rights movement went into full swing. During this time, nonviolent protest shaped the way the boomers would approach their challenges in the future.
After the civil rights movement slowed, the women of the boomers took charge to have more say by creating their own speeches and workshops to fight for their equal rights in the workforce and provide female leaders of the future.
As the Sixty’s drew to and end, the baby boomers shaped the 70s and the 80s as they went from the Hippies to the Yippies, and to the Yuppies.
Yoga And Health
Baby Boomers life expectancy is 10-20 years longer than their parents in most cases. This is largely driven by the advances made in modern medicine and healthcare.
Because of this, boomers are spending a lot of money and time towards their health care and they have a desire to stay active well into their golden years.
As the baby boomers reshaped what our society in their youth, they are reshaping what it means to grow old in America today.
Many studies have indicated that baby boomers will live out their retirement years very differently than their parents or the old traditional stereotypical images of senior citizens.
This desire to stay active will boost the industry of exercise for they are seeking out Yoga, Zumba, and walking clubs to help maintain healthy lifestyles.
Exercise clubs for the older generation is sought out by the boomers as they can meet and socialize with like-minded baby boomers. They are looking to increase stamina and have healthier older lives.
Even for the ones already on Medicare, they look for plans that will include the fitness clubs.
Baby Boomers Reshaping Their Future
With over 70 million baby boomers in the US today and most with college level educations (more compared to previous generation) are reshaping their future and what the retirement lifestyle will look like for them.
Boomers are looking to work longer and are pursuing second careers as they become of retirement age. Most baby boomer today are college educated and can provide valuable skills and knowledge after they retire.
This is valuable to companies today as they bring that knowledge with a strong work ethic.
The baby boomers help produce the consumer generation and have been very particular in their approach to purchasing.
Usually this involves research and comparison of options for them to make an educated purchase.
Overall, the baby boomer offers tons of experiences and skills to help and grow as they get older. Staying active in society is very important to them.
Conclusion
As I am a baby boomer, my retirement life is all about staying active and healthy. My wife and I are living in a motor home to travel the USA and Canada.
We are more active more now with walking and hiking the national forest trails to see the beauty of nature. I have run across the wild of nature and it has been very exciting.
This picture was taken when walking my dog in one of the RV parks we stayed in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee.
Too close for comfort!
I hope that you get out of your comfort zone and join me in making the most of your retired life and go out and do the things you have always wanted to do.
Baby boomers are unique and offer many things many ways. Staying active and redefining what is means to grow old and retire.
I would love to hear what you think or have experienced by leaving a comment below.
So, go out and get the most out of this life we have.