“When the whole word is silent, even one voice becomes powerful.” Malala Yousafzai.
The term “silent majority” was made popular by President Richard Nixon to describe those who weren’t protesting the Vietnam War. During his campaign, President Donald Trump used it to describe his supporters, one of whom defined this group as folks who expect a dollar’s pay for a dollar’s work. “They don’t want anything free, but they don’t want stuff taken away from them either.”
The “noisey minority” has been on display a lot lately, wearing pink hats and tweeting and taking to Facebook to express their fears and frustrations with the current direction of our country. They, too, don’t want anything taken away from them.
I was once a member of the silent majority. For 25 years, I was a federal employee, bound by a code of ethics to keep my political opinions to myself. I worked for both Republicans and Democrats, and I honored my pledge to keep my feelings under wraps. Other people have jobs that require them to keep their political views private as well.
Then I retired, and a funny thing happened. Slowly, but surely, I began to find my voice. I became noisier. I decided I have a responsibility to speak up and speak out for what I believe in. And I know how to make that happen.
Complaining on Facebook is either about preaching to the choir of like-minded friends or trying to change the minds of those who will not be swayed—not even by the facts. But every e-mail or letter that you write—to a federal employee or Cabinet secretary, to your congressman or senator, or even to the White House—becomes part of what is called “controlled correspondence.”
Every written communication received by the federal government is catalogued and sent to the appropriate official for a response. Even if you receive nothing more than a form letter in return, you can be assured that someone has read and made note of your opinion. And I fully intend to make my opinion known!
Why is this so important, and what does it have to do with retirement, in general, or retirement coaching, in particular?
It’s important because retirement frees you to find your voice. It allows you to remove the cloak of indifference or the shackles of complacence that you may have worn to go along or get along.
It’s important because retirement coaching helps you ask the big questions. “Who am I now that I am no longer working?” “What do I want to do with this next chapter of my life?” “How do I most want to be remembered?”
It’s important because retirement coaching helps you find the answers. Free from the constraints of the workaday world and the code of conduct it imposes, perhaps you want to volunteer for Planned Parenthood or register people who are homeless to vote. Maybe you want to host a refugee family or teach English as a second language. You might even decide you want to run for office yourself. Donald Trump is the oldest person to be elected President, so what’s stopping you?
The sky is the limit when you realize that you don’t have to remain silent anymore. It may not result in immediate changes but overtime it can make a difference.
I’d love to know what you think. Contact me at franlrandolph@gmail.com. All opinions are welcomed here!