The Director of the Counselling Ministry of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Philip Osei Korsah, has noted that the best way to enjoy retirement is to have a sound mind.
He made this remark on Wednesday, October 12, 2022, at the Pentecost Convention Centre (PCC), Gomoa Fetteh, near Kasoa during the ongoing 2022 Retirement Seminar for ministers who have up to ten years to retire from active service of the church.
The event, which started on Tuesday and will end on Friday, October 14, 2022, is under the theme: “Possessing the Nations: Serving the Saints” (Heb. 6:10).
According to Apostle Korsah, mental health encompasses emotional, psychological, and social well-being.
“It influences cognition, perception, and behaviour. Economic situation can cause a mental imbalance,” he noted.
He revealed that mental health may include an individual’s ability to enjoy life and create a balance between life’s activities and efforts to achieve psychological resilience.
“Everyone says we have to get ready to retire financially. But what they don’t tell us is that we also have to get ready psychologically,” he pointed out.
He cited four phases of retirement that may happen in everyone’s life.
He mentioned the first phase of retirement as the vacation phase. In this phase, he said, “You wake up when you want, do what you want all day; there is no set routine. This represents our view of an ideal retirement since there is no more writing of reports, tithe closing, and the other hustles active ministry presents.”
The second phase, he revealed, is in three parts – the loss of the big five (which is loss of routines, loss of sense of identity, loss of relationships established during active service, and loss of a sense of purpose and power). The other part is coming face-to-face with the ‘Three Ds’: ‘divorce,’ depression and both physical and mental decline, and a disturbance in the equilibrium of relationships.
“Both men and women may struggle to adjust to the new situation,” he stated
He added: “Tension can also arise out of the increased need for joint decision-making. Whereas before retirement, the routine of work allowed for a relatively clear division of decision-making responsibilities, after retirement there may be many more decisions that need to be made together. Unless both of you are prepared to listen and be flexible, a shift in decision-making can be a source of conflict.”
Phase four, according to the Counselling Ministry Director, is the time to reinvent and rewire.
“Phase four involves answering some tough questions; what is the purpose here? What is my mission? How can I squeeze all the juice out of retirement?” he stressed.
However, to stay healthy mentally and have a happy retirement, Apostle Philip Osei Korsah noted that one needs to focus on his/her physical health, find activities that are meant to give a sense of accomplishment, and feel safe and secure.
“Seek support if you’ve been feeling sad, worried, stressed, angry, and numb or just ‘not yourself’ for two weeks or more, or if you would like extra support in managing your mental wellbeing, speak to your doctor. Sometimes just telling someone about how you are feeling is the first step towards feeling better,” he ended.
PENTECOST NEWS.