2018 - Sonoma My Life Stories Workshops - Don Lundgren
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As I approached retirement, I found myself asking a simple question: would I wake up each day looking forward to it? That question led me to a series of projects in Sonoma—each focused on helping people build something meaningful in their own lives.
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As I approached retirement, I felt uneasy.
For most of my life, I had been fully engaged—working, building, solving problems. Retirement was supposed to be something to look forward to, but instead, I kept coming back to one question:
When I retire, will I wake up and actually look forward to the day?
Over time, I realized my answer would depend on one thing—whether I continued to live with purpose.
For me, that purpose was clear:
Helping people be the best they can be.
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Turning Problems into Projects
My first meaningful retirement project was the My Right Trip Photos System.
I had noticed a simple but common problem: people took great trips, but their photos just sat there. They weren’t organized, shared, or turned into something meaningful.
So I created a simple 4-step solution. That became a website, and then a workshop. I ran those workshops at the Vintage House and the Sonoma Community Center for about three years. It was rewarding to see people reconnect with their experiences and share them with others.
That led to my next project: My Meaningful Life.
Here, the problem was deeper. Many people—especially later in life—didn’t feel they had a meaningful project. Something that gave their days direction.
I created a simple 3-step framework to help people identify and build something meaningful. Again, it became a website and a workshop, which I ran locally in Sonoma for a couple of years.
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A Different Kind of Contribution
Not all of my efforts were workshops.
At one point, I became aware of a local issue, called the Doyle Project—55 townhouses, each with its own enclosed garage, resulting in about 64 cars impacting the neighborhood.
I began thinking about a possible solution.
What if there were an on-site parking structure—a two-story garage with a park built on top? Something that could solve the problem while also adding value to the community.
I shared that idea with a Planning Commission member and a City Council member. It wasn’t about building it myself, but about contributing a way of thinking about the problem.
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Looking Back
When I look back at these projects, they all connect to that original question:
Will I wake up and look forward to the day?
The answer, for me, has been yes.
Not because I stopped working—but because I found new ways to stay engaged, to build, and to help others do the same.
And in the process, Sonoma has become more than just where I live.
It’s where I continue to build a meaningful life.
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These reflections highlight a few themes that often emerge when looking back on a life experience.
Light Insights
Purpose Doesn’t Retire
Retirement didn’t mark an end—it created space to focus more directly on what matters most.
Helping as a Way of Building
Each project began with a problem and became a practical way to help others move forward.
Simple Systems Create Action
By creating clear, simple steps, you made it easier for people to engage—whether with photos, meaning, or storytelling.
Evolving Through Experience
Each project built naturally on the one before it, showing how meaningful work often evolves rather than being planned all at once.
Shadow Insights
The Risk of Losing Direction
Without intention, retirement can feel uncertain or even empty.
Balancing Creation and Letting Go
Continuing to build meaningful projects can be fulfilling—but it also requires knowing when to step back and let others take ownership.
Deeper Theme
A meaningful retirement is not about stopping—it’s about continuing to build, with greater alignment between purpose and action.
