Never too late

Ageing gracefully is about knowing that it’s never too soon or too late to change your life.

As you start to age gracefully you may have regrets about things you always wanted to do but haven’t done.  shutterstock_59074060 It’s true: many people at every age live a life that that is not  at all like the dreams they had.

Perhaps you too wonder what happened to the dreams you had. Are you resigned to the way things are?

Do you think that getting older is about putting up with it all and that there is nothing you can do to make a difference?

Has it ever occurred to you that life moves on and there is never that mythical time when everything is ‘sorted’? You may find it difficult to believe right now, but it’s true. There is always change. As some situations improve, other challenges arise.

The most important thing is to realise that you can start to live the life you want now.

Perhaps there are practical considerations which mean you have to keep some things which aren’t ideal in your life. However you can begin to change things bit by bit. You can begin to introduce changes into your life. And when you do that, not only will your life change for the better but other things will change too.

People around you will change in their attitude towards you. Because when you make the changes you want, you become more focussed and more motivated.

A basic principle of change is that you can only change yourself, you cannot change other people.

However by changing yourself other people will change and your world will change too.

So instead of moaning about the trials and tribulations of being you in your present situation, identify the most important elements that are missing from your life and do something about the situation. It’s important to understand that life is not only about others, it’s about about fulfilling your own needs too.

You need to have time for just you. Time when you can connect with nature, when you can sit and stare, walk up mountains or sail. Time to be creative to take part in sport, to play music or paint.

Whatever it is which makes your heart sing. Whatever it is which connects with your inner emotional self. You really must not forget that. Your emotions and your body are part of you as much as your logical side.

Too old for all of this? Who says?

To age gracefully understand that you are never too old to change your life!

If  you make  the excuse of age for not taking the challenge to do what you really want to do, then stop doing that.

Your joints may be stiffer but perhaps it’s the inflexibility of your mind rather than your body which stops you achieving what you want.Here is a challenge: spend a few hours listening to what you and others say in day to day conversation. Notice the words used and the assumptions made.

Do you hear yourself saying ‘I’m no good at so and so’

Or ‘I’m dreading tomorrow’ or ‘It’s an awful journey to get from A to B’

Or ‘I can’t do that, what will they think of me!’

  • Believe that whatever you want is possible.
  • Decide what you want.
  • Change your thoughts into positive affirmations (positive personal statements in the present tense)
  • Repeat many times daily.

You are never too old to change your life and grow old gracefully.

shutterstock_110198633

 

 

Books about retirement and more:   

www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B0034NXM46

www.amazon.com/-/e/B0034NXM46

Posted in Getting older, Inspiring life, Purpose, Retirement | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments

Getting older and wiser?

Getting older  means the start of a new decade with new opportunities to finally do what you really want to do and complete those things you intended years ago but which got swept aside because of demands on your time from family and work.

http://t.co/K1jVNzWBzz

Enjoying life as you grow older  depends on having a positive mindset about what is still possible to achieve. Yet it’s also a time for reflection about what you have accomplished  already.

http://t.co/K1jVNzWBzz

At every age you may be aware of  limitations in what you are able to do, whether these are physical or emotional,  and with increasing age these may become more obvious. Yet it is your mind as much as your body which can either limit you or enable you to do what you want to do.

 

If you are motivated and determined you will find a way to succeed in spite of getting older. You have increased wisdom which will enable you to cope with situations which may have upset you before. Now is the time to enjoy your family and friends, and reconnect with those with whom you have lost touch.

 

It’s so important as you reach retirement  and beyond to look after yourself and do things you enjoy. Let go of things which bore you and do those things which you love to do. Be creative: paint, draw, write. Keep active: walk, dance, practice yoga.  Exercise your mind: play scrabble, suduko, crosswords, read novels, watch educational television.  Expand your horizons: travel, join new groups, keep on learning. Relax regularly: sleep when you need to, watch a film, listen to music.  Eat healthily: plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables and as much natural food as possible. Stop poisoning your system with tobacco and excessive alcohol. Keep healthy: see your doctor about symptoms which persist and listen to the options offered if you need treatment then make  informed decisions about what to have done. Be a mentor:  let others benefit from your experiences while at the same time recognising that the world is a different place from when you were their age and so accept that their way of dealing with life may be different from yours.

 

Becoming retired  is a chance to open new doors and enjoy life to the full in whatever way you want. So recognise with gratitude that you are able to have opportunities to make a difference both in your own life and to those around you.  Not only will you enjoy these years as you get older but you will also leave a positive legacy.

http://t.co/K1jVNzWBzz

Posted in Getting older, Inspiring life, Keeping fit and healthy, Retirement | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Don’t let unproven beliefs stop you

If you are approaching retirement or have recently had a significant birthday (one of those ending with a 5 or a 0) do you find yourself getting  into a mindset about how things will be different now? Not only different but also not so good as before?

Over the years I’ve certainly noticed that when I enter a new decade it is sometimes with a feeling of apprehension about what that will mean for me as I get older.  I find myself worrying about whether I will be able to do the same things as before, if I might lose my memory or my ability to think clearly about what I’m doing and also whether others will make negative  judgments about me as I get older.

But all of those things are only in my mind. When I ask myself ‘How do you know? How do you know that you will be less capable? More forgetful? Be judged negatively?’ The reply I hear from myself is that I have no evidence for any of those negative thoughts!

I know that life changes as I get older but also know that is true whatever age  I am.  I’ve heard it said that the only constant thing in life is change. So that is no different when you are getting ready to retire from work: there will be changes though these are as likely to be  positive changes especially if you think about them with a confident mindset. 

How about you and your misconceptions about getting older and moving into retirement?

If you find yourself thinking those sort of thoughts then try to turn them around into some more positive ways of thinking about retirement. Think about doors opening rather than those which close when you leave work. 

Here are some affirmations to try:

‘I am entering a new phase in my life excited about the opportunities for me now.’

‘I have a lifetime of experience which will enable me to enjoy this transition  fully.’

‘ Retirement opens new doors for me.’

What positive statements about retirement can you think of?

Don’t make assumptions that the negative things people say about getting older are true. Instead challenge their and your assumptions and ask how  they know.

 For every negative belief  there will be a way to turn it around and find something positive to  tell yourself as you move forward into a life after work.

New ebook

If you are approaching retirement or have recently had a significant birthday (one of those ending with a 5 or a 0) do you find yourself getting  into a mindset about how things will be different now? Not only different but also not so good as before?

 

Over the years I’ve certainly noticed that when I enter a new decade it is sometimes with a feeling of apprehension about what that will mean for me as I get older.  I find myself worrying about whether I will be able to do the same things as before, if I might lose my memory or my ability to think clearly about what I’m doing and also whether others will make negative  judgments about me as I get older.

 

But all of those things are only in my mind. When I ask myself ‘How do you know? How do you know that you will be less capable? More forgetful? Be judged negatively?’ The reply I hear from myself is that I have no evidence for any of those negative thoughts!

 

I know that life changes as I get older but also know that is true whatever age  I am.  I’ve heard it said that the only constant thing in life is change. So that is no different when you are getting ready to retire from work: there will be changes though these are as likely to be  positive changes especially if you think about them with a confident mindset.

 

How about you and your misconceptions about getting older and moving into retirement?

If you find yourself thinking those sort of thoughts then try to turn them around into some more positive ways of thinking about retirement. Think about doors opening rather than those which close when you leave work.

 

Here are some affirmations to try:

 

‘I am entering a new phase in my life excited about the opportunities for me now.’

 

‘I have a lifetime of experience which will enable me to enjoy this transition  fully.’

 

‘ Retirement opens new doors for me.’

 

What positive statements about retirement can you think of?

 

Don’t make assumptions that the negative things people say about getting older are true. Instead challenge their and your assumptions and ask how  they know.

 

For every negative belief  there will be a way to turn it around and find something positive to  tell yourself as you move forward into a life after work.

New ebook for kindle available:

To People Who Want To Have a Life After Work But Can’t Get Started…….. (Getting Ready For Retirement) [Kindle Edition]

To People Who Want To Have a Life After Work But Can’t Get Started…….. (Getting Ready For Retirement) [Kindle Edition]

 This book includes the following:

What will retirement be like?
Ways to stay busy; Enjoy yourself; Coming to terms with retirement; Finding a new routine; Making changes; Adapting to being retired; Letting go of stress; Rethinking your life; A major life transition; Finding your purpose; Time to re-assess; Doing things you didn’t do before; New routines.

CLICK HERE for Amazon.com or HERE for AMAZON.co.uk

You can download it free of charge on 9, 10 and 11 December 2012 : I’d really appreciate a review from you in return!

Posted in Changing habits, Goals, Retirement | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Don’t be bored when you retire

Many people wonder if they will be bored when they no longer have the regular tasks connected with their working life. Here are ways not to be bored when you retire from work.

  1. Plan what to do tomorrow. Avoid waking up and wondering what to do all day by keeping note of events in the area you are interested in, or films or plays you want to see. When you decide the day before how to spend the next day you will be  excited to get on with your plans.
  2. Do some exercise every day.  Make sure that you walk each day, or do an exercise class or go to the gym or swim. It doesn’t matter too much what you decide to do so long as it is something you enjoy, can do easily and that you do it regularly, so that you keep your heart healthy and your body fit and flexible.
  3. Meet old friends regularly and make new friends too. Don’t stay at home feeling sorry for yourself. If you have friends who are also retired arrange to meet some each week. Being retired is a great time to make new friends too especially if all your existing friends are still working. Meeting people for a walk, a cup of tea o sharing a meal together helps to keep boredom away.
  4. Eat healthy meals. When you eat sensibly and healthily not only will you feel much better and lower your risk of illness, but you will feel more energetic and be able to enjoy life much more. It’s too easy to get into a habit of over eating once you retire, so instead plan your meals and  if you must snack have fruit instead of sweets.
  5. Learn something new. Keep your brain active by using it. Try something creative or learn a skill you’ve been wishing you had.  There are plenty of course available, so find what you are looking for at your local adult education centre.
  6. Take up neglected hobbies. Take up hobbies again which you’ve enjoyed in the past but with the pressures of work have left behind for a while. Retirement gives you the chance to re-visit these hobbies.
  7. Keep in touch with family. Whether you family live nearby or on the other side of the world keep in touch with them on a regular basis. They may be busy but don’t let that stop you picking up the phone, sending emails or talking on Skype.

Posted in Changing habits, Goals, Keeping fit and healthy, Purpose, Retirement | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

What is your life about?

What do you want to achieve in your life?

You can manage change, such as retirement,  in your life so much better once you are clear about your life purpose. This is a step further than goal setting, which some people find quite difficult to do because they don’t feel motivated to achieve the goals they set themselves.
However once you are clear about your life purpose, goals became clearer because they are the way you can achieve this purpose, they are the steps you need to take to move towards your purpose.

Finding your life purpose is important at whatever stage of life you are. nevertheless when you are either thinking about retirement or have actually retired this is something which becomes very important, I believe. By identifying your purpose you will gain clarity about what you are doing and why.

Anyone who has left a profession after many years will tell you what a major life transition this process is. For many people their whole identity is tied up in their professional role, and so thinking about retirement may mean believing that you are losing your identity. But that isn’t so.

You are more than your job or profession. There is more to life. Even when working you already have more than one role, don’t you? You may be a parent, a brother or sister, a son or daughter. You may be a team member or an organiser of something. When you are in those roles you probably have found that your identity is different too – the way you dress, the conversations you enjoy and so on.

So when you retire you will be aligning in with your non-working roles much more. And also be developing hidden aspects of your identity which have not surfaced, perhaps because of restrictions of the work environment.

Being aware of your purpose helps you decide what you will be doing during your retirement. Coaching can be useful to close the gap between working life and life after work….

Posted in Goals, Purpose, Retirement | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

New Book about Retirement

A parcel arrived yesterday with this book in it. I’m thrilled to have contributed to it alongside several very well known people. My contribution is on page 89.

All royalities from this book will benefit cancer research and prevention.

Posted in Inspiring life, Retirement | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Prepare for retirement with healthy habits

The following article reminds you of some habits to maintain if you want to be healthy in your retirement. Of course thes habits are vital while you are working too. However during your busy working life you may have neglected some or all of these.

5 Healthy Habits to Help You Prepare For Retirement | Natural

naturalweightlosstipsforwomen.com3/19/12

What does it mean to retire healthy? Living longer? Quality of life? Will we be able to do the things we dream of when we retire? Let’s look at actions.

Posted in Changing habits, Goals, Keeping fit and healthy, Retirement | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Inspiration from Jane Fonda

An inspiring talk by Jane Fonda. Are you ready for your third age?

Posted in Getting older, Inspiring life | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Resolutions

Which path will you take now you are retired?

Another year will soon have passed and the time comes around as it does each year to make your new year resolutions. Are you planning to make some or are you despondent about making more because you failed to keep those you made a year ago?
Or are you planning lots of new resolutions because you were so happy with your success rate during the year just passed?

Before you rush in to either make or not make any new ones this new year take a moment to back at those you made last year, if you can remember what you resolved and ask yourself if you managed to keep them.

If you’ve forgotten what they were than the first thing to do when you make another lot of resolutions is to write them down in a notebook, or how about on the first and last page of your diary for 2012?
Writing goals down is said to make it more likely that you will succeed in achieving those goals or resolutions, since that what resolutions are, just goals.

The trouble is that quite often they are not stated as clearly as goals you may set yourself later in the year. They may be vague goals like ‘I want to lose weight’ or ‘I want to be more successful.’ As with any goal your greater chance of success is when the goals are SMART. That means they must be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timed. So rather than ‘I want to lose weight this year’ how about I plan to lose a stone (fourteen pounds) before the end of March 2012. This gives yo a realistic and achievable goal  which can easily be measured and at the end of March you will know whether of not you have achieved this.

Maybe you didn’t achieve what you wanted during the year because you set a time which was too short or too unrealistic for what you wanted to do.

On the other hand if  you were one of the few people who did do what they planned you may have done exactly what is suggested here: wrote your resolutions in your diary, made a plan of what you would do step by step, day by day, week by week,  removed any objections or obstacles to achieving and worked away in small steps doing something to enable change each and every day.

If you want something to kickstart your new year – take a look at this: CLICK HERE

Posted in Retirement | Leave a comment

Retirement: what will you do all day?

Do you ever wonder  about retirement and what it will be like not to go to work any more?

Which way now?

When I say ‘go to work’ I’m referring to working for an employer. Many people do work after retirement but this may be setting up their own business, doing voluntary work,  and doing whatever it is that you really feel drawn to doing.

So if the thought of losing your working day routine worries you and you wonder how you will pass your days without it then take heart there are new opportunities which open up for you. It depends on what you really would like to do after you retire. Some people are very anxious about their lack of income and might want to find some suitable employment. This could be something entirely different from your long time job. Perhaps there is something you love doing  as a hobby and now you could find some paid work. Perhaps the rate of pay would be less than before but nevertheless it is still something which would occupy your days and also bring you some extra finances.

If on the other hand you have an adequate pension provision you may be more able to volunteer to help in any number of organisation doing whatever it may be that truly interests you. This might be showing people around a stately home, invigilating at an art exhibition or doing some gardening for a friend.
As with everything the most important question to ask yourself is. ‘What do you want?’ Then make sure you answer yourself in great detail so that you are more able to identify something suitable for you  to spend your time doing.
If you have enough money from your pension or savings then you might be able to spend this time of your life learning new skills and indulging your passion for anything which you didn’t have time for previously.
Whatever you decide to do avoid putting yourself into another working stress sort of situation. It’s very important at this stage of your life to be able to enjoy yourself as as well as finding plenty to do each day.
A common experience of retired people is that as time goes by they discover many things they hadn’t realised were available to them and their days fill up quickly, so much so that they say ‘I’m so buy now, I don’t know how I ever had the time to work!’

Coaching can enable you to sort out what to do in your retirement and motivate you to find another path to open new doors. CLICK HERE to find out more.

What is there for you at the end of the rainbow?

 

Posted in Changing habits, Goals, Retirement | Tagged , , | Leave a comment