‘It doesn’t seem such a bad life, being retired,’ said my son glancing through my latest copy of SAGA magazine.

There are lots of benefits: free bus travel, fee swimming sessions, reduced train fares and reduced entrance into museums and shows!

But disadvantages too: as I’m recovering from a sprained ankle and realise I can’t yet get back to doing what I was just less than a week ago – It’s all rather frustrating!

So the mixed pleasures of seeing my grandchildren and then not being able to climb down the rocks to be on the beach with them yesterday. However gratitude that my injury is minor and by this time next week I will throw down my crutch and climb down the clff path with renewed agility.

Yesterday I was on my way to the dentist to have a tooth out and didn’t notice there were 2 steps to go down from the room where I do yoga because I was lost in thought about the tooth extraction and whether or not I would have a local anaesthetic to have the tooth out when I suddenly found myself sprawled on the floor with several people asking me whether I wanted rescue remedy, comfrey or report the accident in the accident book (I was in a public building).

I said I was fine and when the  acute pain of a sudden fall wore off I hobbled down the road to the dentist to have my tooth out. I had a local anaesthetic which was great, I didn’t feel anything wxcept for my painful ankle. By the time I got home I had a hugely swollen ankle and wondered what to do to treat the sprained ankle. My husband knew what to do – he applied a crepe bandage and found me a crutch and even explained how to use it.

You have to hold the crutch with the arm on the opposite side to the injured ankle. Then walk like ‘Jake the peg with his extra leg’ bad leg forward at the same time as crutch forward. Good leg forward and crutch and bad leg back. Brilliant . I’ve noticed how lots of people don’t seem to get how to use the crutch!

Of course there are all sorts of things that can act as crutches – something which can offer a bit of help during a difficult time for example. The important thing to remember is a crutch is not for always, it’s a way of enabling you to get through a difficult patch.

My book ‘Get ready for retirement- how to have a life after work‘ can do that too because many people find the transition into retirement needs the support of a crutch for a while until you get used to the change of identity and new lifestyle.

Be inspired by the man written about here:   

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/money/article824052.ece

You too can keep your grey cells active by learning mkore about the internet and grey surfing in your retirement.

Computers and the internet make life so much easier in many ways: keep in touch with friends and family by email. Get information about whatever you want to know by putting your questions into search engine such as google or yahoo.

Whatever you decide to do remember that your brain as well as your body needs to be used when you are retired. So, to have a life after work and to help you with your retirement planning take a look at www.getreadyforretirement.co.uk You can sign up for a free report about the 6 essential things you need when thinking about retirement.

While on holiday in Itacare, Bahia, Brazil I copied the footwear of the locals: flip flops. My feet unaccustomed to the new pressures of the flip flop's straps. My feet more used to being enclosed in socks and town shoes, have reacted to the flip flops with several blisters. However I know that in a few days the skin will heal and the skin will adapt to their new footwear.

Life after ( or even before) retirement can be like adapting to flip flops too. At first doing something different may feel strange and you may be tempted to stop as I almost decided to abandon my flip flops. However when you persist the scars heal and you adapt to the new situation. As you prepare to retire or adapt to the transition called retirement, there will be many opportunities to do something different. Be brave and go ahead. Take the opportunities which retirement brings to do something different, even if it seems at first as though you won't be able to adapt. Most things need repeating or doing 21 times to become automatic. So keep your goal in ind and don't give up too soon,

For more useful strategies to have a life after work read my book 'Get ready for retirement – how to have a life after work' available from LULU

The panic about New Year Resolutions is past so now it's time to decide on goals for the longer term. Exercise is definitely my number one priority. I did an interesting exercise (no pun intended) using the GROW model with Coach BobGriffiths http://www.bobgriffiths.com the other day.

I found it extremely interesting that going through the GROW model in relation to my wish to lose weight I found that what I need to do is more exercise. So with this in mind I went to a totally toning class at the local leisure centre http://www.leisurecentre.com/ and feel great though somewhat aching (just a bit, because of using some muscles which have been neglected for some time!)

So new intention to go to the leisure centre regularly and get the result I want!

Whatever you want, define your goal, be clear about your reality, look at your various options and then decide on your way forward…and doing something you have neglected or not done before may hurt a bit too at first but keep motivated, keep your goal in sight and keep going and you will succeed!

Stephen Covey in his book The Seven Habits of Highly effective People' suggests that you begin with the end in mind. This is so important when you retire as it's too easy to while away the days getting very little done. But come to terms with the fact that you may not get things done quite as quickly as you did when you worked; you may be much better at mixing leisure with tasks/ 'work'/things to be done.

Make the plans, develop the big vision. Decide what might stop you and what your very first steps must be. Then commit yourself to doing those first steps….you are on your way to having the life you want after work!!

When you have recently retired you can be very active and do so many things, so get moving, get going with them while you have time and energy on your side.

Years ago I read an article called 'the cascade effect' It was about people having medical investigations as a result of which further tests were indicated and as the tests got more complicated and the person may experience side effects from the tests themselves.

If you are asked to undergo some tests make sure you really understand the pros and cons of doing so. Look on the internet too to find out how effective the test is in diagnosing something and if there is a positive result does that mean you have to proceed to a more invasive test.
I am not saying 'don't have a test' just be really clear why and for what it is being suggested.

I'm writing this because I've just jumped off a cascade of tests which were getting more and more complicated when I suddenly thought to myself 'why am I agreeing to all this when I don't understand why I need these tests?'

Many times I suspect further investigations are suggested because of the doctor's concern about litigation. So if you decide to refuse a suggested investigation you do need to discuss the pros and cons thoroughly so you come to an informed decision!

Doing something differently, whether something small or changing something bigger in your life  means going through several steps or stages:
•    realising something has to change
•    deciding what  has to change
•    recognising that it’s you who has to change and deal with the situation in a different way
•    taking the first step
•    keeping motivated in spite of people trying to dissuade you
•    finding the people to support you and trying to ignore those who tell you not to do it
•    being aware that when you make changes you are likely to reach a stage when you wonder if               you’ve made a big mistake
•    however bad things seem to be, keeping your mind’s eye on your ultimate goal
•    overcoming any obstacles in your way so you can move on with renewed certainty
•    reaching your desired goal and sometimes recognising you could have got there a whole lot more quickly if only you knew then what you know now!
This process was described in much more detail by Joseph Campbell and is known as the ‘hero’s journey’.

During your life you probably go through a similar process many times.
If you are at any of the stages in your latest journey then find those who support what you want to do and have the strength to keep going in spite of those trying to stop you!

Whatever you want to change in your life, be it time management, your weight, your habits, your confidence, your work life balance, your motivation,your career

Book News

My books are all available on http://www.amazon.com and http://www.amazon.co.uk Just search ‘Susan Kersley’ These include my two books for doctors ‘Prescription for Change- for doctors who want a life’ ABC of Change for Doctors’ and a more general book for those about to retire (including doctors!) ‘Get ready for retirement – how to have a life after work’

Please take a look!

Retirement for doctors; Retirement for baby boomers.
To those of you thinking of retiring: what are your biggest challenges about moving on? Is it:
•    change in your identity?
•    change in what is important to you now?
•    change in what you do each day?
•    change in what you need to be able to do?
•    change in where you spend your time?
•    something else?

Follow me on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/susankersley (Let me now if you are on Twitter so I can follow you too!)

If you feel nervous about something you have to do in a few days time and you say to yourself, ‘I am confident’, over and over, you will find that your confidence increases phenomenally.

Affirmations can be much more detailed than that. They could be something about where you want to be, whom you want to be with and what you want to be doing.

Keep your eyes, ears and senses alert and you can find amazing opportunities for a fulfilling and happy life. When an opportunity comes your way, grab it. Make choices, be brave, and take chances. This is the time in your life when you can do that and remember that the opportunity may not come your way again.

An excerpt from 'Get ready for Retirement – how to have a life after work'

Everyday brings new ways to use the internet. I'm learning something different each time I 'play' with my computer.
So many ways to connect one thing with another! 
New ways to connect one person with another, one event with another, one year with another.

Sometimes it's overwhelming and quite amazing to see the connections linking people all over the world.

When you prepare to retire you are entering a new and different phase of your life. You have the chance to do things you’ve never had time to do before. If you sincerely believe retirement is about opening new doors, then those doors will appear for you. Be willing and ready to recognise and open them.

Too many people believe retirement is only about closing old doors.  Do you see retirement as the end of the road or as a chance for new opportunities?

Your beliefs tend to be related to what happens to you and can become self-fulfilling prophesies. That’s why affirmations are so powerful. When you repeat a phrase over and over several times each day, your subconscious mind takes it ‘on board’ and believes it to be true. So saying a positive statement in the first person, present tense and stating what you want to happen, as though it is already happening, is a very powerful thing to do.