I’m trying to learn how to respect the speed limits in my life. Before I retired, I had a vision of a relaxed lifestyle with time for gardening, reading, playing the piano, knitting, and other hobbies. I imagined that there would be time to visit friends, time for travel, time to watch movies, time for […]
Author: Jeanette Lewis
Get what you want out of life
As you grow older, it becomes more important than ever to use time to get what you want out of life. Time has value that diminishes with every day. Time wasted in useless or unsatisfying activity can never be recaptured. Unlike the world economy, politics, the stock market, or health, how time is spent is […]
Reunions
As is the case for most readers, I’ve attended my share of reunions over the years. High School reunions, university home-comings, class reunions, and work-related reunions. These events often involve dinners, speeches, pub crawls, site visits and dances. It is always great fun to see former classmates and former colleagues, to reminisce, and to recall […]
Daily Routines after Retirement
A few weeks ago a friend who is about to retire asked about my daily routines after retirement. She wondered how she would get into a new routine without the structure of a job that required getting up early, commuting, and meeting expectations in the workplace. Without a job that dictates the flow of a […]
Thoughts on Turning 70
As my birthday approaches, I have many thoughts on turning 70. It seems that milestone birthdays — especially those that mark another decade merit reflection. I’ve now lived seven decades of my life. It’s truly a time for reflection! I’m looking back at old journals as I can’t recall each of these important decade birthdays. […]
Dealing with change
Dealing with change in retirement is important. Like most people, I like to think that I’m good at dealing with change. I can adapt. But recently, I had to confront myself. Our niece was visiting us last month. The conversation turned to tactics for protecting the brain and keeping it active to assist in warding […]
Letting Adult Children Solve Their Problems
One of the most difficult things for a parent is to stand back and let adult children solve their problems. In the past three months, I’ve watched my adult son change jobs, sell his house, buy another house, and move to a different city. It’s been an unbelievably stressful time for him and for our […]
Finding Happiness When Life Isn’t Perfect
If you have perfectionist tendencies, like I do, sometimes it’s difficult to find happiness when life isn’t perfect. I am slightly neurotic with high standards for myself and for others around me. I know and accept that there are highs and lows in life yet I often have unattainable expectations. It’s related to being a […]
Every Retirement Choice has a Price
It’s a sad truth that every retirement choice has a price. The choice may have a financial price tag or an emotional price tag. In planning for retirement, most people try to make choices that will reward a lifetime of hard work with a care-free, stress-free lifestyle. They recognize that all choices come with price […]
Powerful Thinking and Positive Thinking
Is there a difference between powerful thinking and positive thinking? When I posed this question at the dinner table, my family’s responses were interesting. There was consensus that powerful thinking had a Machiavellian quality to it related to getting and keeping power in organizations or among friends. Positive thinking, however, was equated with success and […]
