Sometimes you’re forced to slow down. Sometimes it’s necessary to retreat from the world — to stop completely. No appointments. No activities. No gym time. No cooking. No errands. Nothing.. I’ve had over a week of slow time suffering from a severe flu. I could whine and complain about the unfairness of such an illness […]
Enjoying Retirement
7 Reasons Why Smart People Struggle with Retirement
Why do smart people struggle with retirement? After decades of work, many take a hard look at their finances including pensions and government benefits. Next comes the decision to retire. After the hoopla of retirement celebrations, many question this decision. There are a few weeks — or months — of feeling that life is an […]
FOGO and The Art of Aging
What is FOGO and how does it relate to the art of aging? Let’s begin with the easy part. FOGO is the short form for Fear of Getting Old. Getting old is inevitable. For many, FOGO begins in teenage years, accelerates with every decade, and becomes more of a pre-occupation if you are fortunate to […]
Coping with Fear of the Future
How can we cope with fear of the future? Why does fear of the future become a preoccupation as we grow older? Older people have many fears in common including fear of dying, fear of living in pain, fear of losing independence, and, of course, fear of getting old. Most days, some worry about getting […]
Retirement Happiness and Positive Psychology
In recent weeks I’ve been researching positive psychology for guest posts that I write for a UK newsletter. I’ve been considering how the principles of positive psychology can increase retirement happiness. The field of positive psychology is largely attributed to the work of Martin Seligman. Positive psychology seeks to understand the nature of happiness and […]
Retirement Happiness — Staying Relevant
Staying relevant is important for retirement happiness. The world changes everyday. Most often we attribute the pace of change to technology. But there are also legal changes, economic changes, language changes, style changes. When there is no need to prove professional competence in the workplace, staying relevant and abreast of changes is challenging. Without interaction […]
Does the way we think matter?
Paying attention to the way we think matters. Thoughts create reality through memories, observations, judgements, perceptions and intentions. People flourish with a healthy mindset that is focused on positive, worthwhile things. When we think positive and not negative thoughts, when we are careful with self-criticism, and when we treat others with respect, we cultivate the […]
A busy life is not a happy life
“Beware the barrenness of a busy life.” — Socrates A busy life is too often seen as a badge of honour. Everyone is constantly busy. Schedules are overloaded. People rush from one thing to another while often accomplishing little or nothing during a day. Life is busy yet it feels empty and unproductive. My threshold […]
How to motivate yourself
Do you know how to motivate yourself? Are there aspects of your lifestyle, habits, or health that you want to change but you find yourself stuck in old routines? Do you find yourself in a holding pattern that needs invigoration? After almost five years of retirement, I find myself repeating patterns that satisfy me. Unfortunately, […]
Handling Loneliness
Have you learned how to handle loneliness? Most of us, no matter how socially active, fight bouts of loneliness. Feeling lonely is not shameful nor is it a sign of failure. It is a normal feeling that happens to everyone. The presence of other people doesn’t insulate you from loneliness. Even when you are in […]
