As the summer days gallop past I’ve been thinking about how I’m spending these precious days at the cottage. In late June, when we typically re-locate the cats and ‘move’ to the cottage, it seemed that summertime would be as endless as the horizon on Lake Huron. A change of routine excited me. I looked […]
Enjoying Retirement
Retirement Happiness — The everyday and the ordinary
How we spend our days is how we spend our lives. — Annie Dillard, BrainyQuote.com There is something special about enjoying the ordinary things we do every day. A cup of good coffee in the morning, cats greeting me with a purr, a joke shared with my husband, the fresh smell of clean laundry, time spent […]
Happiness in Retirement — Why Exercise increases happiness
One of the easiest ways to increase happiness in retirement is to start exercising and to do some form of exercise every day. Many postworksavvy readers already make regular exercise part of their daily retirement regime. They started exercising for weight loss, improved general health or greater body flexibility. Their doctors urged them to undertake a moderate […]
Celebrating Canada Day!
Today — July 1 — is Canada’s birthday! It’s the day we celebrate being Canadian. I am passionate about being Canadian and I am an enthusiastic supporter of my country — although at times actions of our government and behaviour of my fellow Canadians can dampen my enthusiasm. As a departure from my usual posts […]
Happiness in Retirement — Random Acts of Kindness
Random acts of kindness happen too infrequently but when a random act of kindness happens, it always brings a smile. Wikipedia defines a random act of kindness as “a selfless act performed by a person or people wishing to either assist or cheer up an individual person or people.” Whether it is a tangible gift — like […]
Happiness in Retirement — Gains and Losses in Life
Our lives are filled with gains and losses. When we look back at the successes and failures of our lives, it is not uncommon to consider that, with different life choices, the outcomes may have resulted in greater happiness or a better/easier result. That may or may not be true. Certainly different choices would create […]
Happiness in Retirement — Fighting Ageism
Ageism, discrimination based on age and usually focused on the elderly, is destructive, patronizing and exclusionary. It can lead to fear, discrimination, and damaged self-esteem. There is little doubt that older adults living in Western society fall victim to aspects of ageism. Researchers indicate that by age 40, many businesses consider men ‘too old’ to be hired […]
Happiness in Retirement — What do you ‘do’ after ‘work’?
As busy dedicated professionals think about retirement, many wonder what they will ‘do’ after ‘work’. What will make them feel worthwhile? Careers are built by focusing on goals, tasks, and rewards. Very often these are not personal goals but corporate goals — accomplishments that society affirms and rewards. You are doing ‘something’ worthwhile. A few days ago I […]
Happiness in Retirement — Tears of Joy
How often do you shed tears of joy? Last week we celebrated the birth of our first grand child with tears of joy. We were ecstatic! News of the birth came to us during the night. We were at the cottage enjoying the arrival of spring. Thanks to social media, we received photos of the first […]
Happiness in Retirement — Build Your Resilience
Achieving happiness in retirement becomes easier if you build resilience. When work stops and retirement begins, an important life change happens. As a life event, retirement is significant. Your perception of who you are as a person and your sense of worth in society changes — as does your lifestyle. Regardless of whether retirement happened […]
