Trying new things changes your perspective. What you did previously, how you did it, and how it made you feel, change. My perspective on walking changed today as I experimented with walking poles. My husband felt that I would build more endurance and upper body strength if I challenged myself to walk differently. Hence, one […]
Happiness in Retirement
Dealing with Holiday Leftovers
With the hoopla of Christmas and New Year celebrations coming to a close, it’s time to deal with holiday leftovers. I’m thinking about leftover Christmas paraphernalia of all types — from food and decorations to leftover feelings. Dealing with either, or both, physical and emotional leftovers is sometimes rather unpleasant. Unfortunately, I know of no solution […]
Year-End Assessment
I’ve just finished a year-end assessment. Before anticipating what a new year will bring and considering outcomes for 2017, it’s useful to look back at 2016 aspirations, celebrate accomplishments, and consider major lessons learned. As I grow older, I grow more determined to live life on my own terms. I spent the first part of […]
Retirement Happiness — A Knitting Journey
A few years ago I returned to knitting. This forgotten hobby was something I taught myself during pregnancy more than 30 years ago. To teach myself, I bought needles, yarn and a ‘how to’ book designed for children. I struggled with holding the needles and maneuvering the yarn to achieve consistent tension. With no online […]
How do you assess your life’s work in retirement?
As we grow older, it’s common to assess your life’s work. In the past six weeks as I’ve recovered from the flu and another bout of pneumonia, there’s been too much time for staring at the bedroom ceiling and thinking. I’ve assessed my life’s work since retirement six years ago. I’ve also been thinking about plans […]
What will you do with an extra hour?
What will you do with the extra hour this weekend? The gift of an extra hour with the end of daylight saving time feels like hearing from a long-lost friend, finding a $20 bill in a coat pocket, or discovering an empty drawer in the cupboard. It makes for an extra long day with every […]
Learning How a House Works
Since moving four months ago, my husband and I are busy learning how everything in our house works. Many contractors are available to support homeowners but, ultimately, some knowledge of rudimentary aspects of how a house works depends on the occupant. Living comfortably in any house in Canada means having, at minimum, a dependable furnace […]
September — A month of New Beginnings
September is a month that signals new beginnings. More than January, the dawn of September feels like the start of a new year for a variety of reasons. Life settles into a routine. Vacations and lazy days of summer are over.Children and young people return to school. Days are shorter and nights are cooler. The arc of […]
Shot of Happiness
What is a shot of happiness? Other than a recipe for what seemed a very sweet drink with liqueurs and pineapple juice, I found no answers from a Google search. I found a couple of Facebook business pages, a blog with this title, but no definitions. I believe in shots of happiness. They serve as […]
Retirement Happiness — Life Intermissions
Intermissions in life usually accompany a major life change. The life change might be a marriage, the birth of a child, a promotion at work, or achievement of a milestone such as running a marathon. The life change may also result from the death of a loved one, a health crisis, a financial set back, a divorce, […]