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 […]
Lifestyle
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 — 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 — 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 — Moving your body
Moving your body is a priority for happiness in retirement. It’s a sensible way to make sure that you get the most out of every day. We all know that any type of sickness of disability takes something away from enjoying life — and achieving happiness in retirement means that you want to be able […]
21 Days Without my Husband — Messing Around and Being Alone
Day 19 — It’s been a week of informal ‘messing around’ and being alone — having fun with others and relaxing while alone. During the past few days I have amused myself with activities and diversions of my choice. On Monday I realized that this was the last full week that I would be home […]
Twelve Thoughts from Twelfth Night
Twelfth Night also known in Christian traditions as Epiphany was celebrated yesterday — on January 6. For me, January 6 means that it’s the day to ‘take down’ Christmas. It means putting away the dishes that come out for holidays; it means writing thank you cards; it means putting away decorations; it means the end […]
20 little things that make a BIG Difference
Taking a moment to appreciate the little things that make you happy is time well-spent. Appreciation of little things helps me to stay optimistic and to keep a fresh perspective. When I open my eyes to the good things happening around me I stay focused on the blessings of life. So please indulge this postworksavvy blogger as […]
How to Reframe Endings into New Beginnings
As postworksavvy readers know, life has many endings — the end of work, the end of a vacation, the end of school, the end of summer, and, of course, the end of life. The end of summer 2012 has me thinking about endings and about smart ways to deal with endings by re-framing. North American culture […]
How to Become a Smart Risk-taker in Retirement
Who never takes a risk, never has a chance The quotation comes from an old Chinese proverb and well describes why risk taking is essential for postworksavvy living. Yet so many retired people stop taking risks, favouring instead a life style based on predictability. This choice comes from popular advice to retirees that the secret to […]
