Recently, a friend shared that she was astounded by her friend’s 50th birthday choice: a secret holiday. He took himself away from his family (wife and kids) for a 2 week holiday at a secret location that he didn’t share with, or talk to anyone about, before or after he went.* He wanted to travel… Continue reading The Secret Holiday
Author: Caroline@retiredandnowwhat.ca
I'm a life coach discovering the opportunities and growth in midlife and beyond.
Buy Nothing Summer Fun
It’s so easy and convenient to spend money when I’m enjoying the Summer. Grabbing an iced drink while I explore the local flea market with my daughter, meeting a friend for lunch, or even enjoying an ice cream after watching a movie at our local revue cinema, means spending a shocking amount of money. It… Continue reading Buy Nothing Summer Fun
Time For My Rest And Reset Challenge
I think I’m in for my biggest challenge yet since finishing my teaching career. This is bigger than going to college to get accredited as a life coach. It’s bigger even than learning how to set up, and run a business. I have high hopes for a positive effect. This summer, I’m going to learn… Continue reading Time For My Rest And Reset Challenge
A Checklist Of Retirement Experiences
Note: This article was first published 2023/03/24. Revised. Retirement websites often distill life after retiring to a list of things that you can check off one-by-one.* From a drained, working person’s perspective, it’s an enticing list of wonderful possibilities. I’ve found that the lists vastly over-simplify life after retiring. They make it look like an… Continue reading A Checklist Of Retirement Experiences
Recovering From Unplanned Naps
I hate taking a nap. It’s not the actual sleep part that bothers me. It’s that feeling that I get when I wake up. I will fight myself and resist falling asleep in the afternoon, even when I’m sleep deprived, to avoid the awful groggy consequences. It just doesn’t seem worth it. Napping was… Continue reading Recovering From Unplanned Naps
Goodbye Miss
Transforming from a teacher into something new is not as simple as saying goodbye to your last class of students, and heading off into the sunset of Summer vacation. Perhaps not surprisingly, nothing at all happens to you over your first summer after retiring. Nothing. It feels like every summer you’ve ever experienced in your… Continue reading Goodbye Miss
Life Is Different Now
Life will not be easier when you retire. There. I’ve said it. Despite what financial institutions might tell you in their ads about living a free and easy life, life isn’t easier. It’s different. The Good Stuff There are many, benefits. The flexibility to do things when you want to and not when your job… Continue reading Life Is Different Now
The On-Call Retiree
A person retired, is a person on-call. You have the flexibility to do things when you want to, and to be available when others are working. As a result, the world has a way of filling your time without you making a conscience choice. The Obligations Creep In I’ve seen this happen. At first you… Continue reading The On-Call Retiree
The Power Of Age
Getting older is a good thing. I know that can be difficult to believe at times when you look in the mirror and barely recognize the face looking back at you. People will say that they feel the same inside as they did when they were 30 or 40 years younger. But do they really?… Continue reading The Power Of Age
Giving Yourself Permission To Be Happier
Every year I wish her a happy birthday. She rarely replies and we don’t communicate for the rest of the year. We used to work together many years ago. Do you think it’s ok to stop messaging her? By midlife, often the only one stopping us from feeling happier is ourselves. We don’t give ourselves… Continue reading Giving Yourself Permission To Be Happier
Retired, And Now What? 