When you meet a child that you haven’t seen for a while, the first thing that most people do is exclaim how much they’ve matured. “You’re so tall now! I hardly recognize you.” Imagine doing that to your aunt at your next family gathering. “You’ve aged so much! I hardly recognized you.” Laughable, right? We… Continue reading Forgive Yourself For Getting Older
Category: Emotional journey
Your Time, Your Values
We all have time and it’s non-renewable. It’s considered our most precious resource. I don’t want to waste something that valuable! But what does it mean to “waste time?” I’m wondering what activities are a good use of my time and what would be considered time wasted. It’s not as straight-forward as I thought. Being… Continue reading Your Time, Your Values
Who’s Pushing Me?
As a good friend reminded me, the only one pushing me is me. I’m doing the pushing. I get to choose to move along this path. No one is forcing me to take this route or travel down it at a certain speed. When I worry if I’m doing enough and making progress, I try… Continue reading Who’s Pushing Me?
Going BIG
How much space do you take up in the world? I am staying small. It’s a choice. After three years of the pandemic telling me to keep my world small to stay safe (remain home, avoid others), I’ve found that it’s become my normal state. But unless there’s a pandemic, a war, or a lion… Continue reading Going BIG
The Un-Becoming
Am I becoming a new me or just un-becoming the old me? It’s a matter of perspective. Is the path forward after retirement a time to gather new resources and skills and roles, or is it a time to take all that I am now and edit it until I find my true self? Either… Continue reading The Un-Becoming
Choosing Solutions And Hope
What you focus on, is what you will find. I’m a believer in focusing on solutions rather than problems. I see the problems but I tend to look around for ways to address them rather than look for more problems. Mindset has a lot to do with whether we find solutions or just unearth the… Continue reading Choosing Solutions And Hope
Can’t Avoid Triggers
I recognize when my body goes into a stress response: tight jaw, overheating, nerves all a-buzz. I’ve spent time watching my body to recognize these physical responses. I’ve also dedicated a lot of time to journalling over that past six months. It’s helped me to identify four specific situations that provoke a stress response in… Continue reading Can’t Avoid Triggers
That “Open Hamster Cage” Feeling
“How are you liking retirement?” asked a friend the other day. I still find it so hard to answer that question, even after 11 months. I feel a combination of disbelief and guilt. Disbelief, that time has passed and I’m actually retired and not just taking a pause from work. Guilt, about being able to… Continue reading That “Open Hamster Cage” Feeling
The Selfishness Of Retiring, The Possibility of Volunteering
I made my decision to retire almost a year ago. At the time I gave myself an arbitrary amount of time to flounder: a year. I told myself that I would take the first year to recover, to explore and to relax. As my first year anniversary approaches, I wonder if continuing to stay retired… Continue reading The Selfishness Of Retiring, The Possibility of Volunteering
Out Of My Control
It’s very difficult to let go of control. As a teacher, I felt the pressure to “control my class” which really meant keeping them quiet and engaged. I never quite managed the peaceful part of that. I preferred to keep my students noisy and engaged. However, there are times that I have had to acknowledge… Continue reading Out Of My Control
Retired, And Now What? 