Considering that I’ve always lived on the same planet, I have managed to stay remarkably ignorant of its countries. Sure, I can find where I am on the globe, and the places that I’ve visited, but that’s about it. Sadly, most of my knowledge is extremely North American and Euro-centric. Challenging My Ignorance. A year… Continue reading Where In The World Is…
Category: Finding new skills
Do What Scares You
It’s easy to become complacent and settle when you retire. You get pushed along by the rhythm of the day, and suddenly a week, a month and a season has rolled by. I could feel it happening to me and I didn’t like it. In an attempt to grow, I chose to do something that… Continue reading Do What Scares You
Truly Listening
I don’t know why it surprises me, but I still have so much to learn. Often the stuff I have to learn is not new stuff. It’s not stuff that I’ve never heard about before. It’s the basics: easy things that are hard to follow through on. This past week, it was listening. Listening. Yup,… Continue reading Truly Listening
A Checklist Of Retirement Experiences
Retirement websites often distill retired life to a list of things that you can check off one-by-one.* From a tired, working person’s perspective, it’s an enticing list of wonderful possibilities. I’ve found that it over-simplifies the process of retiring. It makes retirement look like an endless holiday where you get to do all your favourite… Continue reading A Checklist Of Retirement Experiences
A Time For Learning
As a former teacher, you can understand that I have a passion for learning. However, as a retired person I was not at all sure that I wanted to start from the beginning again. Formal education was my life until now as a student, and then as a teacher. I want something different now. And… Continue reading A Time For Learning
Frozen Decisions
I really thought that after all my life experience making decisions, I’d be better at it by now. Apparently, teachers make —- 1500 decisions per teaching day and I can believe it!* But lately simple decisions have been causing me to waffle back and forth: frozen. What’s a simple decision for me? It’s one that… Continue reading Frozen Decisions
Move It
“Move it or Lose it” is a phrase you may have heard connected to getting exercise. It automatically creates that “ugh” response in me. I know that moving is important for my wellbeing but I also know that we never “lose it” forever. It’s always possible to re-build. Maintaining My Range Of Motion. It is… Continue reading Move It
Downsizing By Up-Cycling Textiles
Last month, I wrote about downsizing by getting rid of what no longer serves you (click here to read). I mentioned that there are other ways to organize and de-clutter and one was a creative way. Up-cycling is something I’ve been experimenting with. Up-cycling is another word for reusing something that is worn or no… Continue reading Downsizing By Up-Cycling Textiles
Shaking Up What You Think You Know About Yourself.
Have you ever seen the moon when it’s on the horizon? It looks massive and yet we know it hasn’t changed size. It’s a matter of our perspective: the way our brains are processing the information. Did you know that if you look upside down at the same moon, it will appear its normal size?*… Continue reading Shaking Up What You Think You Know About Yourself.
Creativity: A Writer’s Gotta Write.
There was fear and uncertainty when I started this blog. I’d never written for a larger audience than my class and their parents. I wondered if I would run out of ideas. Surprise! I’m discovering that the more I write, the more I have to write. Creativity Grows The More You Use It. It turns… Continue reading Creativity: A Writer’s Gotta Write.
Retired, And Now What? 