Our brains love to create habits. It allows our brains to relax and not use much energy. How many times do we bring conscious thought to our daily habits? We don’t need to! We brush our teeth; get into bed and turn out the lights. No thought needed. Habits Can be Beneficial, Neutral Or Unwanted… Continue reading Creating Healthy Habits
Category: Retirement Tools
Retirement Is Saying Hello And Goodbye
All change is saying yes to the new thing and also, saying no to the old. When I retired, I was saying hello to a new exciting, chapter of my life. But, as with many hellos that I’ve had over the years, I didn’t see all the goodbyes until much later. I’m experiencing desiderium: a… Continue reading Retirement Is Saying Hello And Goodbye
A Work/Life Balance Doesn’t Make Sense
I’m determined not to get sucked into that whirlwind of work again. Before I retired from teaching, I was a chronic over-worker. I enjoyed my job (for the most part), and filling my out-of-school hours and weekends with work felt necessary and purposeful. Perhaps it was just easier to do more work than to figure… Continue reading A Work/Life Balance Doesn’t Make Sense
Supporter Appreciation Season
Lose That Winning Streak Mentality
Celebrating someone’s ability to continue a winning streak is harmful to them and to us. We celebrate the retiree who never missed a day of work by featuring them in news articles.* But showing up every day and doing the thing, without missing a day, ever … under any circumstance, is problematic. It’s time we… Continue reading Lose That Winning Streak Mentality
Got Junk? Grow Some Space.
Somehow the older we get the more junk we accumulate. I’m not sure how it happens. It grows in cupboards, and closets and it’s especially fertile in basements and garages. It seems to grow without thought or nurture on my part. Soon, like a garden over-grown with weeds, it becomes a problem. Ignoring it or… Continue reading Got Junk? Grow Some Space.
Where Planning Falls Short
Having a detailed plan sounds like a solid idea, something an adult who is organized would do. A positive. As a teacher, I was required to have lesson plans in case I was absent and a supply teacher needed to take over my class. I was also required by my administrators to have weekly plans,… Continue reading Where Planning Falls Short
Value Your Time
One of the first things that I learned as a new teacher was how to value my time. I remember spending hours cutting out and “mac tac-ing” (covering in plastic) over 50 teddy bear name tags for my first kindergarten students. I had a sore hand for days. An experienced teacher reminded me to never… Continue reading Value Your Time
Wake Up To Better Sleep
I really enjoy not waking up to an alarm clock anymore, now that I’m retired. But that alarm clock may have been serving a greater purpose than getting me to work on time. It could’ve been playing a part in helping me get a good night’s sleep. Not having a consistent routine is lovely at… Continue reading Wake Up To Better Sleep
A Retirement Home Checklist
Knowing what to look for in a retirement home, is a challenge. It takes an expert to know what questions to ask and what red flags to avoid. I’ve been fortunate to have a front seat in the process, when a person with over ten years of experience living in a retirement community, chose to… Continue reading A Retirement Home Checklist
Retired, And Now What? 