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
Category: Time
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
Taxing Reminders
This is more of a rant and reminder than my usual content. Frustration with government bureaucracy seems to be universal no matter what part of the world you live in. Setting aside any arguments about the validity of specific taxes, it can be a challenge to remember to pay them. It can also be a… Continue reading Taxing Reminders
Not If, But When, You Exercise
Did you know that the time of day that you exercise effects the results that you achieve? I didn’t. Like most people, I’ve struggled to find a consistent time to exercise. When I was working, there were only a few spots in my schedule where exercise would fit. There wasn’t much choice. As a retired… Continue reading Not If, But When, You Exercise
A Powerful, Personal Word
Recently, I’ve been talking with two different people about a word of the year. It’s a word that is unique and special to them. It’s a word that they choose independently, or one that others help them to identify. Either way, it is a personal word. The difference is that for one person their word… Continue reading A Powerful, Personal Word
‘Tis The Season For No Focus
The more stressed I get about doing “all the things” this season, the less effective I become. It’s a frustrating paradox. I know that I have a lot to do, but the more I try to do the things, the less focused I become. I’m eager to get on with all the items on my… Continue reading ‘Tis The Season For No Focus
Time Flies, But Can It Walk?
It’s garbage day again! Is it my imagination or is time speeding up? Suddenly another week has gone by and I can’t recall what I did for the last seven days. It’s a blur. Time passed too quickly. What is affecting my perception of time and is there anything I can do to slow it… Continue reading Time Flies, But Can It Walk?
Retiring The Excuse
It’s a lot harder to say NO these days. I used to have a ready excuse for not wanting to do something: “Sorry, I’m so busy with work.” It was a legitimate reason. I was often extremely busy and had difficulty balancing any added commitments. But if I’m honest, it was also a handy excuse.… Continue reading Retiring The Excuse
Righting My Life/Work Balance
It is wonderful to be retired. I’m not going to lie. I love having the flexibility in my day to take care of my own needs for exercise, daylight, writing, nutrition, hydration and social interaction. I’m no longer trying to wedge self-care into a bulging work schedule of teaching, planning, marking, reports and paperwork. But… Continue reading Righting My Life/Work Balance
Rest Is A Right, Not A Reward
I was listening to therapist, KC Davis on a podcast this morning,* when she said something that was mind-blowing to me. When we were kids, we were raised to finish our chores first and then we’d get to play. Rest was seen as a reward for getting our work done. Davis pointed out that as… Continue reading Rest Is A Right, Not A Reward
Retired, And Now What? 