Lose That Winning Streak Mentality

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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.

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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.

Benefit From Blue Spaces

I’ve intuitively been drawn to spending time near bodies of water. I love the sounds, the sparkle and the feeling of calm that I get from an expansive lake or a quiet stream. These “blue spaces” seem to give back and recharge me. I always thought that it was a nostalgia thing: I grew up… Continue reading Benefit From Blue Spaces

Where Planning Falls Short

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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

Wake Up To Better Sleep

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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

Delay Replacing Your Phone

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Getting a new phone, even a hand-me-down one, should be exciting: new technology, greater capabilities, more battery power. But, I’ve found that it sends me into a tailspin of scrambling to recall passwords long-forgotten, and the struggle to transfer data and set up emails. The set-up eats up most of one day and then trickles… Continue reading Delay Replacing Your Phone

Internal “Wrinkles”

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Everyone is familiar with the external effects of aging. It comes as no surprise that over time skin wrinkles and hair greys. But what are the common internal effects of aging? It’s rarely talked about. One day it dawns on you, that maybe an issue that you thought was unique to you, is actually something… Continue reading Internal “Wrinkles”

Taxing Reminders

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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

Fortifying Your New Direction

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It’s discouraging to toil away at something that’s meaningful to you and not receive any recognition. You start to think, “What’s the point? Why bother when no one else seems to care?” But that is the exact moment when this will help: the mere exposure effect.  What is the mere exposure effect?  It’s a psychological… Continue reading Fortifying Your New Direction