The Secret Holiday

Photo by u015eeydanur u00d6zmen on Pexels.com

Recently, a friend shared that she was astounded by her friend’s 50th birthday choice: a secret holiday.  He took himself away from his family (wife and kids) for a 2 week holiday at a secret location that he didn’t share with, or talk to anyone about, before or after he went.* He wanted to travel… Continue reading The Secret Holiday

Time For My Rest And Reset Challenge

I think I’m in for my biggest challenge yet since finishing my teaching career. This is bigger than going to college to get accredited as a life coach. It’s bigger even than learning how to set up, and run a business. I have high hopes for a positive effect. This summer, I’m going to learn… Continue reading Time For My Rest And Reset Challenge

A Checklist Of Retirement Experiences

Photo by Sora Shimazaki on Pexels.com

Note: This article was first published 2023/03/24. Revised. Retirement websites often distill life after retiring to a list of things that you can check off one-by-one.* From a drained, working person’s perspective, it’s an enticing list of wonderful possibilities. I’ve found that the lists vastly over-simplify life after retiring. They make it look like an… Continue reading A Checklist Of Retirement Experiences

Recovering From Unplanned Naps

Photo by www.kaboompics.com on Pexels.com

I hate taking a nap.  It’s not the actual sleep part that bothers me. It’s that feeling that I get when I wake up.  I will fight myself and resist falling asleep in the afternoon, even when I’m sleep deprived, to avoid the awful groggy consequences. It just doesn’t seem worth it.   Napping was… Continue reading Recovering From Unplanned Naps

Goodbye Miss

Photo by RDNE Stock project on Pexels.com

Transforming from a teacher into something new is not as simple as saying goodbye to your last class of students, and heading off into the sunset of Summer vacation. Perhaps not surprisingly, nothing at all happens to you over your first summer after retiring. Nothing. It feels like every summer you’ve ever experienced in your… Continue reading Goodbye Miss

Life Is Different Now

Photo by Chris F on Pexels.com

Life will not be easier when you retire. There. I’ve said it. Despite what financial institutions might tell you in their ads about living a free and easy life, life isn’t easier. It’s different. The Good Stuff There are many, benefits. The flexibility to do things when you want to and not when your job… Continue reading Life Is Different Now

The On-Call Retiree

Photo by Centre for Ageing Better on Pexels.com

A person retired, is a person on-call. You have the flexibility to do things when you want to, and to be available when others are working. As a result, the world has a way of filling your time without you making a conscience choice.  The Obligations Creep In I’ve seen this happen. At first you… Continue reading The On-Call Retiree

Shaking Up What You Think You Know About Yourself.

Photo by Criativithy on Pexels.com

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.

Reclaiming My Holiday Spirit

Photo by Wendell Stoyer on Pexels.com

My holiday spirit is slowly returning after an all-time low several years ago. I was resentful of all the obligations of the season. I was burnt out from teaching during a pandemic. I was numb.  It’s taken years of intentional changes to get here. But this December, I don’t feel panicked and overwhelmed for the… Continue reading Reclaiming My Holiday Spirit