Part of my retirement lifestyle vision is contemplation.
Active Body, Connected Heart, Creative Spirit, Contemplative Mind.
I noted in my end of the year review that my contemplation element was down, so I’ve added more tarot card reading into my monthly routine. I use the tarot cards to aid in self-refection and to allow my unconscious mind to be more conscious. This is not divination on what is to come, but an opportunity to quiet my mind and allow my intuitive self to emerge.
I recently relooked at my winter to spring readings and was not overly surprised to see a number of common themes. My unconscious mind is consistent in its messaging!
The fact that I’m not always following what I know I need to do reminds me of a quote I often use:
“Often, the knowing does not make the doing any easier!”
However, reminders are good. I posted recently a good reminder about being jaded versus full of wonder (link here), so this post is another reminder to myself. Here are the themes that consistently emerge:
- Finish your grieving and put the past to rest. Forgive yourself fully. This theme has been a consistent one in my Tarot readings since my mom passed over a year ago. I’m finding it very hard to forgive myself and my unconscious mind just keeps saying, “Do it!”
- Cherish what you have. Laugh more, play more, find delight. A theme that fits with my retirement vision of living the lifestyle I want to live and of being a more positive person. Makes me ask myself, “Am I living my positivity practices?” (link here to what those are)
- Quiet the mind. Spend more time in nature. Retirement has given me the opportunity to slow down, to just be. This theme is a reminder to get outside for those awe-walks, get on my bike again now that spring is here, and to put my toes in the sand and hands in the dirt more often. And to stop overthinking everything!
- Accept what is. Accept yourself. Another area that is a work in progress. I have made progress on allowing things to flow more, to not over-react (as much), to stop taking things personally, and to stop the Compare and Despair. More work needed, so a good reminder for me.
As an aside, I recently read an article about Alzheimer’s and the current thinking on prevention. As my mom was in the early to middle stages of Alzheimer’s when she passed, this has certainly become a higher attention area for me. I was pleased to see that the list of prevention steps includes many I am doing in retirement. It was also a less-than-positive awareness to note how many my mom was not doing.
- Manage your blood pressure and blood sugar – diet, exercise, or medically; but make sure you’re aware of your conditions
- Regular exercise
- Eat lots of fruit and veggies
- Take a multi-vitamin
- Make sure of your eyes & ears – deal with cataracts and get hearing aids if needed
- Socialize with friends regularly
- Have a good sleep schedule
- Deal with depression; work on positivity
Yes, my check-offs of things I am doing would have been lower before I retired! The biggest area for improvement for me – Eat more fruit and veggies.
How many of these prevention steps are part of your regular routine?
Picture: Hands in the dirt! My newest succulent dish garden.
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My wife bought so many tarot cards during lockdown. She kept one deck and all of them were donated to the resale shop. I guess the pandemic is officially OVER! 😉
My mom didn’t begin her descent into dementia until she was 93. I guess there’s something grateful for that, but I nevertheless think your list to prevent is a good one. – Marty
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Hi Marty! I only have 4 tarot decks, but I tend to use one mostly. The others I use when I’m explaining tarot to someone I’m glad she kept her favorite one.
My mom’s dementia was also later in life – mid-80’s. I have high hopes that in the next 20 years, there will be more understanding about it. But it was also helpful to see that my retirement lifestyle was much better than my career-lifestyle for prevention.
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It’s interesting how the tarot cards led you to somewhere you knew you were. And alas knowing is not doing. As to the list , I don’t do a multivitamin but pretty much every other item. I LOVE veggies, fruit not as much. I will never take my eyes for granted as both my parents had serious issues. And the only person I can’t hear is my husband, who mumbles so badly. 🤷
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Bernie, OMG about the mumbling! I find I get focused on something and just don’t listen…how people can multi-task with music/tv on as well is beyond me! I do love both veggies and fruit… I just need to buy them and prepare them more!
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Does your husband mumble as well Pat? Then I ask him to repeat it and he yells it at me🫤😳🤨
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Thank you for sharing the list. I recently listened to a podcast on dementia and they pointed out that dementia is not inevitable. Actually only 30% of those over 90 years old have dementia. I’m doing well on the list except the last one. I’m afraid I reject the concept that living at all costs is desired. I look at my 95 year old father and am now trying to figure out how not to live that long. He’s mind is fine but he is no longer able to enjoy life because he falls asleep at the drop of a hat. Reading books is no longer an activity he can do. Getting dressed takes 2-4 hours as he has to nap between putting on an item of clothes. He is no longer able to go out for an evening of Bingo. (Yes we have discussed this with his primary and heart doctor. They can find nothing to treat to reduce his sleepiness.) This does not mean I’m depressed. It means I’m realistic about what “living” is. My favorite phrase is “breathing is not living”. I also reject that I’m supposed to find volunteering so that my life “has meaning”. In this time of Easter, why is it not acceptable to say, “it is finished”. But till then, I keep knitting! 🙂
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I recall a number of conversations with my mom when she was in her mid 80’s about how she was “ready to move on”. Those conversations did help me with my grief. But it also was a good awareness that there comes a time when, as you say, breathing is not living. But I’m doing what I can so I am functionally fit (both physically and mentally) as long as possible. I’m also continuing to wonder what “life meaning” is for me at this point. Some of my volunteering things add more stress than meaning!
BTW – I love following your knitting, even if I don’t comment all the time! Not that I want to knit, but I love seeing what you’re working on …. and love when you share the final pictures (hint, hint).
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Your bullet point list is a wonderful guideline about how to age gracefully. How many am I doing? I could do better on exercise and taking a daily vitamin, but the other categories I seem to have in hand… for the moment at least.
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Ally, I think the two things this list brought to mind was 1) how many my mom was not doing and 2) how many I was not doing in my career-lifestyle! So at the moment, we’re both doing OK. Of course, there’s you – add that daily vitamin, and me – eat more veggies. Such simple things to do.
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I love how intentful (my computer doesn’t like that word but I do) you are about your retirement. I love that you are trying to make sure that you are keeping in alignment with your goals and values. I must admit, I mostly just go along with life as it happens but as I look at my retirement life I’m pretty dang happy with it. What I really need to do, is to just take notice as to how wonderful my retirement is.
As to your list, I’m pretty good at the blood pressure thing, the exercise, eyes and ears, and socializing but the rest could definitely use some work. The fruits and veggies thing is never going to happen. Maybe I should try those pills called “fruits” and “veggies” – they say they have all you need. So maybe those and multivitamin could be beneficial. As far as the sleep thing, well, I’m not great at that and don’t really know how to become so. I understand the sleep thing comes with old age. Last would be the depression. Hmmmm, that’s a good one. That one takes work for me. Conscious effort. Choose happiness,
Thanks for the reminders!
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Candyse – I live with a “go along with life” individual so I completely understand to each his own! Me – over think. Or “intentful” as you say, nicely. I would encourage you to begin a gratitude practice. I do morning as that fits me, but many do it in the evening. It can help you become more aware of how great your life is, and might encourage better sleep habit (if in the evening). My practice has definitely helped me be more positive about life. I’ve started trying to capture the moments of awe (previous blog) and that has also boosted my feeling good about life! Even in yesterday’s prep for crazy winds today…I was able to find the moments of wonder and joy!
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Great blog. Suggest you read Rebecca Chopp’s new book on Alzheimer’s – Still me. She’s an ex college chancellor and president and has early onset Alzheimer’s I found her book reassuring – there’s lots we can do. I also follow the MIND diet (which is easy). Basically Mediterranean diet plus avoid cheese, processed foots and red meat.
Thanks for doing your blogs. As a P&Ger type A I relate to so many of them.
Onward!
Lisa
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Lisa, Thanks for book recommendation – it’s on my TBR list! My mom’s was not early on-set, and I have hopes for additional research before I’m in my 80’s and experiencing similar symptoms. But it was nice to see that my retirement lifestyle (so different than my career lifestyle) is definitely in the right direction for this. I know that less processed foods and more veggies is one thing I need to work on!
It’s nice to see some familiar P&G names pop up in comments every now & then!
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