Retirement & New Relationships

Following my last post on finding a new herd, I thought I’d look back on one of the biggest changes I’ve experienced in my transition into retirement - relationship connections. Even 3 years into retirement this continues to be a personal challenge. While I was working, I interacted with a lot of people every day. … Continue reading Retirement & New Relationships

Herd Mentality – Finding a New Herd?

It's hard to acknowledge that I follow a herd mentality. Life is defined by social norms. As social animals, we find life easier and more comfortable to adhere to group roles or mimic group behavior – it promotes safety, saves energy, and the approval is a source of pleasure. So of course, given that almost … Continue reading Herd Mentality – Finding a New Herd?

Thoughts on “What Do You Do?”

I love the serendipity when different bloggers begin talking about a similar question or life element.   Recently, there’s been a few talking about answering the question for soon-to-be retirees - what do you do everyday in retirement?  Or how do you answer the commonly asked question “What do you do?” if you are no longer … Continue reading Thoughts on “What Do You Do?”

Does the Gig Economy Help with Work/Life Balance?

Work-life balance is an older term that was created to mean you were making sure both elements had an adequate existence in your life. Many would say that it is a pipe dream. Some people have an innate sense of being able to balance the two elements. Others are more challenged to not become workaholics.   The … Continue reading Does the Gig Economy Help with Work/Life Balance?

A Path Not Taken?

It runs a chill down my spine when a series of events seem to ask the same question. Recently, between a few different bloggers and a couple of theater productions, the question around “what one thing would you change” has been raised. This question can easily drift into regret. Regret for a path not taken, … Continue reading A Path Not Taken?

My Month of Yoga

Last year, during my research into retirement transition I discovered a tool I’m calling 10 Lives.  The tool has you list 10 lives you'd like to live and then “Pick one and just do it for a month.”   It was a way of trying to overcome one of my fears with starting something – … Continue reading My Month of Yoga

What is Friendship?

Recently I wrote about focusing on friendship to build stronger relationship connections in this next stage of life.   With the loss of so many of my connections post-working, I’ve had to re-think what does friendship really mean. When I retired, I lost a significant portion of people I considered to be friends. These friends were … Continue reading What is Friendship?

Is blogging really being a writer?

I started blogging for a few different reasons - one being that I have always loved to play with words.  Another reason was to share my thinking on retirement transition with others - the teacher in me coming out.   And still another is a desire to call myself a writer as part of my retirement … Continue reading Is blogging really being a writer?

First-world Life Challenges: De-cluttering with a hoarder partner

Retirement is a perfect time to reduce the stuff that crowds your life – whether it’s your environment, your schedule, or your mind.   You would think that the simplest would be to de-clutter your environment.   Get rid of the extraneous stuff that has accumulated. But what do you do when you live life with … Continue reading First-world Life Challenges: De-cluttering with a hoarder partner

Family Reality

Almost every article about having a fulfilling retirement or improving your longevity includes strong advice on the need to be connected socially at this next stage of life.   A blogger friend (Donna at Retirement Reflections) even recently posted a bunch of the research supporting this importance of family support.   She did it in the context … Continue reading Family Reality