Transcript
Speaker: Retirement.
Speaker: That's what we're all aiming at, right?
Speaker: But exactly what does that mean?
Speaker: It conjures up visions of endless days of golf, drinks with little umbrellas in them on a tropical beach, feet up, reading a book.
Speaker: Is that what it's all about?
Speaker: I don't think so.
Speaker: Life would get pretty dull after a while without anything meaningful to do, don't you think?
Speaker: I'm Jackie Doucette, and I'm on a mission to discover exactly what life is like beyond retirement.
Speaker: Join me while I chat with people who've already done it, who've retired to something rather than from something.
Speaker: Let's find out together exactly what's waiting for us when we say goodbye to that 9 to 5.
Speaker: Hi everyone, welcome to episode 248 of Beyond Retirement.
Speaker: I recently stumbled on a new website called Today's Elder.
Speaker: That's todayselder.ca, without the apostrophe in todays.
Speaker: And I wanted to give them a bit of a shout out.
Speaker: They've worked really hard to build a portal for people over 50, where we can go to chat with other people about anything, from what we're reading to vacations we've taken, antique cars, recipes we love, or anything else you can think of.
Speaker: We can find out what's going on at home and around the world.
Speaker: We can learn about new things on their Old Dogs, New Tricks show.
Speaker: And we can delve into old TV shows that we might have forgotten and cartoons and music.
Speaker: It's completely free to join and you get access to all of this stuff and much more.
Speaker: While those of us over 50 don't necessarily consider ourselves elders, we do look at life a little bit differently than other age groups.
Speaker: And we've seen a lot of different things in our life.
Speaker: Some of us are really tech savvy, but not all of us are.
Speaker: And today's elder acknowledges that.
Speaker: And they've built a community where we all fit in.
Speaker: We certainly aren't like the elders of generations before us.
Speaker: And this is a place that has something for everybody.
Speaker: This quick little radio commercial gives you a little taste of who it's for.
Speaker: We've been getting a lot of queries here lately from people wondering what the heck we're all about here at Today's Elder.
Speaker: So let's start with a little bit of history.
Speaker: You might have had a pixie cut or a ponytail.
Speaker: Or you might have had a twiggy cut.
Speaker: Or you just let it grow out with a headband.
Speaker: You also may have sported a shag cut or a farra cut.
Speaker: Now, your date likely h ad a crew cut or a pompadour.
Speaker: Or he let his hair grow out to his shoulders that touched his tie-dye t-shirt.
Speaker: Or finally, he may have sported a full afro or a mullet.
Speaker: You may have worn a poodle skirt with your black-made saddle shoes.
Speaker: Or your parents were absolutely horrified by how you wore your bell-bottoms.
Speaker: And you may have worn a tube top with clogs on your feet and your date.
Speaker: He kept his bell-bottoms, but he has now switched to disco shirts that are unbuttoned to the belly.
Speaker: Now your favorite TV show may have been American Bandstands, or you might have sat down to watch The Mod Squad, or The Love Boat.
Speaker: Now if all that brings back memories, then you need to join us here at Today's Elder.
Speaker: So go ahead, check it out, todayselder.ca.
Speaker: And now on to today's episode.
Speaker: Last week I spoke with Sandy Short, a design coach.
Speaker: She helps people design a life full of joy, fulfillment, and purpose, and she focuses on women who have undergone a major change in their life, such as retirement or the death of a partner.
Speaker: As I mentioned during the interview, I think it's a great idea to focus on women because we're often the last ones to recognize that something needs to be addressed in our own life.
Speaker: And I realize that this is a big generalization, but so many women never really ask themselves what they want because they're so busy dealing with what everyone else wants.
Speaker: And then they get to the stage in their life where it's time to retire and they wonder, what now?
Speaker: In today's episode, I want to dig into the key points that I discussed with Sandy.
Speaker: She shared her personal journey of overcoming challenges and finding purpose in retirement.
Speaker: One of my key takeaways was the importance of changing our thoughts and feelings rather than solely focusing on external actions.
Speaker: It's about envisioning who we want to be and how we want to feel in retirement.
Speaker: Something Sandy talked about is that most of the work to be done is an inside job.
Speaker: What I think she means by that is the idea that in order to change anything about our lives, we have to change ourselves first.
Speaker: Now, maybe you're someone who's never done anything wrong or had the wrong idea about something or been mistaken about how a situation should pan out.
Speaker: But I doubt it.
Speaker: I imagine we've all spent many years telling ourselves certain things and learning certain things, both about ourselves and about life in general, all based on our experiences and our education.
Speaker: Changing these opinions and these beliefs is not an easy task, even when we want to do it.
Speaker: So let's take a moment to imagine our ideal retirement.
Speaker: Close your eyes and envision yourself living your best life.
Speaker: How do you feel?
Speaker: What does your day-to-day life look like?
Speaker: I've talked about this before, the idea of constructing your perfect average day.
Speaker: The one that you'd be happy living for the rest of your life.
Speaker: You really should take the time to actually write this down.
Speaker: Putting it on paper in your handwriting makes a strong connection to your brain.
Speaker: The next point is the idea of embracing the crossroads we encounter.
Speaker: Sandy's story reminds us that life is filled with crossroads, those pivotal moments when we're faced with choices that can shape our future.
Speaker: These crossroads symbolize a shift from a mundane, gray existence to a vibrant, colorful life.
Speaker: It's important to recognize the potential for growth and transformation that lies within these intersections.
Speaker: This is where some more of that inside work comes into play.
Speaker: Sandy emphasized the importance of changing our thoughts and feelings rather than merely going through the motions.
Speaker: By envisioning our desired future and tapping into the emotions we would feel upon achieving our dreams, we can guide our actions in the present.
Speaker: This mindset shift encourages us to align our actions with our aspirations and to create a fulfilling life beyond retirement.
Speaker: visualization can be a powerful tool.
Speaker: So grab that pen and journal again and start jotting down your retirement aspirations.
Speaker: What do you really want out of your retirement?
Speaker: Make those dreams come alive on paper.
Speaker: Let them guide your actions in the present.
Speaker: Remember, retirement isn't just about living out your days, but about embracing a fulfilling and purposeful life.
Speaker: Another important point from the conversation is the power of coaching.
Speaker: Sandy's role as a psychotherapist and a life coach combines introspection with forward momentum.
Speaker: While psychotherapy helps us understand the past, coaching focuses on moving forward and designing a fulfilling future.
Speaker: Sandy's approach recognizes that sometimes we need to delve into our past to truly move forward and create the life we desire.
Speaker: Sandy's passion for helping others ignited her desire to create a Facebook group dedicated to mindset and lifestyle changes.
Speaker: this online community will provide a space for weekly discussions inspiring members to transform their mindsets and improve their quality of life sandy hopes to inspire others to embrace their own crossroads and unlock a vibrant fulfilling retirement
Speaker: Sandy's story is a powerful reminder that retirement's not the end, but merely the beginning of a new chapter in our lives, like I've said so often.
Speaker: It's never too late to pursue our dreams, change our mindset, and create the life we truly desire.
Speaker: From a practical standpoint, let's talk about the steps you can take to enhance your retirement experience.
Speaker: I've made all these suggestions before, but it never hurts to repeat stuff.
Speaker: We do tend to forget things more quickly as we age, right?
Speaker: Think about joining supportive communities.
Speaker: Reach out to fellow retirees who share similar interests and join local groups, clubs, or online communities.
Speaker: Surrounding yourself with like-minded individuals can provide valuable social connections and open doors to new adventures.
Speaker: education and personal growth should never stop, even in retirement.
Speaker: Consider taking up new hobbies, attending workshops, enrolling in courses that stimulate your mind and help you continue learning and evolving.
Speaker: Embrace the opportunity to explore new passions, unearth hidden talents, discover a renewed sense of purpose.
Speaker: And lastly, don't forget to prioritize self-care.
Speaker: Retirement offers a chance to focus on your own well-being, both physically and mentally.
Speaker: Incorporate healthy habits into your daily routine, such as regular exercise, meditation, nourishing food.
Speaker: Take time for relaxation.
Speaker: Indulge in activities that bring you joy.
Speaker: Cultivate a positive mindset.
Speaker: Remember, a well-nurtured self is the foundation for a vibrant retirement.
Speaker: As I wrap up today, I encourage you to reflect on what Sandy shared last week.
Speaker: And if her journey resonated with you, reach out to her for the complimentary coaching session she offers.
Speaker: Discover how you can navigate your own crossroads and unlock a vibrant retirement through her transformative My Best Life exercise.
Speaker: You'll find her contact info in the show notes to last week's episode.
Speaker: And next week, I'm going to be chatting with Laura Black, the author of Climbing Down the Ladder, A Journey to a Different Kind of Happy.
Speaker: I hope you'll join us.
Speaker: And that's it for this episode of Beyond Retirement.
Speaker: Thank you so much for hanging out with me.
Speaker: I hope you enjoyed it.
Speaker: Are you ready to start rocking your retirement?
Speaker: Head on over to www.beyondretirement.ca forward slash rocking it and sign up to plan out your own roadmap for retirement.
Speaker: Don't wait till it's too late.
