Do you daydream?

When I was young, I used to daydream a lot. I remember lying on the grass, daydreaming about the clouds and the stories that the shapes of the clouds created in my mind. I also remember getting in trouble at school, for gazing out the window, thinking of something more pleasant as the teacher droned on about dangling participles.  Daydreams are an important magic that your mind creates that allows you to see in a different way.  

Daydreaming for me is usually a short escape from my surroundings, during which I capture a visionary fantasy, usually one of happy, cheerful thoughts, hopes or ambitions, which I have pictured as coming to pass.

Children should be encouraged to daydream, I believe it is great for your soul as well as your mind. Daydreaming, I think, allows me to stay on task, even when I am focused on many things. New research suggests that if you are able to daydream and keep your focus on other tasks you probably have a strong working memory. Allowing your mind to wander and to daydream is giving your working memory a workout.

One sign of reaching understanding, other than auras, ringing bells, and a restorative touch, is that you start appreciating quiet daydreaming as much as you appreciate planning.

Another is that you begin speaking kindly not only to flowers and trees but to automobiles, toasters and other machines.

And, for some reason, you feel gratitude for your current problems and challenges, and compassion for those who don't understand that they need service in their work.

You will miss

When you retire, you will miss the fast, hectic paced days, when you are scrambling to finish that latest project. You will miss being in the action, being held in high regard by your workmates and maybe even management. You will miss the stress of getting to work on time, finishing the day, rushing home. You will miss the chatter at work about what you will do or what you did on your weekend and holidays.

You are also going to miss the slow times and quiet days. Your circle of friends will become smaller, and you will miss those you called friends at work. You will miss plodding along at your own pace, working in spurts, and wondering where your next break will come from. Even your uncertainties, doubts, and fears will be missed.

As you focus on your workday, the idea of missing the stress of working sounds far-fetched, but it is true for many people. Many men who once held positions of relative power are faced with the idea that “I used to be someone important” but when I retired “I no longer am someone important”. Many of us identify who we are with what job we do, and in retirement, we have to focus on defining who we are, not by what job we do, but by what we do for others.

When you are first retired you miss work, strange but true, life works like that once you retire. However, the rewards of retirement will become known to you, over time and you will no longer miss any of the above. Trust me!

English is a beautiful language

Living within your budget.

Xmas is only 23 days away and you may be faced with mounting pressure to get your financial house in order before the festivities overwhelm you. How do you keep or get your finances under control when you don’t have a big enough income?

While first review your net income and your monthly expenses because this is the only way to understand your situation and take steps to fix it.

In our workshop on Financial Literacy for Seniors, we talk about budgeting. Making a budget is creating a plan for your money. The reason many of us get into trouble is that we don’t know where our money is being spent and how much we earn. By creating a budget, you will quickly see if you have all your bases covered.

What happens if you cannot pay all your bills with the income you are getting? This happens to many seniors who are used to a regular income and find when they retire, the income they have has dropped, but they have not changed their lifestyle.  There are some options available but knowing what how much money you need should be your priority. Doing nothing will only set you back further.

Unfortunately, life has cycles, some good some bad, you may find yourself in a bad situation, but it will not last.  We prosper, we fall behind, we prosper, life happens and we lose, then we win again. You are in control and what you do for yourself for financial stability is what allows you to win again. Here are some ideas to help you move back to the winning circle.

Communicate with Creditors

Do not ignore a bill until you have enough money to pay even the minimum amount on it. Contact your creditors and explain your situation. If you explain to them that you’re falling on hard times and not earning enough money but working to the budget and prioritize your bills and have an action plan (even if it is minimum payments) they most likely will be happy and you may not be subjected to nasty phone calls or emails demanding payment.

Lower Your Expenses

You don’t have enough money so you must sacrifice. For many of us, we spend most of our income on mortgage or rent. You may have to consider selling your house if you are renting you may consider getting a roommate or moving to a cheaper rental accommodation.  We should not be afraid of what will happen, we should be afraid of not taking action while we are able.

Make More Money

Earning more money may mean taking a second job. This income may make the difference between paying your debt off on time and making sure that you keep your roof over your head. You can go to the food bank if needed. No one is above struggling financially and you will do what you need to do to make sure you end up ahead.

Long-Term Plans

 Your short-term plan is to make ends meet and balance your budget. As a senior, you are on fixed-income.  There are people who have disabilities and for health reasons can’t get that second job however they find ways to earn a bit more on the side when they can. This is not easy, you may not like what you can and can’t do on a limited income, but once you figure out your situation you are taking the first step to improve.