Serendipity

 The secret to always being in the right place, at the right time, is knowing you always are. I have said before, that I am a big fan of “serendipity” If something unusual happens you need to look at the event carefully and clearly. Take the time to see if there are any lessons you can learn from the event. Take the time to reflect on what you did or could have done to make sure it did or will not happen again if it was a negative event. If it was a positive event, take the time to reflect on what you did to make it happen and what you need to do to make it happen again.

Life is full of twists and turns and can b very scary if we don’t embrace what our circumstances are and then look to see what we can do to enhance or change them. When life gets too heavy some want a higher power to save them, but many others reach inside and find the higher power they need within. Serendipity or chance or karma or luck is always with us and it is important, that we understand how and what we do when we find that we are faced with an event that we find serendipitous.

More on Retirement Coaching

 A retirement coach is different from a retirement planner. A retirement planner helps you think of your money, and helps you answer questions such as Will there be enough? How should it be allocated? How and when should it be withdrawn? What about Social Security, Medicare and all the rest? These are important questions to consider. Financial advisors specialize in specific, financial-related topics such as creating a financial plan, helping you manage your investments in a way that reflects your age, investment expectations, tolerance for risk and so forth, along with everything from tax preparation, buying a home, wading through the complexities of Social Security, Medicare and more. Such client-advisor relationships can last for years, whereas relationships between retirement coaches and clients tend to deal with non-financial matters and last a shorter time

One of the more important things coaches try to convey to clients is that a happy and healthy retirement isn’t all about the money. People can retire with plenty of money, but if they don’t have a quality-of-life experience, they will be unhappy.

The problem is that many people who work want to have an easy answer to the question, what do you do, as for many their career is their identity. Even when you’re retired some people are still conditioned to answer in the past tense, as in “I was a firefighter, or I was a teacher. For many what they did still defines them.

The focus on work and career is often so all-encompassing, so overwhelming, that it can lead to problems when workers finally do step away: a loss of self-worth, alcoholism, health issues, divorce (so-called “gray divorces” are soaring), and, for retirees on their own, isolation, a health issue in and of itself.

Transitions are stressful and can cause anxiety,” There is no ideal time to start planning the transition, but starting early gives you more time to think and reflect, which can make the inevitable transition smoother and less stressful.

One of the ways to ease the transition is to reduce your work week. Today there are massive labour shortages in the United States and Canada. This translates into worker leverage over employers. Because of the shortage older workers are now desired for their skills, maturity and institutional knowledge. It’s a good time for anyone, say, 55 or older to have a conversation with the boss about transitioning away from work. Chances are pretty good that if you want to work say, three days a week, or remotely from your cabin by the lake, you’ll find a receptive ear.

The key to having a good transition is to get older workers to think about the next stage in life. What’s that going to look like? What’s your plan? How will you get there? Retirement is a huge part of your life. A deliberate, thoughtful approach, with an independent, qualified coach who can work with you in confidence and guide you along as you find your way is a process that can play out over many months, perhaps even years as you age, and your situation and desires change.

Think about your future needs. Consider things like climate, being close to family, and accessibility (such as a first-floor primary bedroom or minimal stairs) when moving to a new home

A good retirement coach generally can cost between $100 and $300 per hour. How to find one? The normal rules apply here: Ask for references and check them. It also wouldn’t hurt to ask for a sample session either before signing on for anything more extensive. You want to be comfortable with and trusting of, whoever you decide to work with.

Opportunities in the Great Resignation

Boomers are retiring, in greater numbers now after two years of Covid restrictions. Many were forced to work at home or were laid off during the worst of the pandemic, and when called back to work just said no.

The press called it the great resignation, but it wasn’t it was a two-part paradigm shift. The first was that boomers who were delaying retirement, jumped into it vigorously and younger workers started to question their relationship with the job. This opened up many opportunities for entrepreneurs. One of which was a new focus on retirement coaching. I have been writing about how to make the transition from work to retirement since 2010 and find it interesting to watch the new emphasis on getting a coach to help make the transition easier.

For some of the 10,000 Americans who the U.S. Census Bureau estimates are retiring each day, a retirement coach could make a big difference and be the Best New Idea in Retirement. The entire Boomer cohort will be at least 65 years old by the end of the decade. Many boomers need guidance on what is arguably the biggest turning point of their lives

That’s where a retirement coach comes in. Think of a retirement coach as a listener, adviser, therapist and friend rolled into one. Retirement coaches help workers transition from careers into whatever it is they’d like to do — and be — next.

Moving from work to retirement is not easy for many. It can be one of the most important transitions in your life. When thinking about retirement, people may become overwhelmed, because thinking about retirement involves making many personal decisions that reflect one’s history, interests, temperament, family circumstances, needs, wants and desires. Failure to plan is not uncommon and so many when they first retire may be confused, uncertain and unsure of what they can and should do with themselves., uncertain and unsure of what they can and should do with themselves

THE "FORWARDER'S" 12-STEP PROGRAM.

Everyone, say it with me...

1.  I will NOT get bad luck, lose my friends, or lose my mailing lists if don't forward an e-mail.

2.  I will NOT hear any music or see a taco dog if I do forward an e-mail.

3.  Bill Gates is NOT going to send me money and Victoria's Secret doesn't know anything about a gift certificate they're supposed to send me.

4.  Ford will NOT give me a 50% discount even if I forward my e-mail to more than 50 people.

5.  I will NEVER receive gift certificates, coupons, or freebies From Coca-Cola, Cracker Barrel, Old Navy, or anyone else if I send an e-mail to 10 people.

6.  I will NEVER see a pop-up window if I forward an e-mail ... NEVER EVER!!   

7.  There is NO SUCH THING as an e-mail tracking program, and I am not STUPID enough to think that someone will send me $100 for forwarding an e-mail to 10 or more people!

8.  There is NO kid with cancer through the Make-a-Wish program in England collecting anything! He did when he was 7 years old. He is now cancer-free and 35 years old and DOESN'T WANT ANY MORE POST CARDS or GET-WELL CARDS.

9.  The government does not have a bill in Congress called 901B (or whatever they named it this week) that, if passed, will enable them to charge us 5 cents for every e-mail we send.

10. There will be NO cool dancing, singing, waving, colourful flowers, characters, or programs that I will receive immediately after I forward an e-mail. NONE, ZIP, ZERO, NADA!

11. The American Red Cross will NOT donate 50 cents to a certain individual dying of some never-heard-of disease for every e-mail address I send this to. The American Red Cross RECEIVES donations.

12. And finally, I WILL NOT let others guilt me into sending things by telling me I am not their friend or that I don't believe in Jesus Christ. If God wants to send me a message, I believe the bushes in my yard will burn before He picks up a PC to pass it on!

Now, repeat the above to yourself until you have it memorized, and send it along to at least 5 of your friends before the next full moon or you will surely be constipated for the next three months.