Time Perspective 1

 Live for each second without hesitation. Elton John

As humans, we know the future is a promise and may not happen. The past cannot be changed. We live in the moment. Actually, I think Science tells us that we all have a different understanding of time. So that my understanding of time and Elton John’s understanding of time are not the same.

As we go through life, we time traveler: We are shaped by memories of the past that influence our understanding of the present and help predict what we see in our future. Scientists call this our time-perspective. We all know those who tend to get stuck in the past, and others who live only for the moment, or are enslaved by our ambitions for the future.

Stanford University psychology professor emeritus Philip Zimbardo coined the idea of time perspective. After more than ten years’ research, he concluded that our attitude toward time is just as defining as key personality traits such as optimism or sociability. He believes that time perspective influences many of our judgements, decisions, and actions.

Culture, upbringing and societal norms affect our understanding of time and help shape our time perspective. Individualistic, me-focused societies tend to be future-focused, while more we-focused societies ones that encourage social engagement invest more in the past. Poorer communities tend to live more in the present.

Scientists tell us that we can learn to shift our attention easily between the past, present and future, and consciously adapt our mindset to any given situation. Learning to switch time perspectives allows us to fully take part in everything we do, whether it’s a relaxed evening reading a good book or recalling old stories with family and friends.

What kind of fun do you have

Over my life and I suspect yours, I have come across people 

• Who look but don't see, and so miss out on life's joys and beauty
• Who listen but don't hear, so they miss out on the sounds of nature, the beauty of the thunder rolling across the sky, and the laughter of a child who has just discovered their toes. 
• Who know what they need to do, but they don't do it. So, they miss out on the joy of completing something but also feeling proud, not only of the job completed but of the effort expended to do the job.

All of these people have fun and contribute but they don't have the kind of fun that those who look and see, listen and hear, and know and do have. The latter have jumping-waving-crazy-dodgeball kind of fun.

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.