Oh, what a relief it is

Thanks to Ronnie over at As Time Goes By for this idea.
In one of her recent posts, she said: "Just about every day I get an email or two promising to show me how I can increase my income by growing my blog audience on Twitter or Facebook."

When I started writing my blog in 2010, I was writing for my grandson, who I hope one day will read this and begin to understand what his grandfather was like, what I thought, what I valued and what I stood for at this time. Over time, the readership started to grow, little by little more and more people were finding my words and were reading them. I have a small reading when compared to many others for which I am glad. Every now and then I will get the same email as Ronnie did or I will get a phone call from a website writer who wants me to become an "influencer"--whatever that is. I listen to them and then send them any information they would like to have, and then I don't hear back. The young are looking for others who will influence the young. My audience is not young, not old mind you, but not in the demographics the advertisers want to reach.

When I have talked to my friends about this, they laugh and wonder why I don't take advantage of this world. I always respond with "My goal was never to make money on my blog, it was to reach my grandson, and others who like what I write, and stick around, that is great, but I won't take advantage of them by writing about or for specific products"

Oh, what a relief it is to not be bothered by the need for recognition or for money that I had when I was younger. I write every day about things that I enjoy, find interesting or strange and I am just happy that one or tow people find the time to read and every now and then give me feedback. 

I recently found a new social media platform/website called Beebee, that has huge interest and followers. I have taken to writing on this platform and find it to be very rewarding. The posts I have read on this site are interesting, the people engaged and the site is growing. If you are interested here is a link to my site on Beebee.

Moving after retirement

When I was in my forties I read a study that claimed most people lived within 100 miles of where they were born or went to school. I started thinking about that and realised that it appears to be true for many of my circle.  I live, as the crow flies, within a hundred miles of where I went to school, not where I was born. Many of my friends still live within a 25-mile radius of where they were born and went to school. 

Many people move away from their roots when they start to work; work takes precedent and we need to move to where the job takes us. However, when we retire we are no longer restricted to one location. So wanderlust may overtake us. We fondly recall our youth and may decide to move back home. We move after we retire is to be close to our children, or siblings or other family members. Or we may move because we are tired of living in a "big city" or a "small town" and we want a change.  

Is it a good idea to move when you retire? I am one who believes this is not as great idea as it may seem at first. This is because I have friends who have done this and it has been a mistake from which it took them years to recover. Moving means starting new, finding new friends, new support groups, new activities. For many, these tasks are not easy. We have become locked in routine, with a support group and we know our neighbourhoods and we feel safe.

For some, this sense of security and belonging is very important and to move challenges us to a point where we will resist as hard as we can, for others this sense of security and belonging is a stifling and we will do whatever we can to lift the veil and move towards uncertainty with the knowledge it will be better than what we have now.

My daughter asked me if I would move to Australia to be with her and her family. I said no because my support group and friends are here. However, someday that may change and if it does I will look forward to that adventure with enthusiasm.

Ever wonder why?

Do you ever wonder why we are here, I know I do,  do you? 

Nothing in all creation, not in any sphere of the universe, compares to being born into a time and space. Having to find your own way when lost, your own courage when frightened, and the infinite powers at your disposal when challenged. Left to the elements to rediscover your supremacy over them. 

Driven by your passions so that you might rise above your humble, naked beginnings and ultimately see through the illusions that have trapped you. To find yourself once again walking in sunshine and to marvel at the impact you have made on others.

Some Interesting news stories about retirement

Some of the retirement stories that have caught my interest over the last few days. Some may be of interest to you:

Pensions gender gap twice as wide as pay divide  in the Financial Times Adviser, written By Stephanie Hawthorne, this is a very interesting article. The first line: While men earn 16 per cent more than women on average the average gender pension gap is a staggering 40 per cent in the European Union, according to a report...

Higher retirement age vs lower pensions in Al Jazeera America

The World Economic Forum (WEF) is warning that the money saved is far short of what's needed. It's predicting that the world's six largest pension-saving systems - the United States, UK, Japan, the Netherlands, Canada and Australia - will have a retirement savings gap of $224 trillion by 2050

Should You Take a Lump-Sum Pension Withdrawal? In the Motley Fool

If you're the lucky recipient of a company pension, then as you approach retirement age, you'll have an important decision to make: Should you take the pension in the form of lifetime payments (i.e., an annuity) or as a single lump-sum distribution? The answer depends on several factors. Read on to figure out which option looks best for you.

Older, worried and working? In The Daily Camera written By Dave Gardner

More older Americans are working than ever. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the greatest employment growth will be among those 75 and older over the next ten years, closely followed by those aged 65 to 74. If you fall in this older worker category, why are you still working?

Why Women Need To Get Involved In Planning For Retirement in the Huffington Post, written by Alicia McElhaney 

While women are increasingly involving themselves in saving and investing money, a large gap remains between women and men when it comes to planning for retirement. A 2016 study from the National Institute on Retirement Security showed that women in retirement have substantially less income than men - a roughly 25% wage gap that mirrors the pay gap. (According to the Department of Labor, just 44% of women participate in their employer’s retirement plan.)