|
 |
Age of Fulfillment Newsletter |  |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Dear Ben, My son Matthew owns a delightful toy store. His toys are those wooden sturdy toys I grew up with and enjoyed for many years. Whenever I go into his store I get the urge to take some off the shelf and start playing with them! And I do! Wooden tops that spin forever – you always need to have a few going at the same time; wooden yo-yos with unbelievable balance! Also, those racecars you push back on the floor to wind up. Wow! Do they go! The last time I was there I was really pulled back to my boyhood. There - on the shelf - were those balsawood glider airplanes! And - right next to them were the ones with the rubber band and propeller. I thought those things were out of production long ago! Yet – here they were! Perhaps as we approach retirement we need to look back at those times when we had fun. The time when toys delighted us and kept us thrilled for hours – those times when we had fun with simple things. What can you do in retirement that will give you that level of excitement and fun? Maybe we need to think back to our childhood to recall how that excitement felt! Retirement is a time of jubilation, and celebration. It is a time to find the simple thrill of life as we felt in our youth. Perhaps we need to incorporate that level of fun into our plans. P.S. - If you’re a grandparent and would like to give your grandchild a great present I suggest checking out Matthews store at: www.woodenyouknowtoys.com. I think you’ll be delighted with what you find. Bruce Macdonald
If you haven’t established a financial plan and are faced with being suddenly single, I would recommend a financial advisor. The advisor can tell you where you are financially and what strategies would help to improve your position – now and into retirement. Hopefully, you have made non-financial retirement plans – plans for yourself and plans involving your partner. If you have, then, at least, you will still have something in place that may only need to be modified. Is all lost if you don’t have a plan now that I’m suddenly single? Hardly! Just don’t put it off any longer! It may actually be therapeutic in the healing process by establishing a retirement plan. It will give you hope and help you see a brighter future does await you! Those of you who still have a partner should ask this question – If my partner were to pass away or seek a divorce would I be prepared? If your answer is no, then you have some home work you need to get busy with! This is something you shouldn’t put off – be prepared! Being suddenly single in retirement will add to the emotional stress without having plans to fall back onto. Becoming single can simplify and complicate the issues of retirement. First, you now only have yourself to think about – no in-laws to worry about, no worrying about your partner’s health. You basically can do what you want to do! Conversely, you now don’t have a partner to share things with or for emotional support. It means being deprived of the comfort of a partner and possibly may mean isolation and loneliness. Do you need to build a stronger network of relationships? Is there some one who you can share your thoughts, feeling and experiences with? If not, should there be? Do you have enough close family members, friends or others who you can depend on for emotional support? If not, perhaps now is the time to start developing them. Men and women who have chosen the career path that dominates their life may face the most difficult transition to retirement. It is this group of people who spend less time building their relationships that are in a more vulnerable position when suddenly single than those who have built relationships during their career. Who would you turn to for help and support if you were suddenly alone in your retirement? Solitude can be an oppressor. It is extremely important for divorced and widowed retirees to get out and meet people. You must learn to be a joiner. What can you do to reach out to other people to build your future? Remember – being alone doesn’t mean being lonely. When you reach the “Acceptance Sage” of grief you’ll start to realize that you still have a wonderful, exciting life ahead of you. One filled with many new opportunities that can be fulfilling, rewarding and satisfying. Make plans to take advantage of the life that is ahead of you. Get out a big canvas, bright paints, and your brushes and start painting the most glorious picture of your new life!
What does your network of relationships look like? If you need to build some relationships, when do you plan to do this? What will you plan to do? What would retirement look like if you were suddenly single? How would you improve that picture?
69% of adults age 50 or older use the internet at least occasionally to look for health information Married people are more optimistic about retirement than unmarried adults - 60% vs. 50%
Senior Living Deals with issues of how aging, retirement and health affect marriages www.seniorliving.about.com/od/marriagedivorce Senior Singles www.seekingseniors.com
Be sure to get your assessment tools on our web site to help you in your retirement planning!
Click the Forward button at the bottom to share the valuable information in this newsletter with your friends and those getting ready to retire. If they like the information, they can subscribe themselves. Please forward the newsletter in its entirety. Thanks. All email addresses are kept confidential
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
 |
|
||||
|
|
|
||
|
11/30/05
Offer Expires
|
||||
|
||||