Category: Stepping Stones

Retirement Stepping Stone 12: Savoring memories is not living in the past.

 

 

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With my extra time, I found myself reflecting on ‘good times’.

I occasionally wondered if that was counterproductive to staying in the here and now.

With time, though, I decided that if savoring the past evokes a smile or a sense of gratitude, then have at it.

Think about it…I could relive laying a post-Thanksgiving siege with beloved cousins to San Francisco’s Playland.

Or I could take a quick glance at today’s cable news.

And so, retirees, join me in a few of my recent replays

–breakfast visits with one of my ‘hall of fame’ students, long after his year in my classroom.

–sitting back as fourth-graders G and W reorganize my class library.

–relishing those years of teaching when I looked forward to the excitement of Monday morning. [No Sunday blues in sight.] And the ensuing gratitude for the principal who saw teaching as an art that you perform with your heart. [Thank you, Bernice.]

–A glistening 75-degree Friday evening in May, 1965…Valley Center Merchants vs. Toro Park at the latter’s rural Little League field. Lightly attended [i.e. no mouthy fans]. Not a care in the world as the first pitch is thrown.

–Strolling the paved pathways along Lake Louise with my wife, after Sunday brunch at the Chateau.

So, retirees, give it a shot. Call up your own magic moments and enjoy.

Note: I retired for twelve months and learned plenty. I’ll be posting at least one stepping stone per week. Each of these lessons or impressions from that year off will constitute a mini-chapter of my book-in-progress.

Along with my book-in-progress, I’m also looking at setting up an online community.
If you’re interested… [Honest! I’m scaling back my ‘shiny objects’ list!]

Yes, keep me updated!

 

A promise: Your email address will be used to inform you of the status of the book and community and will not be shared.

 

Retirement Stepping Stone 11: I found a productive new workspace.

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I loved my ‘mobile office’ sessions–those times when I packed up my  notebooks, laptop, etc.,  drove to a favorite  location, and worked on projects.

If you’re a creator/writer/maker/designer/idea person, try this out.

Here are a few advantages over the typical coffee shop setting: 1. You’re creating your own ‘bubble of focus’. 2. You save money by bringing your own coffee and food. [There’s a good chance your own coffee and food is better than what you buy anyway.].  3. You can choose silence or provide your own music. 4. Distractions? The solution is a five-minute drive to your next preferred location. 5. You can spread out your stuff without concern for trespassing onto other customers’ tables.

Note: I retired for twelve months and learned plenty. I’ll be posting my impressions and lessons–I’ll call them ‘stepping stones‘–as a friend, not an advisor, and certainly not as an expert. Quite the opposite, in fact.

Along with my book-in-progress, I’m also looking at setting up an online community.
If you’re interested… [Honest! I’m scaling back my ‘shiny objects’ list!]

Yes, keep me updated!

A promise: Your email address will be used to inform you of the status of the book and community and will not be shared.

 

Retirement Stepping Stone 10: Shiny object syndrome…a real thing

child-2443969_1280Yes, a wildly inaccurate physical representation of the writer.
[I hung up my butterfly wings at least a year ago.]
But the ‘shiny object’ illustration? Too good to pass up.

I was all over the map trying new things, shelling out cash for software, ebooks, member sites, folders of PDF resources.

Yep, those would certainly steer me in the right direction.

Uhhh, no.

But, for many of us, that’s what Year 1 is all about.

Finding what works, revisiting back-burnered interests from long ago, reminding ourselves that we still have energy, smarts, and skills.

Still, even with all those solid rationalizations, if I could relive Year 1, I would scale it back and lock in on two, maybe three, key interests and see what results.

But that’s just me. I’d love to read your comments about the shiny-object syndrome.

Finally, I like this post on dealing with shiny object syndrome.

Note: I retired for twelve months and learned plenty. I’ll be posting my impressions and lessons–I’ll call them ‘stepping stones‘–as a friend, not an advisor, and certainly not as an expert. Quite the opposite, in fact.

Along with my book-in-progress, I’m also looking at setting up an online community.
If you’re interested… [Honest! I’m scaling back my ‘shiny objects’ list!]

Yes, keep me updated!

A promise: Your email address will be used to inform you of the status of the book and community and will not be shared.

 

Stepping Stone 9: More attuned to magic moments.

With the extra non-distracted time, I was able to savor some of life’s little snapshots.

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There he was [and still is]: One of the weekday Mass ‘regulars’ greeting folks as they returned to their seat from Communion. In my case, we fist-bumped.

It’s camaraderie. It’s kinship. It’s good will. Voluntary on his part. Sought-out on my part.

Magic, I tell you.

During these years, seek out your own magic moments, and feel free to share yours in the comment section. Would love to hear them.

In fact, if I collect 50 ‘magic moments’, I’ll have no choice but to make a book of them. [Not trying to harvest email addresses, honest. Just would love to see what qualifies as ‘magic’ for readers.]

Note: I retired for twelve months and learned plenty. I’ll be posting my impressions and lessons–I’ll call them ‘stepping stones‘–as a friend, not an advisor, and certainly not as an expert. Quite the opposite, in fact.

Stepping Stone 8: Retirement can be a state of mind.

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I’m sure this realization is nothing new, but since I’m fairly new to the retirement game, it’s new to me.

With this light bulb moment in mind, I’ve decided that each weekend can be a mini-retirement.

I’ll still be answerable to loved ones and will aim to be productive, but if I’m hit with a wave of ‘ehhhh, that can wait’, I’ll concede quite willingly.

And, if faced with an opportunity for a new adventure, I’ll follow my ‘Awww, you’re only retired once.’ mantra over the annoying ‘But you’re working again!’ voices.**

**lots of voices, I know. A little disturbing, isn’t it?

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Note: I retired for twelve months and learned plenty. I’ll be posting my impressions and lessons–I’ll call them ‘stepping stones‘–as a friend, not an advisor, and certainly not as an expert. Quite the opposite, in fact.

Stepping Stone 7: TV time wasn’t an issue.

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As much free time as I had, I never camped out in front of the tube. [Though the strewn popcorn is oddly reminiscent of other recliner-sessions…]

In fact, I ended up deleting more unseen sports and cooking shows than those I actually watched.

This isn’t a pat on the back. It was just a pleasant surprise.

Just a reminder: These stepping stones summarize my experience. There may or may not be lessons here for you, but I am thinking some of my experiences may approximate some of what you experience during your retirement years.

Stepping Stone 6: It was difficult to work for myself.

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Oh, sure, there were times I was a very reasonable employer. 

A trip to California? Why not?

Start a new writing project? Sure. It’ll pay off in the future. [It hasn’t yet.]

I got motivated to start new projects and waltz into learning [or trying to learn] new skills and strategies.

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But things stalled when the idea of marketing and any whiff of a profit motive entered into the equation.

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At some point, I put myself on suspension. [Or, in Animal House-speak, ‘double-secret probation’.] [go to the 1:10 mark in the video]

I’ve climbed out of my ‘double-secret’ exile, but still, I’m still in production rather than profit mode. So be it.

Note: I retired for twelve months and learned plenty. I’ll be posting my impressions and lessons–I’ll call them ‘stepping stones‘–as a friend, not an advisor, and certainly not as an expert. Quite the opposite, in fact.