"Life begins at retirement."  -Author Unknown

 

   


Retired--Next Phase

Retirement - the Best Phase of your life!   

 

 Ed and Gail
Ed Topar and Gail Cassidy
 (formerly THE SEMINAR SOURCE)
  January 1, 2012     

        Issue #2, Volume 1     


Greetings!

 

Welcome to 2012! New Years is a great time for reinvention, improvement, and even opportunities to make yourselfself, your family, your friends, even the world a better place. Grandiose? Perhaps, but also rewarding and fun.

One gift we all possess but may be unaware that we do is the ability to recognize what is special about another person, especially someone who is close to us. For example, an adult child or close friend may be seeking a better life or a better way to use their skills and talents.  

My challenge to you this January is to utilize this built-in ability you have. If you have a child, a grandchild or even a spouse or close friend who can't decide what to do with their lives or is unhappy in what they are doing, you may be able to help.

It is always easier to see other people's talents than it is your own. When my daughter first moved away and wasn't happy in her job, I decided to list what I saw as her assets and talents, and gave thought to related examples of how to focus those talents on ways to earn money with them. She has a liberal arts degree, is certified to teach, plus has a masters in sustainability. She was a two-time national champion in swimming and is a natural artist.

I wrote to her and said, "So, first, a list of talents I see that you have (READ MORE).

May you have a healthy, prosperous, fun year.

HAPPY 2012,

Gail and Ed


NOTE: "We are all here for some special reason. Stop being a prisoner of your past. Become the architect of your future."   -Robin Sharma, author of The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari.


What better time to start!!


 

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Don't forget to check what your passion is, click here to take our FREE preliminary passion test, the test we give those who sign up for Discover Your Passion coaching with us. You may find your answers right there. If you want to go further, sign up for the 30-day Explore Your Passion course, which will be available next month.

 

Check out our website, Retired-NextPhase.com

 

THOUGHT FOR THE FIRST MONTH OF 2012 

"Kindness is more important than wisdom, and the recognition of this is the beginning of wisdom."


Theodore Isaac Rubin
Psychiatrist

FROM ACROSS THE BORDER
 
 

FROM ACROSS THE BORDER

 

On a recent return visit to New Hampshire, to view the breathtaking panorama of colors available there during the Fall, I met a fellow retiree from Canada. We were both, separately, taking a well deserved break from following our wives around the myriad of stores in one of those enormous, small city-sized outlet shopping malls. We shared one of the public benches strategically placed throughout the complex and secretly felt lucky to have secured our seats before other gents in the same circumstances could find them.

 

We struck up a conversation, as strangers often do who recognize they are sharing a few moments of relaxation in close proximity and who may have other elements in common. Bob said he was from London, Ontario and he and his wife were in New Hampshire to view the Fall foliage colors and for her to do some "mall crawling" among the big name brand outlets. We laughed as we recognized our similar situations, when I disclosed that my wife and I had been doing the same for the past eighteen years and for the same reasons.

 

We shared that we were both retired and I asked him if I could inquire about certain aspects of his retirement for possible publication in this ezine. He agreed and offered the following insights.

 

Bob is six years retired from being, initially, an elementary teacher and then a guidance counselor in the public school system of London, Ontario, Canada. He spent his entire working career in public education. Now, at age 70, he said he enjoys a new routine of "staying up later and getting up later." Bob and his wife enjoy the traveling they now have the time to do, and he  enjoys doing volunteer work at church and a few social services events.  

 

However, what he enjoys most about his retirement so far, is the time he now has to pursue his passion for singing in a barber-shop quartet with his close friends. The time spent practicing for performances, participating in competitions, traveling to events and organizing their arrangements is what he loves most. He cherishes most the comradery that comes from the teamwork necessary to create the music they produce. While he dabbled with singing in the quartet while he was working, he now is able to pursue it more completely and is more fulfilled as a result. It has become his full time pursuit and, according to him, his days are totally full; and he is thankful that at this point in his life he has found purpose and enjoyment without reservation. He truly has found a rich and fulfilling pattern of life style for his retirement.

 

 

BOOK REVIEW -  DOING WHAT YOU LOVE, LOVING WHAT YOU DO

Robert Anthony's book, Doing What You Love, Loving What You Do, is one of the most influential books in my library. It was well worth the time it took to type my underlines and notes. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have. Because of its length, only one part will be presented at a time. ENJOY!!


 DOING WHAT YOU LOVE, LOVING WHAT YOU DO

DR. ROBERT ANTHONY

 
PART ONE

    I have always believed that we get in life what we are genuinely looking for - consciously or unconsciously.  Just because you are good at something, or have been trained to do something as your life's work, doesn't mean you must do it the REST OF YOUR LIFE!!!  As someone once said, When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.

    Finding and creating your life's work, even if it is entirely different from what you have done most of your life, will bring you more happiness and money than any other single action you can take.
    
    According to Dr. Anthony, work is something you were undoubtedly meant to do, something you know in your heart is the right thing for you to do.  Whatever it is, you may be sure that you have a talent and also an instinct for it.  Money is a natural by-product of doing anything well.

    Doing what you love to do will require that you listen to yourself and follow your own wisdom.  You must learn to listen to yourself rather than to always seek answers from others.  It is extremely important to develop self-reliance and to trust your own decisions.  To succeed at anything, you must love it, and only YOU know what you truly love.  When you are doing what you love to do, you will handle even the most demanding aspects of your work with ease.

    Think about the person you REALLY want to be, the person with extremely high self-esteem.  Your ultimate goal should be to find what you love to do and become an expert at it.  You make your own inner world, and through it, your outer world.  If you have difficulty overcoming obstacles, it is only because your inner guidance is taking you in a direction that is not in alignment with your creative intention.  If you truly intend to have something - you will.

Next month we will cover "Taking Mental Inventory." 
 
 

Read more book summaries on our  website.

 

FROM DEAR ABBY'S COLUMN
Dear Abby: There's a little-known program in every state that was mandated by a 1978 amendment to the "Older Americans Act." It's the Long Term Care Ombudsman Program. Its goal is to help assure that long-term care facility residents live harmoniously and with dignity, feeling free to voice complaints or concerns without reprisal.

There's a need nationwide for volunteers to make this program work. The ultimate goal is to have one volunteer in each nursing home. After training is completed, volunteers spend eight to 16 hours a month visiting their assigned nursing homes. They talk with the residents and observe conditions. If there's a complaint, they take it to their regional ombudsman for resolution.

A volunteer ombudsman is the voice for those who have none, and helps to make each community a better place to live.
                                                            -Jill in Van Buren, Ark.

Dear Jill: Readers, this is important work. If you are interested in volunteering, contact your local social services agency, Department of Aging or search online for the word "ombudsman" and the state in which you reside.

MOVING FORWARD, LOOKING BACK
 
Many adults regret that they didn't ask more about their own family history after losing a parent. The parents of our generation were not as open as many of us have been with our children.

Shortly before my father died, he told me about going to the movies with his friend, who after the movie said, "Joe, I hear they are going to make movies talk!" My father thought he was crazy--making movies talk--ridiculous!

That little story gave me a glimpse into the time he grew up and how his way life was so different from how we grew up.

How can you preserve a history of your life for your family?

Organize a Legacy Workshop where a small group of about 10 people sit and talk about their childhoods. Everything is recorded in an iPod and a CD can be made for each participant.

Make a video biography. Use a flip cam to create a lasting memory of your advice, anecdotes and life stories.

Transcribe memories. Most people are not interested in writing their memoirs, but everyone can develop a list of questions to answer in their free time. One question at a time can develop into a nice memoir with little effort.

Create a photo album. A scrapbook is a tribute to your life and a gift to your entire family. Document your life's journey. It's fun, even for yourself.

Write an "ethical will." This is an expression of gratitude, values or wishes, rather than a legal document. Incorporate one into your formal estate plan, or simply compose a letter from the heart to future generations.

I wish I knew more about the personal aspects of my parents' lives. Now is the time to start memories for your family. Enjoy the challenge!!
    
 

Profit From Your Passion - a thirty-day E-course

profit from passion

Retire to Your Passion!! Treat yourself to a thorough review of all of your likes, dislikes, successes, challenges, and everything that has made you who you are today. Find not only your passion but also your purpose in life. In thirty days you will unlock the secrets of who you really are. To learn more this 30-day course, visit our website. 

 

Introductory Price: $97 - Thirty Days of Lessons plus Six Weekly Teleseminars.  AVAILABLE NOW!

Rightsizing Your Life
Kazanoff Imagine finding what you need when you need it! That pair of slacks you wanted to wear...right there on a hangar. Your favorite shoes...sitting neatly on the floor. Getting and staying organized makes every day life easier, and allows you to start the day without feeling so flustered and rushed. It becomes even more important when you are experiencing or preparing for a major home or life transition, whether you are downsizing, rightsizing, divorcing, remarrying, retiring or making a career change. Living only with those things you need and love leaves more time to do the things you love to do, more time to develop your creative side, and more time to explore your passions! Less is much more!
 
ABOUT ELLEN: According to an unknown author, "Simplicity is making the journey with baggage enough". Ellen Kazanoff, rightsizing specialist and simplicity coach, lives her life, as well as runs her business, according to the "less is more" philosophy. More time to do the things you love to do, more space to live comfortably, and more peace of mind! As a baby boomer herself, she is familiar with the feelings of overwhelm and panic that accompany the decision to make a major home or life change.

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Gail Cassidy, [email protected]; (908) 654-5216
http://www.Coachability.com

Ed Topar, [email protected] 

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