Mistakes!

We all make mistakes that we know for sure.

With every mistake, there is learning process they say, but not every mistake has to be your own. Just as our society uses history to learn from the mistakes of earlier generations, so can we.

We can save some time and frustration and look to those around us and learn from their experiences as well.  For example, instead of being defensive when an older person passes on advice listen and appreciate the learning they have gained over time. Really tune into their mistakes more closely than their successes.

Focus on why things went wrong and tuck the learning experience away in your memory bank for your own future challenges.  There is always something new to learn every day!

“Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.” 
― Albert Einstein

Dealing with Retirement!

Most of my friends are finally retired now.  Some worked longer than others.

Retirement is filled with time, but it’s quickly being used up. There’s nothing you can do to stop it, but there’s a great deal you can do to make it count.  Sometimes people switch demographics, you have to deal with unpredictable economic markets and rising health care costs. 

The wasted and idle moments in your life add up. If you always have something ready to do with them, they can add up to great value in your life.

I noticed that some people still procrastinate knowing that they have more time now. In fact, the limits on your time are really a blessing in disguise. Those limits motivate you to use your time in the ways that are most meaningful.

You are more aware of your health and try to take better care of yourself.  You will experience feeling lonely at times especially if you are a widow/widower and living away from your family.

It is important to surround yourself with people who make you happy.  People who make you laugh, who help you when you are in need.  People who would never take advantage of you.  People who genuinely care.  They are the ones worth keeping in your life.  Everyone else is just passing through.

Eat healthy, exercise and keep a good sense of humor.  Keep your family close.  Keep yourself busy.  Enjoy the beautiful sunsets.  I didn't say it would be easy!

Have you all heard about the “Ethical Will”?

As we go through life, we acquire wisdom and life lessons that can benefit others. One way to pass along your stories and experiences is through an ethical will. Unlike an ordinary Last Will and Testament,  an Ethical Will is not a legal document and has less to do with material possessions and more to do with non material gifts and spiritual well-being. It's a love letter of sorts for your family, friends and community.

Writing an ethical will benefit you.  You receive the same benefits from blogging!  It can:

• Help you to make sense of your life and the aging process.
• Provides a way to share your hopes, dreams and values with family and friends and your blogger friends who mostly are strangers you met online that follow your blog and you follow theirs.
• You learn a lot from reading other blogger’s insight on life.
• Help you take stock of your life experience and the values and wisdom that you have gained.
• You can share some chuckles along the way and include some photos and how your week is going for you.
• I happen to love adding animations to my blog to make it colorful and interesting to read.
• You can also vent when you have had a bad day!  And, cheers to a wonderful day!
• As we age, so doesn’t our lifestyle.  With a blog, we have it on record of how we are going down life’s pathway.

Regardless of your age, it is a good idea to create an ethical will. You can choose to share thoughts.  This is an ongoing process - put the document aside, read it over as the years pass, and revise it from time to time as you see fit.  Also, add a “Time Capsule”, I have a box filled with years of memories!  Priceless!

It is just another form of writing; when I was young, I started writing “Dear Diary”!  Same concept whether it is called a Diary, Blog, Personal Journal, Ethical Will; it all means sharing your thoughts!  You can elect to keep your blog private or public.

We Post entries on our custom made blogs!  So, whichever you choose to call it, an ethical will or your personal blog.  Share it with your family and friends.

I found it the best way to share my experiences and stories to my family and friends that live in other states. I come from a very large family and I don’t want them to forget about me living here in Florida as they are all basically in New England!

I also created a blog for my classmates of 1962!  It is my pleasure to keep us all together.  We all live in different states now and it is so heartwarming to keep connected.  We were a pretty large class of close to 500.  It is amazing to think we have all been friends since grammar school, all through middle school and onto high school.  Not many people have experienced that kind of friendship.  Priceless!