Plan for Life not Retirement
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Retirement: Plan Not Just Your Money but Your Life
Unless you plan for life, you will live many of your retirement years in regret. So about 5 years before the "Big Leap", we started working on a life plan designed for us. Retirement is a new life. More true today when life is healthier and longer. The retirement years can no longer be taken for granted. You can plan for at least another forty or so years.
Life does not stop at retirement. In fact, it just gets better. Now, you have your chance to do the things you have always wanted to do.Yes, face the challenge. Skip the experience of being a nobody without the status that a job gives. Fret not for the absence of a regular place to go to and dress up for, the companionship of colleagues and the challenge of work that is no longer there.
Stop staring at Grumpy, the equally beleaguered spouse. That is NOT a good plan. Going for coffee everyday is no substitute. Your children and grandchildren get tired of your constant poking about and you lose your patience, too. The flaming carcass of the family relationship space craft is moments away from ground zero.
Your Retirement Guide
Get one of these to prepare yourself
Saving for Retirement without Living Like a Pauper or Winning the Lottery by Gail MarksJarvis
Award-winning personal finance columnist read by millions more...1 point
The Joy of Not Working: A Book for the Retired, Unemployed and Overworked- 21st Century Edition by Ernie J. Zelinski
Ernie Zelinski could change your view of the world more...0 points
The Joy of Retirement: Finding Happiness, Freedom, and the Life You've Always Wanted by David C. Borchard, Patricia A. Donohoe
Life after work no longer conjures up images of ol more...0 points
The Successful Retirement Guide: Hundreds of Suggestions on How to Stay Intellectually, Socially and Physically Engaged for the Best Years of Your Life by R. Kevin Price
Using your mind and body, and interacting with others more...0 points
Shaping A Life Of Significance For Retirement by Jack Hansen, Jerry P Haas
This retirement book focuses on the personal dimensions more...0 points
Not Dead Yet: And One or Two Other Good Things about Retirement by Patrick Fanning
When you hit fifty-five, Saga starts courting you. more...0 points
Early Retirement Extreme: A philosophical and practical guide to financial independence by Jacob Lund Fisker
Early Retirement Extreme provides a robust strateg more...0 points
The Joy of Retirement: Finding Happiness, Freedom, and the Life You've Always Wanted by David C. Borchard, Patricia A. Donohoe
Life after work no longer conjures up images of co more...0 points
Plan for life
Or you will live your retirement years grumping at your grandkids

Before we retired, I remembered the hours my husband (Grumpy) and I agonized over what we'll do in the future....because we knew that we couldn't just move into long term parking until we were towed away! As we listened to friends blathering on about doing nothing or putzing about at golf or food banks, fear struck us like a knife.
One thing we had learned from Grumpy's parents was that unless you plan for your life, you will live many of your retirement years in regret. So about 5 years before the "Big Leap" we started working on a life plan designed for us.
Define what you really want to do in life
Retirement is your big push

First, we defined what we really wanted to do. We had glimpses of this in the beginning. We knew what made us happy and what gave us energy. We knew that tourist travel of 4 countries in a week was about as empty an experience as just sitting at home.
How could we travel....stay a bit longer and learn more about other peoples' lives and culture and desires and hopes. We had always been in education and in development and maybe in this combination we could find a package of interest driven activities that would be a workable plan B.
Leverage your current job
Find the opportunities

So we began to leverage our current jobs. We poked through our skills and the contacts given by employment to see what could be done. We checked international organizations...they are all over the web...to find some fits.
What was clear was that people have a sense of what they enjoy most in the job they do now or at other times in their career.
Chase the things that are of value to you
Are there opportunities in your current job to do this?

When you track down this particular thing that is important to you, take note. How can you get this in your retirement? What possibilities are there to keep chasing the things you consider of value to your life?
Will your current job provide you opportunities to still enjoy this after retirement? Explore this. Will your current employer allow you to do even more of those activities you enjoy most...part time?
Learn how to plan for retirement
For a meaningful life in retirement
Transition your way to retirement
Manage the transition to your life plan

What we did was sign a transitional consulting contract for two years with the company we were working with. We continued working on some of the programs that we were handling when we were still working.
We had a pension, so we could take a serious cut as we learned the new role as independent consultant. This assured us of work for at least two years when we were just establishing ourselves as consultants and give us a framework on how to do this. It was a good transition strategy. After two years, we were ready.
And then we studied...anything we could find on our target geography....any new directions in our skill sets...it was like being a newbie again on the first job...it was amazing fun.
Develop your life plan
Identify what is of value
We created our jobs. While still at work, you can create the jobs that you can do part time so you can enjoy some free time to explore other things. We knew we wanted to go into consulting. We did not plan this to be full time.
But when we started, we just kept getting work and had to be really careful to protect the months we had designated to be home with our families. All our contracts respected this. In cases when we had offers that intruded, we just said NO.
You have to make your priorities clear otherwise you will feel that you are deprived once again of your freedom which you had been looking forward to for so long.
More books about retirement
Look forward to more fun
How to Retire Happy, Wild, and Free: Retirement Wisdom That You Won't Get from Your Financial Advisor by Ernie J. Zelinski
How to Retire Happy, Wild, and Free offers inspirational more...0 points
Supercharged Retirement: Ditch the Rocking Chair, Trash the Remote, and Do What You Love by Mary Lloyd
Life after retirement is much more exciting if you more...0 points
Can I Retire? How Much Money You Need to Retire and How to Manage Your Retirement Savings, Explained in 100 Pages or Less by Mike Piper
Find all of the following, explained in plain-English more...0 points
Last Laughs: Cartoons About Aging, Retirement...and the Great Beyond
At long last, here are cartoons about the truly important more...0 points
The Retiring Mind: How to Make the Psychological Transition to Retirement by Robert P. Delamontagne PHD
If one or more of the following characteristics de more...0 points
The Smartest Retirement Book You'll Ever Read by Daniel Solin
This book will change the way you retire-no matter more...0 points
Social Security, Medicare & Government Pensions: Get the Most Out of Your Retirement & Medical Benefits by Joseph Matthews Attorney, Dorothy Matthews Berman
Maximize your Social Security, SSI, and Medicare benefits more...0 points
Retirement Without Borders: How to Retire Abroad--in Mexico, France, Italy, Spain, Costa Rica, Panama, and Other Sunny, Foreign Places (And the Secret to Making It Happen Without Stress) by Barry Golson
Barry Golson knows all about retiring abroad -- he more...0 points
101 Secrets for a Great Retirement : Practical, Inspirational, & Fun Ideas for the Best Years of Your Life! by Shuford Smith
More than 5,000 people retire every day--yet there more...0 points
The Hard Times Guide to Retirement Security: Practical Strategies for Money, Work, and Living (Bloomberg) by Mark Miller
A timely guide to overcoming the retirement challenges more...0 points
Where to Retire, 7th: America's Best & Most Affordable Places (Choose Retirement Series) by John Howells
Where to Retire offers the best advice not only on more...0 points
My Next Phase: The Personality-Based Guide to Your Best Retirement by Eric Sundstrom, Michael Burnham, Randy Burnham
Too many people 'flunk' retirement--even after a lifetime more...0 points
When I'm 64: Planning for the Best of Your Life by Marvin Tolkin, Howard Massey
Once you hit that magic age of 64 (give or take a few more...0 points
Work Less, Live More: The Way to Semi-Retirement by Robert Clyatt
Ready to pursue the rest of your life? Get going w more...0 points
Getting Started in A Financially Secure Retirement by Henry K. Hebeler
PRE- AND POST-RETIREMENT PLANNING THAT MAKES SENSE more...0 points
IRAs, 401(k)s & Other Retirement Plans: Taking Your Money Out by Twila Slesnick PhD, John Suttle CPA Attorney
Get your cash out of retirement savings without giving more...0 points
The Wall Street Journal. Complete Retirement Guidebook: How to Plan It, Live It and Enjoy It by Glenn Ruffenach, Kelly Greene
As you think about retirement, you've got facts to more...0 points
15 Expert Lessons for Retirement Planning (Collection) by Steve Weisman, James Walker, Moshe A. Milevsky, Frank Armstrong, Linda H. Lewis, Paul Brown, Bonnie Kirchner, Liz Weston, Trent A. Hamm
This is the eBook version of the printed book.Everything more...0 points
The Buckets of Money Retirement Solution: The Ultimate Guide to Income for Life by Raymond J. Lucia
Investors, shell-shocked by the "Great Recession" more...0 points
Ask people about their retirement plans
Ask how they created their own life plan
For your friends retiring
Here are fabulous gifts
Plan your life transition
Retirement is a new life

What we did was sign a transitional consulting contract for two years with the company we were working with. We continued working on some of the programs that we were handling when we were still working. We had a pension, so we could take a serious cut as we learned the new role as independent consultant. This assured us of work for at least two years when we were just establishing ourselves as consultants and give us a framework on how to do this. It was a good transition strategy. After two years, we were ready.
And then we studied...anything we could find on our target geography....any new directions in our skill sets...it was like being a newbie again on the first job...it was amazing fun.
Remember this. When you're retired, they no longer have a responsibility towards you so unless this is a business deal, do not depend on this. The new boss can just easily get out of this. Even if they are bound legally, you will be in misery.
Learn more about transition planning
It is important for your retirement
Essentials of Transition Planning (Brookes Transition to Adulthood) by Paul Wehman
An invaluable one-stop guide to well-crafted trans more...0 points
Family Wealth Transition Planning: Advising Families with Small Businesses (Bloomberg) by Bonnie Brown Hartley, Gwendolyn Griffith
Managing the transition of family wealth from generation more...0 points
Career Transition-make the shift by Deborah Shane
Deborah Shane is a tenacious woman who has transitioned more...0 points
Peaceful Transitions: Stories of Success and Compassion by Stanley Terman
The staggeringly huge epidemic of Alzheimer's and related more...0 points
Your Next Move: The Leader's Guide to Navigating Major Career Transitions by Michael Watkins
Whether you're going for that promotion, looking more...0 points
Out of Uniform: Your Guide to a Successful Military-to-Civilian Career Transition by Tom Wolfe
After completing military service, veterans can have more...0 points
Back in Control: How to Stay Sane, Productive, and Inspired in Your Career Transition (Audiobook Mp3 CD)
In today's unpredictable economy, many are finding more...0 points
Career Transitions
This video is a step-by-step program to help you d more...0 points
Physicians in Transition: 25 doctors who successfully reinvented themselves by Richard Fernandez
(Foreword by Michelle Mudge-Riley):This is more than more...0 points
Coach Yourself to a New Career: 7 Steps to Reinventing Your Professional Life by Talane Miedaner
Bestselling author offers a step-by-step program to more...0 points
Career Transition-make the shift by Deborah Shane
Deborah Shane is a tenacious woman who has transitioned more...0 points
Re-invent Your Career NOW... And Lead It Through Difficult Times
Perhaps the greatest challenge for millions of Americans more...0 points
Military-To-Civilian Career Transition 2nd Ed: The Essential Job Search Handbook for Service Members (Military-To-Civilian Career Transition Guide) by Janet Farley
This book provides a framework for career transiti more...0 points
Career Transition: A Faith-Based Approach by Darren E. Holmes
Almost every day there are announcements of companies more...0 points
A Road Map To Re-Employment: 12 Steps to a Successful Career Transition by Rob Wolf, Paul Ferreri
New ideas in a difficult time of high unemployment more...0 points
Without a plan before you retire
You may end up in a well funded dead end

Our finances are there always in our view. I concentrate on this while my husband concentrates on the contracts and contacts. We had practiced these roles while still in our jobs so this was not a difficult transition. OK, that's our story.
The key is not us and our activities, it is the basic reality that without a life plan before you retire, you may end up in a well funded dead end not feeling wanted or needed. A deep boring rut and the only difference between a rut and a grave is the depth!
What other people say about life planning
For your retirement
- Retirement advising prerequisite: Psych 101
- Retirement planning can often make advisers feel like therapists, with issues like healthcare, estate planning and life dreams coming up. And after the economic crisis upended many clients' retirement goals, these conversations can be even more ...
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- Most Canadians expect to work beyond the age of 66, according to a new poll from Sun Life Financial released Wednesday. Sun Life Financial's fourth annual Unretirement Index found that only three in 10 Canadians plan to be fully retired at the age of ...
- Age Is A Major Factor When It Comes To Retirement Planning
- Your age also plays a role in what you need to do to avoid retirement account penalties. Age 21. Employees can generally first join a 401(k) plan at age 21. Plan sponsors are allowed to exclude employees younger than 21 from 401(k) plans, ...
Here are some lenses that focus on retirement
They have good thoughts and tips for you to plan a life for retirement
CafePress
Planning for life at retirement is a task we have to take seriously
Here are some guide to have that life of retirement you desire
- Planning for Life After Retirement
- Planning for life after retirement is an important task. Our free guide will help you realize your dreams and goals for retirement, develop an action plan, and when you're ready, find a personal retirement coach to help make it all come true.
- Early Retirement Planning - Life Planning Management
- TTG's Pre-Retirement Planning Workshops are designed for employees and their spouses in the over-fifty age category.
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Thank you so much
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Leave us some wisdom on what you are doing now for your retirement
Or what you did to have a life at retirement
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poddys
Jan 2, 2012 @ 5:33 am | delete
- You have some excellent ideas and information here. I expect to retire in 10 years, which is when I finish paying child support, and since that takes a sizeable chunk out of my income every month, we are unable to save anything for our retirement, which means that all the good ideas in the world are no good unless you have spare income that you can save. We only have two hopes for retirement, the first is to win the lottery, and the second is to build a decent online income through writing etc, which will help to supplement our earnings/pensions. Wishing you success in your retirement, and the health to enjoy a long one. Blessed.
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poutine
Dec 28, 2011 @ 3:50 pm | delete
- Love this article.
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poutine
Dec 28, 2011 @ 3:50 pm | delete
- Love this article.
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Ladymermaid
Dec 6, 2011 @ 4:41 pm | delete
- Hi I am back again to remind myself how wonderful this article on retirement really is. Have a wonderful holiday season.
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karmicchristian
Sep 27, 2011 @ 8:40 am | delete
- I guess moving on in life from birth till the end should be one smooth flow and retirement can never be a dead-end! If you love whatever you do in life, one never retires IMO. Very valuable tips on offer here! :)
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Ladymermaid
Apr 29, 2011 @ 7:51 pm | delete
- Just letting you know that there is a topic titled healthy living-aging-retirement. I am the angel in the aging category and blessed this one because it is on an aging topic. Best wishes
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greenkat
Mar 5, 2011 @ 11:53 am | delete
- Great advice - really makes you think. Thanks!
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MTF-briguy
Mar 2, 2011 @ 6:03 pm | delete
- Great advice on retirement!
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moonlitta
Mar 2, 2011 @ 5:52 am | delete
- You are perfectly right and retirement is another part of our lives which shouldn't be treated worse than the rest of it.
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RinchenChodron
Dec 18, 2010 @ 9:55 pm | delete
- Very wise advise. Great lens.
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