Wednesday, April 26, 2006

Retirement and Change

HI:

Spare change anybody? Just plain old change? I think some of the essence of the next stage of life for baby boomers is the process of change. Moving forward to a new lifestyle, new experiences can be exciting. It can also be scary.

Part of change is saying goodbye. That also can be bittersweet. Leaving a job can leave you footloose, free. You'll be happy to be free of the little routines that had become quite boring. But ..... you'll miss other parts, the people, the good times.

The thing about moving on is that reality smacks you right in the face. It can't be hide under busy-work, because there is no busy-work. What do you want to do? Now you can do it and it's looking straight at you.

We can't look forward and backward at the same time. The little period of time in between where we are and where we are going is a bit like being suspended in space. We are floating around but don't know where we will land.

But if you think about it, perhaps the idea of us knowing where we are going is also a fantasy. It was also unreality, but comfortable and known unreality, so we believed it.

Truly, though, life is quite random. We happen to be born and raised where we are, and given the opportunites accordingly to our generation and circumstances at the time. Strange circumstances or disaster could strike at any time, and as we age, we become more aware of our mortality.

Whether or not you believe in divine purpose, or random experience, we can only be in the now.

Mahara Sinclaire


Tuesday, April 25, 2006

Retirement - Travelling Light - Mentally and Physically

Hi:

Well, much has been made about travelling light. As boomers go around the world, being bogged down with too much luggage isn't wise. Packing very little, dark coloured knit or wrinkle-free fabrics and a minimum of supplies is the way to go.

I met a couple once who only had small and thin knapsacks for a month of train riding. She had one skirt, one pair of pants and layered tops. Makeup consisted on cream and lipstick. Shampoo can be had anywhere, as can little basics. No need to carry them around. He had about the same. With high-tech undies and socks, drying times are considerably reduced, so less are needed. They were both mobile, able to move and not be weighed down.

Of course a bigger trip requires a bit more, but the joys of carry-on luggage cannot be underestimated.

More to think about is travelling light mentally. The question I can ask myself is, how weighed down am I with emotional baggage? How free am I mentally? If I'm tied to negative reactions, past hurts and lost dreams, I can't appreciate the present, or the future.

The goal of many boomers is to fulfil their dreams, see the world, make a difference.

Our possessions in our homes won't make us happy, any more than things we buy along the way. What will make us happy is travelling light, being in the moment and moving every minute of it!

Mahara Sinclaire


Friday, April 21, 2006

Retirement and Recreational Property

Hi:

Well, recreational property is a hot interest area for baby boomers.

Many have paid for homes and are looking for another place to play - one where the pace of life is a bit slower.

People have always owned cabins and bits of land far away from civilization where they could park an old trailer or drive up to for a few days.

Not any more though, the simple rustic getaways.

One thing that has changed that is the price. Land values are amazingly high, with lakefront properties over the half-million mark the norm. Some choice areas such as the Gulf Islands, Whistler, and the Okanagan area have values of over one million. Homes usually reflect lot values to some degree. These homes are not rustic get-aways, but beautifully decorated prized possessions.

However, there are still plenty of small lakes and other properties, especially further north and in less accessible areas.

It also holds true that most people spend their time in their recreational properties in the summer months. Although the further north you go, the shorter the season, it can still be hot and enjoyable for much of the summer 'way up north. You'll just be leaving to come home earlier.

It will be interesting to watch the onslaught of the rest of Canada to the relatively mild climate of BC.

Fascinating also is to see how many people will flock to small-town Alberta. There people will enjoy the pleasant summer months and be snowbirds during the long winters. They will enjoy no PST, cheaper gas prices, inexpensive house prices, and even a yearly bonus from this resource rich province.

We do have choice.

More tomorrow.

Mahara Sinclaire

Wednesday, April 12, 2006

Retirement: How can it work if you don't have much money?

Hi:

Well, it's easy to speculate about all the wonderful things we can spend our money on - if money is no problem. It's a bit more challenging if, because of a variety of circumstances, money will be quite limited.

Unfortunately, this is the case for many women. The causes are many, much of it having to do with societal norms at the peak earning years for women.

Of course there have always been a few women who achieved professional careers. However,the vast majority of women were stuck in low paying clerical jobs thirty years ago. They did the work, others got the money.

Women eventually became smarter. However, if you combine those circumstances with child-bearing and child-rearing, it's not a pretty picture for some.

What to do now? My comments for the not-so-rich are - be resourceful, creative, open-minded, persistent, willing to make compromises, and try new things.

I'll talk about each of these characteristics and what they might bring tomorrow,

Mahara Sinclaire

Sunday, April 09, 2006

Women Retiring Differently

Hi:


A Vancouver Sun article March 28,2006 describes how women retire for lifestyle reasons.

Based on research done by Lynn McDonald of the University of Toronto, this Canadian study examines how baby-boomer women will change retirement forever.

With many baby-boomer women working for their entire adult lives, many now have options which in the past were unfathomable. The report describes women's retirement as "amorphous and fluid".

By "amorphous and fluid" it appears that women are choosing to retire when they want or need to based on personal or family needs. They may also retire and then at a later date go back into the work force.

The driving force behind this "fluid" retirement date is in part caused by their family life in general, and in particular their caregiving role. In the early years, women opted out of the work force to care for their children, and now they are doing the same for their aging parents.

There are positives and negatives to this of course, but the main message is that women now do have choice and are managing their lives according to their needs.

Mahara Sinclaire









Saturday, April 08, 2006

Small Communities Luring Retirees

Hi:

Many small towns across Canada and the US are stepping into the retirement stream and the current is swift.

Small quiet communities see the benefits of retired folks. They bring their money and often considerable assets into a community.

The newly retired buy new luxury homes or townhomes. With extra cash from their old home equity, boomers can finally buy all the little luxuries they have been waiting for. They can afford luxury and buy it. When else are they going to have their fantasy home? When they are 70 or 80? Oh no, these folks are going for it now.
Now is the time boomers are decorating to their heart's content.

Besides redecorating their home, people are pursuing leisure activities. Golf, walking, birdwatching, bicycling and boating are great ways to spend time and enjoy the good life.

Small communities who offer these amenities are bustling with action. The few good restaurants are busy every night, and the great establishments are catering to a grey-haired, plaid shirt set. Some communities are very actively laying out the red carpet and the welcome mat.

More tomorrow.

Mahara Sinclaire