No one ever told me - not really - what retirement would look like. Oh, sure. There were the ads about 'make sure you have enough money saved' and 'keep yourself active.'
But nobody talked about the shift in thinking that occurs. The thoughts that appear about dying. The fear that seeps in about being incapacitated by Dementia or Alzheimer's. The dismissing 'making a difference' because you are such and such an age.
When I turned 40, the most amazing - and unsettling - things happened. It was as if a switch had been turned off. My eyesight got worse overnight. My butt dropped! And I promise you - those were not things I was consciously worried about!
And when I am in the muck and mire of the the changes happening in my body and mind, I remember! I am a member of the generation of Baby Boomers. When we didn't like the ways things were working, we did something about it. Our generation went through the Vietnam War and the lottery draft system. We challenged authority by burning bras for women's equality and marching for equal rights. Elvis Presley and the Beatles completely changed music for all generations. It was a bold experiment that worked - except where it didn't, of course.
And we are still pushing that envelope for something different. We are living longer. We are seeking new careers once we retire. We are becoming Uber drivers, school teachers; we are updating our resumes for what's next.
It is interesting. I found articles claiming "How baby boomers saved everything" and "How the baby boomers destroyed everything." Still causing upheaval!
And when I look at what I have done since retiring, I think that I, still, am defying the conventional and 'the way things should be'. Our generation is now talking about retirement and dying. We are embracing the spiritual practices that are keeping us empowered and young. AARP's home page proclaims "No limits. No labels. Aging is changing."
Oh, sure, we are doing things the ads told us to do. We are staying active and are financially sound. We are taking vacations and only getting up in the morning when we want. Even though Juan has been retired since 2012 and me since 2014, we still marvel at the fact that we can go where we want to when we want. Or we can just stay home and veg.
So, here is my recommendation. Don't believe everything you hear. Don't give into the conversation that says you need to save all your money. Don't buy into playing it safe. Don't give up your independence. Don't worry about how you compare to others.
Instead embrace your health as it is today. Embrace your freedom. Embrace the time you have to do nothing and the time you have to shake up the world again.
Go out and make new inroads and discoveries and live the life You want.
Light and love!
Kristina Langston
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