It is good to be good, and science says it is so!

April 25th, 2010

As National Volunteer Week 2010 comes to an end, I thought a fitting topic to contemplate is that of generosity, and the far-reaching impact it has on those who participate. And while generosity takes on many forms, the type I am writing about is one in which you give of your time and talents – volunteering.

Besides making you feel good, research has proven that volunteering has tremendous positive effects that go far beyond the time and talent given. In their book, Why Good Things Happen to Good People: The Exciting New Research that Proves the Link Between Doing Good and Living a Longer, Healthier, Happier Life, authors Jill Neimark and Stephen Post, PhD present the results of several robust studies which have given us substantial, meaningful data on the topic. Take a look at their conclusions:

  • Volunteers not only live longer but are healthier. In a thirty-year study (by Doug Oman, University of California at Berkeley) of 427 women who were both wives and mothers, it was found that those who did any kind of volunteering had better physical functioning thirty years later.
  • Volunteering reduces depression and mortality. Other research by the sociologist Marc Musick of the University of Texas at Austin and his colleagues found that for people age sixty-five and older, volunteer work substantially reduces symptoms of depression. According to another study by Musick and his colleagues, individuals over sixty-five who volunteer are significantly less likely to die over the next eight years than those who do no volunteer work. In an earlier study by Doug Oman, he and his colleagues looked at 2,025 older California residents and found that those who volunteered regularly had a 44 percent reduction in mortality—and those who volunteered for two or more organizations had an astonishing 63 percent lower mortality than non-volunteers. Says Oman: “Volunteering had a larger effect than physical mobility, exercising four times a week, and weekly attendance at religious services.” That’s powerful.
  • The benefits of being a volunteer extend to all age groups. Teens who actively volunteer do better in life: they have higher grades in school, use drugs and alcohol less often, have lower pregnancy rates, and are likely to continue volunteering for the rest of their lives. The impact is strongest when kids are inspired to volunteer on their own, but even when they are required by school-based programs to do so, the positive impact is significant, according to Catholic University of America’s James Youniss.
  • Volunteering delays death. In one 2005 study conducted by Alex Harris and Carl Thoresen of Stanford University, frequent volunteering was strongly linked with later mortality in more than 7,500 Americans over age seventy who lived in communities for the elderly. Called the Longitudinal Study of Aging (LSOA), the study followed these older individuals for six years. Volunteering was a powerful protector of mental and physical health, and frequent volunteers were protected the most. A 1992 survey of 3,617 older folks by Neal Krause of the University of Michigan found that helping others lowers depression. Krause also found that, for older men, ten years of volunteering slashes death rates significantly.

If those statistics don’t catch your attention, I’m not sure what will!

Another piece of good news is that volunteering can take many different forms. Consider being a mentor to youths in your community, a companion to a nursing home resident, or providing some much needed support to a caregiver by offering to spend time with his/her loved one so the caregiver can take a much needed break. In one or two hours each week, you could easily change the lives of others in a remarkable way, and you reap the benefits, as well.

So I will leave you these thoughts …

Focusing on someone other than yourself tends to push aside negative emotions. So, if you are feeling unhappy, isolated, or depressed, the act of helping somebody else may be just what you need. If you are already happy, volunteering will give you the opportunity to spread that happiness to others. And thanks to all of you who already volunteer … we can now say without a shadow of a doubt that the difference you are making goes far beyond where the eye can see!

Carolyn Lukert
www.transformingtransitions.com

PS. Please enjoy the link below. Whether or not you are a Michael Jackson fan, the message is loud and clear!

Heal the World

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To Our Health (Care)!

April 5th, 2010

I have to admit that I have been hesitant to write about this topic. Why?  Because it seems as though any communication with those who are not in agreement (and there are many) serves to fan the fires of discontent rather than lead to productive discussion. Health care reform, more than any topic in the history of my adulthood, seems to have polarized the nation and brought about a sense of distrust that is unparalleled. In one sense, the polarization has fostered less communication as business associates, family members, and close friends avoid the subject so as not to engage in a debate that could easily result in a messy outcome. On the other hand, there is constant media chatter on the topic – much of which is opinion vs. fact – leading listeners to believe in doomsday scenarios that are unlikely to occur. The sad thing is that many of our older population are particularly affected as they tend to have this chatter on in the background 24/7 and as a result, are scared to death about what the future holds.

My endeavor – to focus on the facts, and hope that readers will do the same. As such, I have searched for sources that provide the most factual information, and have included links to the sources at the bottom of this blog.

Below is a basic outline and timeline of the changes:

2010 – The uninsured will receive immediate access to coverage through high-risk pools if they are uninsured because of pre-existing conditions, and children can remain on parents’ plans until they are 26. Small businesses can receive tax credits to purchase insurance. Medicare prescription drug beneficiaries will receive a $250 rebate when they hit the coverage gap.

2011 – Medicare prescription drug beneficiaries will receive a 50% discount on brand-name drugs while in the coverage gap.

2013 – Medicare payroll taxes increase and expand to include unearned income for individuals making more than $200,000 and families earning more than $250,000.

2014 – Most Americans are required to get covered or pay a penalty. Families can receive subsidies to buy insurance if they earn up to four times the federal poverty level (currently about $88,000 a year). Individuals and small businesses can by packages through state exchanges. Insurers will be prohibited from refusing to sell policies and limited in their ability set prices on the basis of health status. Businesses with 50 or more employers must provide coverage or pay a penalty.

2018 – High-cost employer provided policies ($27,500 for family or 10,200 for single coverage) will be subject to a 40% excise tax.

2020 – The prescription drug coverage gap will be eliminated.

My hope is that, as time goes on and the changes are put into place, our nation will realize that success will come much more quickly if we work together to achieve it. Until then, I personally will resist the urge to listen to those TV/radio shows that present a one-sided view. They are not helpful.  You may want to consider doing the same …

Sources:
http://bulletin.aarp.org/yourhealth/policy/articles/reform_splash.html
http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1975068_1975012_1974994,00.html

Carolyn Lukert

www.transformingtransitions.com

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A Leap of Faith

March 8th, 2010

Greetings everyone!

Have you ever been afraid? So afraid that you couldn’t move? I would venture to say we have all had one or two of those moments in our lives.

So why am I writing about it? Well, in my conversations with numerous people over the last several months, I have discovered (not surprisingly) that fear is one of the main factors preventing folks from taking action (or even trying to plan) with regard to their futures. Fear that the social security system is going to be depleted by the time they need it; fear that the health care situation is going to be in complete disarray; fear that they will lose their jobs before they are ready to go; fear that they will be forced into taking some kind of action that they are not ready to take; fear that their loved ones or they themselves will get sick; fear that – if they take what seems to be a good opportunity now, it will backfire, and they would be better off just continuing to do what they do now – even though they hate it.

There is an endless list. And the result for many is paralysis, worry, and stress. Or, on the other end of the spectrum, a “wait and see” attitude with no action whatsoever (and perhaps very little worry or stress), which then often leads to an undesirable result when something does happen.

Here’s the thing. We all have fear. It’s a natural, and often healthy human emotion. It helps us survive in many cases. At the same time, if we let it control us, it can easily make our lives miserable – unnecessarily. The stress we add to our lives as a result may take a toll on our physical and emotional well-being, and we may miss out on some incredible opportunities because we are too afraid to consider them.

I have a real-life story about fear that perhaps will help you to relate to the “fear factor” more literally:

For 15 of the last 20 years of my life, I have participated in the sport of skydiving. Yes, jumping out of a perfectly good airplane on purpose. Of the approximately 3000 jumps I made during that time period, I continued to have some level of fear on every jump I made. And on my first 100 or so jumps, the fear was pretty intense. So why did I continue to do it, you may be wondering? Well, I did it because the feeling I got from making the jump BY FAR outweighed the fear – every time. I discovered early on that I had to do something to make the fear manageable, however, as midair paralysis would not have resulted in a good outcome and certainly would have negatively affected the enjoyment for myself and others!

So what did I do to manage my fear? First, I figured out what I was afraid of. In this case, dying was at the top of the list. What if my parachute malfunctioned, and I didn’t respond quickly enough? In this sport, you have only a few seconds to react to a problem. I was also afraid of getting injured badly – broken bones definitely came to mind, and I did get to witness a few of those (by other skydivers) early on in my skydiving career. Finally, I was also afraid of being the weak link on a group skydive, perhaps being the reason a jump was not completed successfully. Just imagine being in a team sport where everyone paid to participate, and you botched it. Then the prospect of death or injury didn’t seem quite so bad!

Seriously, though, after identifying my fears, I set out to do what I could to decrease the odds of my fears coming true. On the dying topic, I made sure I kept up to date on my emergency procedures taught in our first jump class. I practiced them often so that I would be ready to act should the situation occur (and the situations did occur, and I did act … and based on the fact I am writing this blog, I didn’t die). I also made sure my gear fit me properly, and I maintained it well. I was a reasonably practical and cautious skydiver, which means I jumped when conditions were right for jumping, and resisted the urge when they were not. And, I put in the time and effort to learn the necessary skills before I attempted to jump into situations that were “over my head.” (Pardon the pun). Finally, on the plane ride up to altitude, a conversation with the man upstairs was always part of my routine. And oh yes, I made sure I had good health and life insurance.

So, were any of my fears ever realized? Sure, they were. I managed to break a couple of bones, and be a weaker link on some team jumps. As much as I prepared, things just didn’t always go as planned. But you know what, I survived, learned what lessons I could from the situations that occurred, and I moved forward (sometimes with crutches, but it was still forward!).

I try to use that same approach to manage my fears today. Identify, prepare well, pray, act, and deal with whatever the situation turns out to be, because the world is not always predictable. And yes, a safety net (like my health and life insurance in the situation I described) is often prudent.

So, if you happen to be challenged by some fears, I hope this encourages you to take some steps to manage them and move forward. Who knows, you may even find yourself taking a leap of faith (and I mean that figuratively, of course)!

Sincerely,
Carolyn
www.transformingtransitions.com

PS … Here is a picture of me taking one of those leaps, and a song by one of my favorite artists, Kenny Loggins.  Enjoy!

Kenny Loggins – Leap of Faith

carolyns leap

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R-E-S-P-E-C-T

February 19th, 2010

I did a presentation last week on the topic of the “Longevity Revolution” … a term that can be found in several places on my website. The term simply refers to the fact that we are living longer (by 30 years, on average, than those born 100 years ago). And related to that is the fact that the age-related milestones we became accustomed to during the 20th century are becoming less meaningful. An example would be work – not only are we living longer, we are working longer. And not necessarily because we have to (although that may play a small role in the decision), but because we want to.

So you may be asking – what does this have to do with respect – the title of this blog? There’s a link, I promise! While doing my presentation, one of the participants asked about the impact of the multiple generations currently existing in today’s work force as a result of the longevity revolution. While I was able to say that there certainly are differences that create challenges (such as expectations about technology, work schedules, and efficiency), a more thorough response was in order. And in researching to come up with that response, I hit on the word respect time and time again. Respect in the sense of acceptance of each individual for who he/she is, and giving credence to the factors that have contributed to the development of a particular generation of individuals.

The fact is, we now have five generations in today’s workplace (your workplace may not have all five yet, but in the very near future, it likely will). Regardless of what you label these generations, there are some characteristics that many of them have in common, and some that are unique. My intent here is not to stereotype any generation, but simply to highlight where there might be some points of challenge in the dynamics of the multi-generational work forces.

So let’s take a closer look …

Generation 9/11 – born after 1990

  • Major life influencers – 9/11, unfriendly global economy, wars/threats of war
  • Some likely traits – distrustful, cautious, wary of the future, technology dependent
  • Labels often assigned to this group by others – obsessed with technology, flighty, just kids, unmotivated
  • What this generation needs from others – positive and supportive communication, confidence in the future, understanding and acceptance of how technology fits into their lives, patience with their development

Millenials – born between the years of 1977 and 1990

  • Major life influencers – grew up with advanced technology, started work in a strong economy
  • Some likely traits – free thinking, opinionated, socially conscious, prefer creative, flexible workplaces, want to be challenged, value social lives
  • Labels often assigned to this group by others – prefer “play” over work, overconfident
  • What this generation needs from others – clear and specific communication regarding deadlines, flexible workplaces, consideration (rather than dismissal) of their opinions

Generation X – born between the years 1965 and 1976

  • Major life influencers – grew up with baby boomer parents who worked long hours, many were raised by single parents and had to fend for themselves.
  • Some likely traits – independent and confident, desire efficiency, strong sense of balance between work and personal
  • Labels often assigned to this group by others – slackers, impersonal, rude
  • What this generation needs from others – clear instructions and deadlines, work environments that allow them to work efficiently and quickly, openness to suggestions for changes in processes

Baby Boomers – born between the years 1946 and 1964

  • Major life influencers – born in successful years of an active economy, parents wanted them to have a better life.
  • Some likely traits – strong work ethic, belief that hard work and long hours lead to success
  • Labels often assigned to this group by others – inefficient, unbalanced (work too much at the expense of personal life), inflexible
  • What this generation needs from others – to know that they are valued and appreciated. They expect their hard work to be noticed.

Traditionals – born before 1946

  • Major life influencers – Grew up in a time of war and the Great Depression.
  • Some likely traits – fiscally and socially conservative, adaptable, able to do things in many different ways
  • Labels often assigned to this group by others – too old to learn, can’t keep up with technology, distrust younger generations
  • What this generation needs from others – respect and understanding of life experiences, patience and willingness to teach instead of being dismissive

While this is just a cursory review, it is easy to see how the meshing of these generations at work (and at home, for that matter) could create some real challenges. So what do we do, knowing that this dynamic is going to be the norm from here on out?

As they say with many things, awareness is the first step. Having some understanding of general characteristics, traits, and reasons as to why they may exist is a good start. Perhaps finding ways to educate your fellow employees and increase the overall company awareness of this very real phenomenon could become a part of your culture. And by doing so, you will likely find that people will be better able to work together – they will be less frustrated and more productive. Imagine that!

And yes, at the end of the day it all comes down to RESPECT. Respecting each person/ generation before automatically dismissing him, her, or them because they don’t say and do things the way you do. Think about it …

Respectfully,

Carolyn
www.transformingtransitions.com

PS – In the spirit of being multi-generational, I thought you would enjoy two different renditions of this song – the first sung by the Queen of Soul herself (from the Traditional generation), and the second sung by a 10 year old (from the 9/11 generation). Please be sure to watch both!

Respect – Aretha Franklin

Respect – Jessica Sanchez

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Can You Relate?

February 4th, 2010

Relationships. Having just been married a few short weeks ago, the topic seems like the most appropriate one to address at this particular moment! Now, you might think I say this because I have just entered into the most recognized and traditional relationship known to mankind and, well, yes that is true. But I also have some ulterior motives here.

As I have been preparing for an upcoming series of seminars, I have been pulling together information on the topic of healthy aging. In doing so, I have come across a multitude of data that supports the theory that intimacy/human contact is critical to good health. In fact, according to Dr. Henry Lodge in his book Younger Next Year – Turn Back Your Biological Clock, social connections are a more powerful factor in health and mortality than smoking, alcohol, exercise, nutrition, or age. He goes on to say that decades of research have shown that low levels of social connection can lead to depression, and depression in turn can lead to heart attacks and cancer, among other things.

Get this – according to Dr. Lodge, having either a good marriage, or just one close friend, cuts mortality by a third and the benefit increases the more your circle broadens. In one study, older patients, both women and men, were three times more likely to survive heart attacks if they were socially connected and supported. Additionally, older people who have at least one close friend have cardiovascular systems that are younger by a series of objective measures than those of isolated people.

So, the physical manifestations of social connections (marriage and otherwise) are becoming quite clear! The message is clear as well. As we get older, we need to remember to stay socially connected. And that could become challenging as we change jobs, change locations, and inevitably lose some of our current family and friends. It is imperative that – for the rest of our lives – we continue to build and nurture relationships, and for some of us, we may need to get started. A good start may be to read the book I referenced above as it contains several ideas to move forward.

Stay connected, folks … it may save your life!

Carolyn Lukert (formerly Shaffer)
www.transformingtransitions.com

PS … Yes, I do have a relevant song for the topic, which you will likely recognize!

With A Little Help From My Friends

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He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother (or Father, Mother, Husband, Wife, Significant Other)

January 8th, 2010

Hi Everyone,
Sorry for the delay between blogs. I took a little holiday hiatus to visit with family and am just getting back into the routine! Since returning from my travels, I have been contemplating this topic of caregiving, and trying to find a way to write about it that provides inspiration and hope, not depression and fear. You can let me know if I succeeded.

The reality of the situation is this: the longevity revolution that has taken place over the last century has resulted in many more people being involved in caregiving situations – either as the care giver, or the care receiver. And the numbers will continue to rise. We are living longer and while medical breakthroughs are curing or slowing down many disease processes, many individuals will reach the point where they simply cannot make it on their own. In-home care has become a much more reasonable alternative to admission to a skilled nursing facility for many, and this leads to this caregiver relationship. Perhaps it is simply to help with administering medications, chores, cooking, etc., or it may be much more intensive, or gradually becoming so.

This hits a very personal note for me as my mother is the full time caregiver for my father. While he may not always show it, I know my dad is grateful for the kindness, patience, and compassion my mother provides day in and day out. My siblings and I are grateful as well, and are inspired by both of them. When I ask my mom how she does it, she simply says she wouldn’t have it any other way.

Which brings me to the main message of this blog. The title – He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother … Being a caregiver is a huge responsibility and can take a tremendous toll (physically, emotionally, and financially). So, while the caregiver is shouldering this responsibility, who is taking care of the caregiver? This is where we can all play a role in doing some of the “carrying” to make the load more manageable and yes, even rewarding.

As we become involved in caregiving situations, remember this: the caregiver cannot do it alone. If you are the caregiver, ask for help. And if you know a caregiver, offer help. Understand that asking for help may be very difficult for the caregiver, so offers of help may have to be repeated a few times before accepted.

Putting a plan together early on is key to being able to fulfill the caregiver role and maintain one’s own health and well-being. Rather than put a lengthy list of steps in this blog, here are a couple of books I recommend:

  • Caring for your Parents – The Complete Family Guide, Hugh Delehanty & Elinor Ginzeler (Note, this does not just pertain to parental care, good for any caregiving situation).
  • Coach Broyle’s Playbook for Alzheimer’s Caregivers, Coach Frank Broyles, Athletic Director Emeritus for the University of Arkansas Razorbacks (while the author refers specifically to the challenges presented by Alzheimer’s Disease, there is a tremendous amount of helpful information for caregivers in general).

And with that, I will end on a lighter note. Attached is a video of The Osmond family singing the title song, He Ain’t Heavy, He’s my Brother. The ending verses say it well:

It’s a long, long road
From which there is no return
While we’re on the way to there
Why not share

And the load
Doesn’t weigh me down at all
He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother.

Carolyn Shaffer
www.transformingtransitions.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBKNXZ75m3s

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Enough is Enough!

December 18th, 2009

Given that it is the holiday season and that time of year when consumerism is at its peak, you may be thinking that is what I am referring to with the title of this blog. While I can say I did utter those words a time or two during my very few shopping expeditions, I am referring to something on a much grander scale.

I am talking about money, and specifically, our relationship with the same. You see, this topic frequently comes up in my line of work. I have the unique and wonderful opportunity to speak with people daily about what’s next for them, and while I don’t set out to make it a financial discussion, it often leans in that direction at some point. And how can it not, really? When most of us think about making a life change, our personal finances often dictate what we even consider as a possibility. Many people tell me they can’t afford to retire or transition in any sense of the word, or even to scale back, because they have to be able to cover their bills, and their current income is barely allowing them to do that. And why should that be a surprise … isn’t that the American Way?

Vicki Robin and Joe Dominguez, in their book Your Money or Your Life, address this topic in great detail, and explain it as clearly as I have ever seen. “Over time, our relationship with money – earning it, spending it, investing it, owing it, protecting it, worrying about it – has taken over the major part of our lives.” They go further to say that most of us aren’t actually making a living … we are making a dying. I must say, that got my attention! “We are killing ourselves – our health, our relationships, our sense of joy and wonder – for our jobs. In fact, we are sacrificing our lives for money, but it’s happening so slowly that we barely notice.” Robin and Dominguez are quick to point out that this applies not only to people who hate their jobs, but to those who love them, and all across the spectrum. The bottom line is that for many, there seems to be no real choice between their money and their lives.

So, what drives this?

Certainly our culture (which includes our upbringing and the messages we heard in our early years) has a lot to do with it. We live in a time and place where the generally accepted motto is “more is better” and there is a desire on the parts of many to “have it all.” So here is where the Enough word comes in … as Robin and Dominguez say, “if you live for having it all, what you have is never enough.”

As with most of the topics I cover in my blogs, I could go on and on, but I won’t! I will leave you with a few tidbits to contemplate …

  1. What is enough for you? My guess is that this may be hard for you to define. For Robin and Dominguez, it is enough for your survival, your comforts, and even some special luxuries, with no excess burden to you unnecessarily.
  2. What is the real price you are paying for “enough” as you define it?

Exploring this topic in more detail can be life-changing at any age, so if this has peaked any interest at all, my recommendation is that you read the book I referred to. You might be surprised at the transformation that occurs.

Enough said! (Sorry, I couldn’t resist …)

Carolyn Shaffer
www.transformingtransitions.com

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Sometimes, ya just gotta laugh!

December 5th, 2009

Did you know that happiness is tied to longevity? According to Martin Seligman, one of the leading experts in the field of positive psychology, and author of “Authentic Happiness: Using the New Positive Psychology to Realize Your Potential for Lasting Fulfillment,” research has found that happy people have better health habits, lower blood pressure, and stronger immune systems than less happy people. They endure pain better. When folks are happy, they are less self-focused, like others more, and want to share their good fortune with others.

While I found none of this to be terribly surprising, it was reaffirming to hear there is direct evidence to support that positive emotion actually predicts health and longevity.

So, the next question that comes to mind might be: What if I am just not a happy person? Or, maybe I have a reason for not being happy right at this moment. The good news is your happiness level is completely within your control. It may be as simple as starting and ending your day with music that generates that positive feeling, or perhaps making some more dramatic changes that include:

  • Exploring your natural talents and strengths, and finding ways to engage them on a more regular basis;
  • Improving your social relationships (data consistently shows that marriage is robustly related to happiness);
  • Connecting with your religion, another variable that shows a strong correlation to happiness and satisfaction with life; and
  • Engaging in some activity every day that gives you meaning and purpose.

Finally, don’t discount the impact of laughter. When was the last time you had one of those gut busting, belly-aching fits of laughter. Do you remember how good it made you feel? If this is not something you find yourself doing on a regular basis, you may want to consider this:

I recently was exposed to Laughter Yoga. Contrary to what I initially imagined, this did not involve sitting in the lotus position with a smile on my face. Rather than try to explain it, take a look at the attached video. And before you jump to the conclusion that it is utterly ridiculous (which, I admit, I was going down that path), you might want to give it a try. Seriously … !

Carolyn

www.transformingtransitions.com

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How Old is Old??

November 25th, 2009

Wow, what a loaded question! The answer, of course, depends on the age of the answerer. Think back to your youth. How old did you think old was at that time? My guess is that it was a lot younger than what you think old is now.

Last week, while driving my high school aged daughter and friend to school, she and her friend had a conversation about this very topic. They were talking about one of their teachers who was going to be out of school to help take care of her new grandchild, and it went like this:

(Daughter) Mom, my friend says Mrs. Smith is old. Do you think she is?
(Me) I don’t know. Does she seem old?
(Daughter) Well … she has grandkids. And she doesn’t really look old, but she wears a lot of makeup.
(Me) Is she healthy?
(Daughter) Seems to be. She is never out sick, and she has lots of energy.
(Me) Do you know her age?
(Daughter) Mid 60s, I think.
(Me) Well, how old is old?
(Daughter and Friend) (Silence, then …) 70s or 80s (hesitantly).

Then, excitedly – as though having experienced some type of breakthrough:

(Daughter) I know, how old are you when you get Medicare?
(Me) You qualify for Medicare at age 65.
(Daughter) Then that’s it! You’re old at 65.

So, in an effort to tie it to something tangible, a teenager went to a logical place – an age-related benefit. Interestingly, as we approach that age, we want the associated benefits, but we don’t want that label that comes along with it!

Most of us cringe at the thought of being considered old at a particular age and, in fact, are not happy when we start getting literature in the mail that suggests we are going in that direction (an AARP membership solicitation at age 50, for example).

Here is the deal – We are all getting OLDER (it is better than the alternative, right?). That doesn’t mean we have to be OLD. So let’s not focus on a specific “old” age, but on ways to age successfully. At the same time, we should be taking advantage of those benefits that come along with our age, like AARP, for example (www.aarp.org). While many of us resist because it is a so-called “sign of getting old,” I will tell you that this organization has a tremendous amount of helpful information and resources that are – yes – age appropriate! So, find your way past the aversion to the  “old age” label and embrace what is now available to you. My hope is that you will be pleasantly surprised!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Carolyn
www.transformingtransitions.com

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Work – How is it Working for You?

November 16th, 2009

Work – How’s it working for you? When the idea of “not working” begins to enter our minds (whether it is a real possibility or simply a dream), this is a good question to ask ourselves.

Why do we work, anyway? Well, for many reasons. At its most basic level, working provides for our basic needs – food, shelter, and clothing for our families and ourselves. It also gives a place to go, and a network of people with whom to interact. If we’re lucky, our work provides us with a sense of meaning and fulfillment, as well as a sense of identity.

So, does the idea of “not working” sound attractive to you? As we are approaching that time in our lives when 401k and pension withdrawals become penalty-free (or required, in some cases), and when social security actually becomes a potential source of income, that option might just be one that you are considering. Perhaps because you are tired of doing what you are currently doing. Or, maybe your work is simply that … just WORK. It misses the mark on meaning and fulfillment, and doesn’t leave you with the time to do the things you really want to do.

Here’s the thing – research shows that people who stay employed (self or otherwise) remain healthier longer, both mentally and physically. So, rather than coming to an abrupt halt (if that is what you are contemplating), a better option may be to make a plan to transition to a work situation that is better for you. That could mean less hours at the same work, or completely different work altogether. Maybe combination of volunteer and civic engagement (which also counts as work, by the way), which provides the meaning and fulfillment that is currently missing.

If this has spurred some interest, here are some things to think about:

• What type of work might you do that could be on your own terms – perhaps part time or as a consultant?
• Do you have any special interests or hobbies that might work as a business?
• Are you in tune to the things you do best (natural talents, strengths, values) around which you could develop your “dream” job? If not, there are a number of assessment tools to help you discover those talents, strengths, and values.
• If the need for financial resources weren’t an issue, what would you do? Now we all know that isn’t realistic, but it will give you a starting point to begin your thinking.

The earlier you begin to ask yourself these questions, the more likely it will be that you can answer that very first question in a resoundingly positive way!

Post your comments below … I’d love to hear from you!

Carolyn
www.transformingtransitions.com

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