TURN THE PRESSURE DOWN - BREATHE AND FIND YOUR CENTRE

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TURN THE PRESSURE DOWN

When I chose Equanimity as my Word of the Year, the driving thought behind it was how to centre and ground myself in quiet confidence and truth. I don't want to be striving after all the bells and whistles this world parades in front of me, I want to live a life that's free from stress and juggling too many balls.

Retiring from work has given me the opportunity to move away from performance based living, I don't have to jump through someone else's hoops anymore. Life is on my own terms - as long as I remind myself of a few simple home truths now and then.....
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EMBRACING A RESTFUL RETIREMENT: THE UNSUNG ROLE OF QUALITY SLEEP

Getting adequate sleep is essential to supporting our best life during retirement. The importance of sleeping soundly is often overlooked.
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INTRO


Today on the blog I have a really interesting collaborative article about getting a good night's sleep - something that seems to be harder to attain as the years go by.

Getting adequate sleep is essential to supporting our best life during retirement. Sleeping soundly is often overlooked in favor of more tangible lifestyle choices, like eating healthily and exercising regularly. But if we want to complete the health trifecta, then ensuring we have ample sleep is paramount to a happy retirement.

Let’s explore the benefits of sleep in greater detail, and how you can attain quality sleep as you get older...
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BECOMING WHO YOU TRULY ARE - ACCEPTANCE AND CHOICE

Are you in the process of becoming truly yourself? Have you noticed changes in the second half of life? Do you feel that you're more "you" now?
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WHO ARE WE BECOMING?

Towards the end of each year, my mind turns towards what my Word of the Year will be for the next year ahead. One word that comes up regularly is "Becoming" - I've come close to using it several times, but it always gets pipped at the post by something else. Despite that, it still holds a lot of meaning for me because Midlife has been all about becoming my true self.

I had no idea that the second half of life would be the beginning of putting away the old me, and replacing that way of thinking and doing, with a whole new mindset and approach - becoming more authentically "me". So what does "Becoming" look like in this season of life? This quote I saw on Facebook recently really sums it up for me....
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THE POSITIVE SPACE CREATED BY LETTING GO

In a world where we surround ourselves with so many commitments, so many people, and so much busyness, what would we gain if we let some of it go?
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LETTING GO GIVES US SPACE

In a world where we surround ourselves with so much 'stuff', so many commitments, so many people, and so much busyness, what would we gain if we let some of the superfluous go? How much more peaceful would our lives be if we released some of the excess and focused on what really matters? What would  you like more of, and what can you release to create room for it?

Previously, letting go was an issue for me, now it's something quite different....
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THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SCARCITY AND SIMPLICITY

simplicity and scarcity
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SCARCITY VERSUS SIMPLICITY

I have a strong aversion to scarcity. I lived with a scarcity mindset for most of my adult life - the fear that there wouldn't be enough....the concern that our income wouldn't be enough into, and through our retirement, the unsettledness of never being sure how much would be left over each month after the bills were paid.

It wasn't a restful way to live, there was constant striving and juggling. Despite that, I'm a lover of simplicity, simple living, and less is more. There's a huge difference between scarcity and simplicity and I thought I'd delve into that a little today...

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FINANCIAL FREEDOM AFTER 50: PRACTICAL TIPS FOR WOMEN TO BUILD A SECURE RETIREMENT

As we approach our golden years, securing financial freedom and a comfortable retirement starts becoming more important.
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INTRO

Today on the blog I have a really interesting collaborative article on how to begin preparing for a financially secure retirement. I remember that finances were my biggest concern when I decided to leave my job, and knowing that we had sufficient funds to get us through the years ahead was the deciding factor on permanently retiring and getting to enjoy this new lifestyle.

So without further ado, let's launch into some interesting tips that I hope you find helpful and encouraging....

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WHEN ONE WORD LEADS TO ANOTHER....AND ANOTHER

When your word of the year becomes so much more

WHEN YOUR WORD OF THE YEAR EVOLVES

I spent a lot of time trying to drill down to one all-encompassing Word for 2024 that included being more calm, centred, and at peace with myself and the world. As I mentioned in my January post, I chose Equanimity (with a bit of help from my daughter). Because it's a complex word, it seems to have made me think harder, and in the process it's attracted me to other words that have begun to resonate.

I thought today I'd share a little bit of what's been going through my head in regard to all I've been processing....

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THE ROAD THAT LEADS TO A WHOLE NEW LIFE

Retirement means different things to each of us, but for me it's been the opportunity to finally slow down and discover who I truly am.

THE SECOND HALF OF LIFE GIVES US SO MUCH

Last year I wrote about Ullie-Kaye, a poet whose work resonated with me on many levels. There were so many of her poems that spoke to my heart, I follow her Facebook page and her poems regularly appear in my feed. Recently a new one called "Wonder Road" popped up that was all about what life gifts us, but for me it perfectly described what the second half of life (especially retirement) has brought into my world. 

I just had to share it here today with a few words of my own....
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LOOKING BACK AT A SIMPLY LOVELY SUMMER

Looking back at December, January and February 2024 - summer in Australia and highlights of what I've been doing during that time.

LOOKING BACK AT THE SUMMER THAT'S BEEN

Summer here in Western Australia comprises December, January, and February. It's full of hot, dry days that are so much easier to navigate now that I'm happily retired. I really enjoy being able to choose when to be out in the heat, and when to be indoors in the cool.

It's also been three months of Christmas, family, dabbling, and generally enjoying life on my own terms - living with equanimity and joy. I'm sharing a few of the highlights today and I hope you'll enjoy them too.....
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I WAS SURPRISED BY THE ADVICE I'D GIVE MY YOUNGER SELF

When I look back at the last few decades I've realized that we need to experience life in all its fullness - we can't skip the tough parts.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD I GIVE MY YOUNGER SELF?

Mika from Musings by Mika suggested that it would be interesting to read a post on the advice I'd give my younger self now I know all the ups and downs life has brought my way over the years. I took a look back over my shoulder at the last few decades and all that I've been through to get where I am, mulled it over for a while, and had a surprising revelation.

This is what came to mind, and this is what I'd tell my younger self (that's me above on my last day of high school - not quite 17 years old) if I had the chance...

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8 INSPIRING QUOTES ABOUT EQUANIMITY - AND MY VISION BOARD

8 inspiring quotes about Equanimity - including: In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer. And that makes me happy.

QUOTES ABOUT EQUANIMITY

I think it's pretty obvious that I love a good quote, and when I choose a Word of the Year, a whole lot of quotes suddenly leap out and become even more meaningful. This year when I chose Equanimity as my WOTY, I put several of my favourite quotes together and created my own version of an Equanimity Vision Board to remind me to remain calm and centred throughout the year.

Today I thought I'd share some of those quotes and what my board looks like....
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GENEROSITY - THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING

Being on the receiving end of generosity is a true joy, but being the giver of generosity is an even greater blessing.

SCARCITY VERSUS GENEROSITY

I've mentioned before that I've struggled my whole adult life with frugality and having a scarcity mindset. The need to squirrel away whatever income we had to pay the bills and to make ends meet was very important for the first few decades of life. Despite the need to save,  there were still worthy causes to support - the church, overseas orphans, or local charities, and it felt good to be able to contribute where we could.

Now all that frugality has paid off, and we're in a comfortable, debt free 3rd third of life.....but it's been a battle to shed that scarcity fear and to live larger. The key for me has been to learn to be more generous with myself and with others.....

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I'M NOW IN THE 3RD THIRD OF LIFE

What do you want to be and do as you enter the 3rd third of life? Here's some thoughts on life after 60.

THE 3RD THIRD OF LIFE

Recently I came across a Facebook post that mentioned the 3rd third of life, and I realized that I had just entered this new phase. The concept assumes that we're going to live to around 90 - which is about as far as I see myself getting to (if I'm lucky), so when I hit 60 it meant that I entered this final third of my life. It felt a little daunting, but also raised some interesting thoughts about what the previous two thirds of my life had taught me, and where this last third is leading.....
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EXPECTATIONS NOT MET? OR HOPES THWARTED?

What happens when we're disappointed, and our hope feels lost? Do we give up? Do we step back? Do we take it one day at a time?

LIFE ISN'T ALWAYS A BOWL OF CHERRIES

At the beginning of last year I wrote a post about my struggles with an area of my life that had been so important to me for decades, and had devolved into disappointment after disappointment. I had reached the end of my tether, and decided to step back and wait for changes that were in the wind to occur. 

Six months later I returned to see if things were on the upward ascent, and now, a further six months down the track, I  find myself almost back where I was last January.....
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THE GIFTS OF MIDLIFE

Midlife brings with it many valuable gifts that we need to take a moment to appreciate.

IT BEGAN WITH IMPERFECTION

Brene Brown wrote a fantastic book called "The Gifts Of Imperfection" that was an eye-opener for me, and I'll be forever grateful for the lessons it taught me. I've learnt that it's okay not to be perfect, that I can be my authentic self, allow myself to be vulnerable, and to embrace this wonderful life I've grown into. 

Along with the gifts of imperfection, I've realized that there have also been several other gifts that Midlife has bestowed upon me, and I thought I'd share a few of them here on the blog today....
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CHOOSING MY WORD OF THE YEAR - EQUANIMITY

Finding the perfect Word of 2024 - Equanimity - a sense of being calm and centred within myself. Not buffeted by the storms of life.

CHOOSING A NEW WORD OF THE YEAR

I've chosen a Word of the Year every January since 2015. At first it was easy and words just popped up that were simple and a part of the process of redefining myself into Midlife (Release, Embrace, Enough). As time has gone on, I've found that the words have become more complex and so has the desire behind choosing them (Rise,  Symphony, Cultivate.)

In the lead up to this year's Word I knew what I wanted to convey, but couldn't quite find the right word to encompass the concept....
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