coming out of my shell

coming out of my shell

Saturday, October 29, 2016

Turning 65

I turned 65 recently. Over the past few months I have drawn up a will, signed up for Medicare, re-balanced my retirement investments, and bought dental insurance (finally). I worked long and hard building a reasonable life for myself and my family. The building part of my life is over and it seems like the external part of my life is as "in place" as it is going to get. Now that I am 65 I want to change my focus. I want to take care of my internal self. I have the time, that's for sure. I believe I have the energy, too. I just need to change my attitude. Where there is fear, I need to cultivate strength. Call me naive, but I think it might be as simple as that.




20 comments:

  1. Just smile at everything that makes you happy. Morning coffee. Birds on the rail. I may overdo it tonight on trick or treaters.

    ReplyDelete
  2. That's wonderful. I need to learn how to live in the present, not the past, not the future which often fills me with anxiety but right now, the present. How do I do that?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I wish I knew. I, too, struggle with anxiety. I'm thinking about starting to meditate (or at least trying to meditate, I have a notoriously short attention span). Perhaps that will help me focus on the here and now. That's where we need to be, here and now.

      Delete
  3. Congratulations!!! These are the best resolutions. You are on the right track.

    ReplyDelete
  4. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
    I think you've got it right - where there is fear - cultivate strength. Perfect.

    Thanks so much for that Lovely treat of the Beatles. I was crazy for them when I was a teenager. Saw then here in Portland, Oregon in 1964 :)))) Screamed my head of for an hr and 1/2. Still adore them!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I was a Beatlemaniac, too. I still am.

      Delete
    2. Beatlemaniac, ha! I'd forgotten that word. Members of the same club.

      Delete
  5. I like your attitude. My next birthday is my "medicare birthday." I think I'll make some resolutions too, and interestingly they sound just like yours! Love The Beatles always. I still have my Beatles button somewhere, if I could only remember where!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If you find it take a photo of it and put it up on your blog! I think I have some Beatles trading cards, too.

      Delete
  6. I do think it's as simple as that. Is it an up and down process, sure? But setting the compass - that's the key. May the wind be at your back!

    Happy Birthday!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "setting the compass" I like that. Thanks for the birthday wish.

      Delete
  7. Of course! And I had a few more suggestions... ;-) I like to remember that the root of courage is the old French heart... you gotta have heart... s/he has a lot of heart... I don't have the heart for that... X the lion-hearted. etc. one of the tricks - I have found - to tapping into/creating courage is understanding what I love and focusing on that. that's why parents have courage - because we love our children so myself - the hearts that live our own hearts, right? we love them enough to take risk. understand what you truly love and you will understand how to tap into courage. I also find that courage is like fire - one minute not there - the next minute THERE! you just need that spark - that knowledge - and then you have it! and of course, as with fire, you need to nurture it, protect it, feed it, keep it going. I am a very anxious person who has overcome many personal challenges/issues so I have a lot about courage. one of the books I loved many years ago was, "feel the fear and do it anyway." good advice. good luck to you on your next quest!

    ReplyDelete
  8. That is a very inspiring post, thank you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for the feedback, Yael. I always appreciate it.

      Delete
  9. Congratulations and Happy Birthday. Taking care from inside out is grand. Looking forward to reading all about that as that is my goal too. :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Is suspect it is going to be hard work to stay on track, but it is what I want. What I hope for. What I am committed to working towards. Let's hope for the best.

      Delete
  10. A Belated Happy Birthday to you! I too have made some very significant Life Changes in the past year as I reach the Retirement Milestone years we wait to achieve after a Lifetime of working hard in our Careers or spend more of our time Caring for everyone but ourselves. While I'm still raising a couple of Grandchildren and a Caregiver to a Disabled Spouse I do feel that at this Season of Life I am now focusing more upon taking care of ME too... about time, right? *winks* A Blessed All Souls Day from the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Dawn. I admire you for all you do for your grandkids and husband. You are so right, though, now is the time to focus more on yourself, too.

      Delete

So, whadayathink?