Today's Reality: Stop then Start

Many pre and post retirees are talking about having their futures postponed by the Covid-19 epidemic and the uncertainty of the protests and violent riots occurring across the country.  This year has been an extremely difficult time to REWIRE when everything has become so unpredictable and erratic. The major impact of job loss, furloughs and financial stress has created a landscape that we have never witnessed before in our lifetime.  We have been forced to stop our normal routines. Now we are waiting for our lives to start up again.

Many Boomers who remember the strife filled years of the late 1960s are comparing them to today. They are similar in many ways. While there was no pandemic there was a flu epidemic that killed over 100,000 people; there was a space launch; and there was tremendous civil unrest do to the racial divide and the Viet Nam war.  Sounds and scenes of the past look familiar today. Yes we were younger then, but like now, filled with hopes and dreams.

Some of us were using our time of quarantine to reflect, to get organized or to just ponder possibilites. Some of us were actually getting serious about making some changes. Change can be daunting and anxiety provoking. and now the reality of our collective circumstances is forcing us to step back and perhaps deal with some of that change.  The plans many of us had in place may not be valid anymore or have become so altered and distant that they lack clarity and a slim chance of becoming a reality. It is one thing to decide to change our timetables for life; it's another to have forces beyond our control change it for us. It's a good time to remind ourselves that not being in control doesn't necessarily mean you are out of control.  Because our forward progress has been stopped doesn't mean it won't start again.

Rewiring has no expiration date, since it's based on your desires and needs. However some of the things you want to rewire might have time frames. You need to consider incorporating any revised schedules into your plans.

Making time to reflect is always valuable. Self discovery can be confirming or disruptive, and its up to you to rethink your priorities, timetables, even new activities that will fulfill you. Once we get back on track and through this terribly unexpected disruption you may discover that you have different needs than you did back in March.  The adage that tough times don't last, but tough people do is often the case.  Winston Churchill's famous line of Keep Calm and Carry On! has become our motto.

Keep Learning: Take an Online Course

Covid-19 has kept most of us in our homes. Schools, colleges, and universities all over the country have switched to online learning.  Employees from many industries are working remotely from home. Many of those who are doing it for the first time report improved productivity, fewer office interruptions, and more sleep.  They don't have to get up so early to take the train, bus or drive to the office.  Sure there are downsides like frequent trips to the refrigerator and the need to be creative to keep kids occupied.

You don't have to be totally deprived of social interaction. You can still talk to your friends face to face using many of the apps that are available. 

We have decided to take some online courses.  They are easy to access and many of them are free.  If you are questioning your computer skills, take heart, it is not all that complicated. Click on and make sure the volume is up.  Then sit back and fulfill your curiosity.  Many interesting videos are available on YouTube and other streaming services. And don't forget there are free books online.  You may not get the latest titles, but you will fine something worth your while.

We hope you and your families stay save in this challenging time and avoid getting bored by exploring your interests. 

Relationships Worth Having

As we begin to REWIRE and create or live our next acts, we need to recognize that we only have so much time, effort and energy.  That's why it is so important to review and prioritize our friendships and relationships so we can make the most of our lives.

First, be aware of the number of relationships you do or don’t have, BEFORE you retire. Often relationships are work centric.  When work ends what will happen to those relationships? What are the relationships you have with fellow employees, vendors, clients, customers, and industry associates? Are they really friends? Are they acquaintances or just part of your business network? Will they continue after you are no longer in the workplace? Do you want them to? If so you need to do some work to convert or Rewire those people into deeper friendships.

There are the friends you’ve had for a lifetime. Sometimes they don’t sustain the test of time.  As you look at them objectively, are they individuals you care about, or have they become toxic, or boring, or no longer aligned with your future.  Do they or will they care about your ideas, goals, interests or dreams?  

Perhaps it isn't a new trend but we are hearing from readers that they are de-selecting friendships.  It’s happening. Time is valuable and they say that they want their time to be fulfilling with people they enjoy and who sustain them.
You don’t want to be hasty, rude or mean. Sometimes hard decisions need to be made.  Don't forget to look in the mirror.  Are you someone others value and want to continue to have a relationship with?  To have a friend, you must be a friend.

Using Art and Culture to Improve and Lengthen Your Life

We recently saw an article how Engaging with the Arts May Help You Live Longer.  It was centered on a research study from University College London. The study focused on people over the age of 50 who were involved in some cultural format. It could be painting, going to a museum, going to a concert, or watching dance, etc.  The study followed individuals for 14 years and found out that if you regularly included arts activities in you life, you were 31 percent less likely to die than individuals who had no art or culture in their lives.  Pretty impressive.

We live in New York City, where a museum, a concert hall, art gallery, and universities are easy to access.  That is one of the reasons we continue to live in the Big Apple.  It is a cultural smorgasbord.  We witness a tremendous number of people over the age of 50 enjoying what the city has to offer.  The experience is often enhanced by meeting friends at cultural events and continuing discussing what you experienced long after the event occurred.

If you live a distance from a cultural venue, today you can enjoy it virtually.  People all over the world watch performances in HD from the Metropolitan Opera.  YouTube has videos of all kinds of cultural experiences.  Invite friend over to watch with you. Make a night of it or day of it.

It is not just extending life that is important. It is making the time we have enjoyable, nourishing, and giving us wonderful things to contemplate in a world that is less than perfect.  So if you want quality time, not just quantity, go online and look up the cultural events in your area. Then start going!

A REWIRED Relocation

There are many ways to REWIRE your future.  One of them is packing up your belongings in boxes, loading the van and relocating.  Some people thirst to begin their next act in a new home or in a new area of the country with better weather or job opportunities.

Since we wrote Don't Retire, REWIRE! we have seen so many articles about the glories of retirement relocations.  They are endless.  We love the list of the top 20 places to retire outside the U.S.  Most center on the a lower cost of living with a slower paced lifestyle.  At the beach, in the mountains, in friendly cities with great views.  The lists include destinations so far off the beaten path that friends and relatives would have to travel for three days to get there.  Really convenient? Not.

The reality is that a very small percentage of retirees move.  Somewhere between 5% and 10% is probably accurate.  Retirees who do move or downsize do so very close to where they have lived up until they retired. The majority who move do so within a twenty mile radius of their current home.  Remaining close to family and friends is important.  The older we get the more we will rely on our social networks and our social networks will rely on us.  It goes both ways.

For those intent on going somewhere else, it is best to test market new locations.  Rent for a month and see how you like it.  Draw up a list of criteria and measure your potential new home against the list.  Is it close to an airport, good healthcare, museums, performing arts venues. places where you can expand your hobby or interests, is there a college or university nearby.

If you want to continue working, do some research on the job market in the targeted area.  Is unemployment low? The lower the unemployment rate the better the opportunity for older workers.

If you decide to move to be near your adult children, be realistic enough to imagine that they might get a job transfer or a better offer somewhere else.  Best to make sure you like the area with them or without them before you take the plunge.

Your Brain and the New Year

Every day we read about the need to conquer Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease. The Mayo Clinic gives excellent information about these conditions.   Around the world doctors and research scientists are working to find a way to rid us of the scourge of a brain that doesn’t work properly. Longevity has made it even more important.  We are living longer and healthier lives.  We need to make sure are brains are part of the equation.  Anything we can do to further this effort is a benefit for each of us, as well as all mankind.

But what about our own brains?  In order to REWIRE and get the best of what our future has to offer, our own brain health and cognition are key. REWIRING to pursue new activities, new work, pursuing long postponed goals, or engaging with family and friends requires our brains to be as sharp as possible.  

So what can I do to help my brain function at its best ?  The Harvard Health Review periodically publishes multiple suggestions on what we can do as individuals.  To quote them, “…cognitive impairment is not inevitable.”  Getting mental stimulation, physical exercise (walk, build muscles, build new nerve cells, etc.), and improve your diet are the first three steps.  Click here to read their complete list.

2019 is ending.  2020 will be starting soon.  Even if you don’t make New Year’s resolutions, add some or all of these suggestions to your daily life.  Your brain will thank you and so will everyone you know who cares about you.

Happy Holidays.  Enjoy the season and a REWIRED future!

Give Yourself Permission

We are a goal driven society with a focus on having accomplishments and a roster of completions. It’s not just the TYPE A driven personality, that some people call overachievers or workaholics, that I’m referring to.  Rather the normal individual who works hard and smart and wants a good and fulfilling life for themselves and their family wants accomplishments. It’s in our DNA and studies show that

people are the happiest when they are in motion toward a goal.

Some find the word, or the concept of goals defined by work.  They prefer the concept of having purpose, of living a purposeful life. The two ideas, having goals and having purpose, are inter-twined and take on greater relevancy when people retire or move into their next act.

For many at this stage of life, work ends or becomes part-time.  The positive and negative trappings of work end, also.   When there is no new financial deal to be closed, legal case to be won, patient to be saved, client to be advised, new widget to be sold or career path or ladder to explore, they can feel lost without a goal or purpose to pursue. Their views on undertaking new activities becomes blurred.

Many rewirees who we have interviewed have difficulty pursuing an activity just for the sake of fun or fulfillment. We get it. The truth is we often need to get a new perspective or point of view on goals as we age. One person can take a continuing education class because they love architecture or history and just want to learn. Others cannot take a class unless they are going for a degree. Continuous learning could be a goal with meaningful purpose for both of these people, but every person has many things going on that need to be recognized and assessed. Give yourself time and permission to understand what you need. It may be a great opportunity to start a new adventure.