Is There A Right Timeline?

Thank You for stopping by ‘Terry’s Thoughts.‘ I know You have many choices to select from for your reading, and I truly appreciate that you’ve chosen to spend some of it at ‘Terry’s Thoughts.’

It’s been a minute since I posted an article… Denise and I were enjoying time with our Cousin and his Family in Sioux Falls, SD at his Daughter’s wedding a couple of weeks ago -and- then we spent time being tourists! An amazing visit to the Bandlands, Mt Rushmore, Custer Park, Deadwood and the Crazy Horse Memorial. If You have not thought about sight seeing in South Dakota, You should add it to your touring list. You won’t be disappointed!

Now back to it!

We have accomplished one of the (top-level) Life goals we set out for ourself when we starting our careers – Retirement! We’ve been blessed with another go, or at least the start of another go. Will we take it? Or will we go on the same as we did times before and before and before?

We spend years picturing our ideal retirement—whether it’s traveling the world, spending more time with Family and Friends, pursuing hobbies such as painting, gardening, cooking, playing golf, or fishing, or simply enjoying the freedom to relax and take it easy for a change.

Initially, escaping the daily grind and a long commute, workplace politics, or a difficult boss, for example, can seem like a great relief. However, after a few months, (or years), the novelty of being on “permanent vacation” starts to wear off.

In past articles, I have addressed how we may experience;

• struggling to “switch off” from work mode and relax, especially in the early weeks or months of retirement
• feeling anxious at having more time on our hands
• finding it difficult to fill the extra hours we now have with meaningful activity
• losing our identity – when we no longer have a title, who are we?
• experiencing a decline in how useful, important, or self-confident we may feel
• adjusting our routine or maintaining our independence now we’re at home with our spouse/partner during the days

Whatever the challenges we may face as we prepare for this new chapter in Life, there are healthy ways to adjust to this new chapter in our Life and ensure our ‘Encore’ is both happy and rewarding.

Remember, this is our Life that sits before us. Time is ticking away. Don’t delay. Don’t procrastinate. Don’t make excuses. Own it. Do what must be done!

What we do with the seconds ticking before us is the most important decision we will make in our Life. Act with resolution and urgency. Live in the present moment, ( cogli l’ attimo)!

Think of retirement as a journey rather than a destination. Allow yourself time to figure everything out. You can always change direction if necessary. You can also adjust your attitude by focusing on what you’re gaining, rather than the things you’re losing.

Even though we can’t control time or slow it down, even though we can’t control external forces and external events—we can control ourselves, so we can control how we use our time. We can control what we choose to focus on with our time. We can control who we choose to be with our time.

It’s not too late to course-correct and reset. Think about how much of a difference the next 10 months could have on your Life if You were thriving, not just surviving. If You were fully in control of yourself, instead of letting Life and external circumstances control You. If You made intentional choices, instead of letting the chips fall where they may.

Our discovery of the best version of ourself continues, more than ever in our ‘Encore.’ The work should be designed to be a daily practice, part of our daily routine. It’s not a philosophy we read once and magically understand at the soul-level. No, it’s a lifelong pursuit that requires diligence, repetition and concentration.

So as we look at our day, as we look at our life, make sure to prioritize properly. Make sure that You are giving your best, most productive hours to the important things.

Because we’re not really successful if our “success” doesn’t allow us to do that. We don’t really have leverage if we have to give the best of ourself away to things that don’t matter.

The more pride we have in a particular aspect of our identify, the more motivated we will be to maintain the habit associated with it.

The ultimate form of motivation is when a habit becomes part of your identity.

Becoming the best version of ourself requires us to continuously edit our beliefs, an to upgrade and expand our identity.

So it goes for giving up so early. We still have time. So much time. It’s too early to quit on ourself! Because sure, the best time to demand the best for and of ourself was a while ago, but the second best time is right now. You can still make each year the best year yet.

Step forward into this Encore Phase with enthusiasm. Take care of yourself, make the most of your days, and always remember:

“Never quit searching, never settle, and never give up seeking your greater purpose!“