Are You Getting What You Want or What You Allow?

I don’t know about you, but once I turned 60, I have had two ongoing thoughts: Sometimes, I feel like I am just getting started and other times, I feel like running out of time is the bigger worry than running out of money. Can anyone else relate to that?

Life Happens

Life happens to all of us. And at the same time, life feels like it goes faster and faster as we get older. My hypothesis on that is partially that we keep having more and more people (therefore experiences) in our lives so it is (or at least feels) busier and busier. If we aren’t intentional with our time, then life just keeps rolling along in whatever direction circumstances take us.

Significant, Unexpected Events

I remember reading long ago in a Money magazine article that most of us have one significant, unexpected event in our lives about every 10 years. Unexpected often means some kind of pain is involved (physical, emotional, or monetary). Think back to the last 10 years for you. How many significant, unexpected events (positive or negative) have occurred in your life?

Are You Above Average?

COVID-19 would be in all of our answers and that probably impacted most of us in all three areas: physical, emotional, and monetary in some way. My significant unexpected event answer would also include a move, loss of family members, addition of new family members (we went from an immediate family of 6 to 22 in the last 10 years!), early retirement, and a remote work opportunity. Way more than the average of one, how about you?

Motion Is Lotion

Some things we have control over and others we don’t. When it comes to everyday physical, emotional and monetary aspects, an intentional approach can make the difference between a life we want vs one we just allow. I know several people, myself included, that know they feel so much better when they stay active daily, for example. “Motion is lotion” as one gentleman I know reminds me. The more we move, the better we feel.

Mindset Leads Emotion

“Mindset is everything” is one of the signs on the wall at a fitness center I am frequenting on my summer travels. Our emotions can react to life or be led by our mindset. So interesting that a by-product of exercise is feeling better which also generally improves our mood/emotions!

Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is

And our money life can lead us more toward what we want out of life vs what life will allow us as well. Have you set up automatic transfers for saving, investing, donating, etc. or just told yourself that’s what you should do (want vs allow)? Have you visited www.Bankrate.com to search for better interest on savings or CDs or just commiserated about the low interest your accounts are getting?

What’s Next? Follow The Checklist

Checklists are one way to intentionally lead your wants to actionable next steps. I have written several life event checklists to help us get closer to what we want. Empty Nesters, for example, are in a great situation of having just experienced a significant event (not unexpected though). They are in the “what’s next in life” chapter which is often the perfect time to revisit their financial situation. Plus, now they have more time to do that.

Bundles to the Rescue

Life Event Bundles (a bundle of digital checklists) can be just what is needed before or after major life events. Whether you are an Empty Nester, Suddenly Single, a Retiree or experiencing some other common chapter in life, we all fit into one of the categories. And the beauty of a bundle is that you can start with whichever checklist in the bundle speaks to you right now. No certain order is required.

Our Best Decades

Travel is another area we commonly think about once we are over 60. “Hurry,” I find myself telling myself, “Do what you can, while you can!” My new philosophy is that when we get invited to go somewhere with friends/family, we better go. I am more convinced than ever that our 60-80 ages could be our best decades ever.

Your Nudge

At those ages, we often finally have the time, the means, and the health to experience and enjoy many things that we didn’t or couldn’t before. We also have reminders all around us of those less fortunate that had those years suddenly interrupted. Whatever you have been putting off, consider this your nudge to live life as you want it, not just as life allows you to.

Your Thoughts:

We all need more happy stories in our lives. Can you share an experience or decision about living your life as you want it? Any intentional mindset, physical or money choices that might help others in our community? Let’s have a discussion.