Meaning and Purpose in Retirement: Ep 198

10/28/19 • 37 min

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This episode is from the vault and was first released March 12, 2018. How to Find Meaning and Purpose in Retirement? Fritz Gilbert is the founder of The Retirement Manifesto, a personal finance blog focused on helping People Achieve A Great Retirement. Fritz will retire in the summer of 2018 at 55, after 3 decades in Corporate America (most recently as a Commodity Trader). He and his wife live in a cabin in the Appalachian Mountains of North Georgia, just a few miles from the start of the Appalachian Trail. They have a 23-year-old daughter who married last summer and recently moved to Seattle. After retirement, Fritz and his wife plan on traveling extensively with their 5th Wheel RV and working with local charities and “giving back” to their community. They are active in a dog rescue charity and have 4 rescue dogs who will accompany them during their travels. Although Fritz has a personal finance blog, he thinks all the other things to think about during retirement are even more important than finances. He calls it the softer side of retirement. Fritz will be officially retiring June 8th of 2018 and both him and his wife are excited. How do Fritz and his wife prepare for his retirement? They are having discussions on how will they live their life after Fritz' retires and how they will find purpose in retirement. They come up with some things that both of them needed to decide. Here are some examples: * Develop an interest/hobby: * What are we going to do individually? * Fritz's wife started to grow an interest in pottery. Turns out she is a good potter. Fritz will join a group that swims 3 times a week. * What are we going to do together? * They put up a jar with a notepad next to it where each of them put in activities once a week so they have 2 years' worth of weekly activities. They call it their “Wednesday jar”. What comes out of the jar, they do together every Wednesday. I think the Wednesday jar is a great idea! * Create a timeline together. * As his retirement approaches, they have things planned out like healthcare;They also bought an RV because they wanted to explore new places and spend some time traveling. They have also built a list of each state and things they would like to see or do in each state. * Build relationships * Because they moved into a new area where they don't know anyone, one thing they wanted to do is build relationships. They wanted to build networks with their neighbors by, one example, walking their dogs. They met a few people who also walk their dogs. Another way for them to meet new people is through their church. Be receptive to doing something that gives you passion and purpose in retirement, but don't obligate yourself to do something until you've settled into your new lifestyle. What are some ideas you have to prepare for and to find purpose in retirement? Share your thoughts and ideas below in the comments. Contact information for Fritz: Website– http://www.theretirementmanifesto.com/ Mentioned in this Episode: (Seasonal employment) CoolWorks or Workamper This post of Retirement and Retirement Lifestyle first appeared on http://RockYourRetirement.com

Previous Episode

Signs of UTI: Dementia – Ep 197

This episode is from the vault and was first released January 29, 2018. Jenna Ryan knows signs of urinary tract infection (UTI). She used to get them all the time. Did you know that signs of urinary tract infection (UTI) include dementia? This was a shock to me when I first found out. I mean, what does one have to do with the other? Jenna Ryan is with us today to educate us about signs of urinary tract infections and why she created a drink that can prevent/cure UTI. Jenna is the CEO and Co-founder of Uqora, a company dedicated to urinary tract infection prevention. Uqora has developed a “pink lemonade with a purpose” that helps women flush out UTI-causing bacteria. She created this drink mix because she herself suffered from urinary tract infection. Jenna says she doesn't want to take antibiotics because it can develop resistance. What is a UTI? A urinary tract infection is an infection in any part of your urinary system — your kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra. Most infections involve the lower urinary tract — the bladder and the urethra. Women are at greater risk of developing a UTI than are men. Infections limited to your bladder can be painful and annoying. However, serious consequences can occur if a UTI spreads to your kidneys. Doctors typically treat urinary tract infections with antibiotics. But you can take steps to reduce your chances of getting a urinary tract infection. Here are some signs of urinary tract infection to watch out for: * A burning feeling when you urinate * A frequent or intense urge to urinate, even though little comes out when you do * Pain or pressure in your back or lower abdomen * Cloudy, dark, bloody, or strange-smelling urine * Feeling tired or shaky * Fever or chills (a sign the infection may have reached your kidneys) The issue with older adults is that many times they don't get the same feelings of pain or burning sensations when they urinate so their UTIs often go undiagnosed. But... then other issues can occur. Did you know that signs of urinary tract infection can lead to misdiagnosis of dementia? Here are some signs of urinary tract infection that are the same as dementia: * Delirium * Hallucination * Dizziness * Confusion How to Prevent a UTI Hydration is the key to preventing a UTI. If you're at risk of having a UTI, drink Uqora. If you're in the older generation, you have to drink it every day. Good hygiene can also prevent a UTI. If you have signs of urinary tract infection, the Uqora might be able to help. But be sure to speak with your doctor about the possibility of your parents having a UTI if they suddenly show signs of dementia. References * What is UTI?–Mayo Clinic * Signs and Symptoms of UTI–WebMD You may visit Uqora by clicking HERE. Jenna Ryan will give you a 15% discount when you purchase Uqora using the code “Rockit15” Jenna's contact information: [email protected] This post of Retirement and Retirement Lifestyle first appeared on http://RockYourRetirement.com

Next Episode

Happy Relationship with Your Spouse – Ep 199

This episode is from the vault and was first released March 19, 2018. How to have a happy relationship with your spouse after retirement This podcast episode falls under Significant Other in the Six Pillars of Retirement. Our guest is Nora Hall, a dedicated problem solver, set out to find solutions to the struggles she and her husband encountered after he retired. Numerous interviews with retirees revealed that most couples experience similar stress during their adjustment period in retirement. Nora shares their stories and offers proven solutions and inspiration for all retired couples to help them have a happy relationship and stay happily married. Prior to writing full time, Nora worked as a teacher, arts administrator, fundraiser, and writing consultant. Nora started writing her book and blog because when her husband retired, they didn't expect the change in their happy relationship. They didn't really expect anything about retirement but soon learned they weren't having fun and enjoying it. Nora started to wonder what was going on and decided she needed to find a resolution. In her research, Nora discovered that there were some common circumstances that almost every couple experiences when they start their retirement. * Many times, husbands tend to become angry initially during retirement. Their identity is wrapped up in their careers and when they retire they feel they are losing their identity. * Now that the husband is retired, he doesn't know what to do with himself. * The change of being together all the time put a strain on relationships. Another common problem Nora discovered in her interviews and in her own relationship is that when their husbands are retired there are suddenly always there. Women have a lot of structure in their day-to-day activities. Out of boredom, the husbands will check on them to see what they are doing throughout the day. Women perceive this as a sort of “butting in” if you will. In reality, the husbands are trying to be helpful and the women find it annoying. It’s so important to be sensitive to one another’s needs. Nora tells us a story about when her husband retired and she was still working as a freelance writer at home. She didn't have a door in her office and her husband would come in and start talking to her and distracting her. Her husband didn't understand why Nora would get angry and Nora couldn't understand why he didn't realize that she was busy. She discovered they weren't being sensitive to each other's feelings. So what solved this problem? Their grandchildren solved the issue. They put a sign on the pantry door that led to Nora's office that said: “Do Not Enter”. When she didn't want to be disturbed she would open the pantry door with the sign on it. Having a happy relationship with your spouse after retirement might be difficult because of the adjustments you both have to make. Nora also talked about the 5 types of husband: * Bossy Husband – These are husbands who are in a managerial position (managers, directors, CEO, etc.). They are used to being the boss, so when they come home it's natural for them to expect that they are the boss. * Always There Husband – His days are spent in his workplace then suddenly, he's at home all the time. This type of husband doesn't typically have many outside friends to go to lunch with or do things with. * Dependent Husband – Not the type of always-there-husband but really doesn't know how to fill his time throughout the day. For example, he wants to go out every Friday, but he expects his wife to plan the trip. * Angry Husband – Their identity is wrapped up in their work. There is more anger in men. These husbands don't know what to do with themselves after retirement.