She who is brave is free. - Seneca
YOU get to decide how hard you work! Yes! Some may disagree with me, but it's true.
YOU get to make the intention to work less and enjoy life more. Yes, that doesn't mean you can 'have' everything, but if you are tired of your work life (or even if you aren't but find you are working more than you want), becoming more aware of how you can take back the quality of your life by how you structure your earnings potential is gold!
Somewhere along the way in the last decade or so (perhaps because my sense of mortality was feeling closer), I realized that if I had to continue to work to pay the bills, I needed to find a way to survive the marathon that is today's typical working life, which can extend 50, 60 or more years for many of us.
If you can relate to what I'm saying, most likely you are afraid to share this thought with others. We live in a world that rewards overwork and ignores or chastises anything less. However, don't let others tell you that you are being unrealistic or selfish. Did they work 50, 60 years? Probably not. I find those most judgmental on this subject haven't 'been there or done that'.
Because we are living longer and because the glory days of unionized blue collar work and office work that is not so stressful has gone elsewhere, many boomers are having to work well past the traditional retirement age of 65. Often not because we want to, but because we have to. The costs of living today are high. Both major political parties have created an economy that favors those at the very top, so the rest of us are scrambling, in a sense, to make the cents! An example is the Trump tax cuts. Most of us saw our actual surplus after all was said and done to be next to nothing. And yet, we're supposed to be grateful. I hear that today's middle class worker hasn't gotten a cost of living increase in decades. I believe that.
Those who worked the traditional job, for the same company or industry for 20, 25 or 30 years and go out with a good pension and don't have to worry about working again, are indeed fortunate. There is also an equal number of us who need to work AFTER we've retired from our first career, for example, such as the military or other public service work. And those of us whose feelings of satisfaction, validation or acknowledgement suffered in their corporate jobs who are now ready to take the risk of self employment.
So how does one survive today's work/career marathon? I say, if you chose the 'trade off', meaning you chose work you love that helps make the world a better place, kudos to you. And even if you didn't up till now, it's never too late to fit work better with who you are and your highest values. This is something I can help you do!
There are lots of ways, but primarily it takes ingenuity and courage to keep going. It also requires many of us to think more flexibly about housing and expenses. I was talking with a 59 year old client the other day and this pre-retiree is beginning to explore whether to downsize and sell their house and become a renter or not. Their thinking is that purchasing at this stage in life just isn't for them. How about you? Have you looked at the pros and cons of your current living situation and, can you do 'better'? Meaning: adopt a living style that more closely aligns with your budget and vision for the lifestyle you live?
Part of that exploration includes identifying where you want to live as you 'age in place' and determining what location(s) fit you the best.
Keep reading my blog because I'll be saying much more about the topics of aligning income generating activities with living a personal life that 'fits' you now!~
