Who does not dream about winning millions of dollars in the lottery? Especially after we have retired. I know I’ve dreamt this (even though I rarely purchase a lottery ticket)!
Yet, I do imagine how I would spend this unexpected wealth. I would love to own a home close to my daughter, son-in-law and grandson who live in the Pacific Northwest. And it sure would be great to get a brand-new SUV with the latest and greatest technologies. Oh – and how about taking that long talked about African safari or trip to New Zealand? Or completely remodeling the house?
How happy I would be if I could do any or all of these! Do you have similar dreams of how to spend your money? After all, we can’t take it with us when we die, right?
The reality is that most of us have limited financial resources and like it or not, how we spend them is important. I like to think that instead of retiring, this is the time to reLaunch our lives to achieve a lifestyle that provides happiness and satisfaction. How we decide to invest our financial resources to achieve this is an important consideration.
According to Dr. Michael Finke, a nationally recognized retirement researcher, creating a structure in retirement to make sure that you're spending money on the kinds of things that actually do make you happier is critical. What might that structure look like. What types of activities provide the most happiness and are therefore worth investing in?
Dr. Finke recommends investing in 3 main arenas to positively impact your own satisfaction in a ReLaunched lifestyle:
Rather than taking that big European vacation, travel to see friends and family. Investing in these relationships may lead to strengthening mutually supportive relationships which we will need as we age.
Develop close friendships with those who share similar interests as well as differing interests. These activities serve to not only broaden our social circles, but they may also lead to sharpening and further developing our thinking and reasoning skills. So, go ahead and join your friends over coffee or a meal!
Invest in activities that support a healthy lifestyle. Join a gym, learn how to create healthy meals, and pursue similar activities that promote healthy aging. These activities have been proven to positively impact the ability of holding off many ailments related to aging. And this may reduce your overall medical expenses!
None of these have to cost a lot of money and yet, the value received will provide many positive returns. In these ways, you can avoid being retired. Instead, ReLaunch!
What are your thoughts about this message? Message me at www.successfulshifts.com
For more articles like this and free guides designed to jump start your ReLaunch into this chapter of your life, go to www.successfulshifts.com