Boomrz Blogz

Every life transition has both peaks and valleys. We become excited about new possibilities, yet we can’t avoid the shadows. Transitioning into retirement isn’t any different. It’s a glorious and fun-filled time of life. And it has a darker side.

For the record, I chose to retire from full-time work, and it’s been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

But some of us at this life stage have no choice or are forced into a retirement we don’t want or aren’t prepared for. Others crafted a careful plan, and something happened that changed everything.

During my pre-retirement research, I found a lot of valuable, practical advice on creating a financial roadmap, planning for adequate health care, or selecting a location for retirement living.

I didn’t find a lot of shared wisdom around the issues that are harder to talk about.

What I did find were three questions deserving of reflection whether we’re knee deep into a retired life, or we’re looking forward to one in the coming years… and regardless of why we make this change in the first place.

Why Does Retirement Sometimes Feel So Difficult?

Most retirees don’t miss the alarm clock or the demands of their work schedules. There’s a list of things we’re happy we’ve given up and an even longer list of things we still hope to do.

Yet, even if life hasn’t thrown us a curve ball, we sometimes feel at loose ends. We silently admit that retirement is harder than it looks.

Maybe we change homes, making multiple trips to the local charity in our efforts to right size. Or we purge every nook and cranny of our existing homes. There’s little left to organize, paint or re-decorate.

We look around at our orderly living spaces and realize we’re facing a new phase of life as relatively vibrant, admittedly smart people, with more than a few contributions still to make in the world.

And that can feel daunting. The underlying question we have is, “So, now what?”

That’s when the deep work begins. We embark on an inner journey that requires soul searching and heart excavating. How do we replace the old with the new? What does that look like?

The good news is that we can get started right away. The tougher news is that, as with any journey, it may not be easy, and it may take us a little time to arrive.

The better news is that we’re all works in progress, and our quest will probably not follow a straight line. And that’s OK.

Is It Normal to Feel Empty Inside?

We usually celebrate retirement. We get cake, cards, even a party. Or we take a cruise or a trip around the world. As well we should.

Then we go home, and life quiets down. We greet a new normal, but we don’t know exactly what that is. Routines escape us; our natural rhythms are skipping a beat.

It’s natural to feel loss when we leave our careers. It’s normal to feel a little like an empty vessel. Retirement can be unnerving, especially at first and oftentimes at points along the way.

This discomfort can grow if we don’t address it. The key is to fill the emptiness with people and activities that nourish us and contribute to our growth. And to notice whether we’re managing those empty feelings or whether they are managing us.

What’s Next for Me?

As with any life stage, retired life reflects whatever we bring to the party. Your “what’s next” depends on you.

If you loved your work, then it’s possible the only thing you’ll retire is your paycheck. You may stay in your lane and remain involved with your previous world in some capacity.

If there’s something you’ve been dreaming of doing, like start a business or travel, then you’ll probably take that adventure at some point during retirement. If you’ve been longing to just enjoy each day and take things as they come, then you’ll set your course for that.

And if you sink into hopelessness whenever you experience big changes, then you need to be watchful of that tendency at this stage of life, too.

No matter the direction you take, now that your house is in order, it’s time to get busy and to move forward.

Your What’s Next is waiting.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

What are your concerns about retirement? How are you addressing those concerns? What advice would you give someone considering retirement? Please join the conversation!

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If you have gained a bit of weight (or more) over the past few years and you feel like it is an inevitable part of aging, let me tell you this is untrue. If, no matter what diet you have tried, the stubborn pounds just won’t leave you, read on. 

Old myths die hard. There is a ton of misinformation out there about weight loss and how to maintain a healthy weight. 

I speak to so many women who are tired of extra pounds in their midsection, have low energy, and even lower confidence. They believe it’s just an inevitable part of aging. It’s frustrating to keep trying diets that leave you feeling exhausted, hungry, and are impossible to stick with long term. The idea of eating only grilled chicken and steamed broccoli does not make you want to start a new plan. 

The truth is that the latest research shows that your metabolism does not actually change very much as you age. That’s good news because it means that we have control over our metabolism and the power to change our shapes, lose weight, maintain a healthy weight, and feel more energetic, healthier, and confident. Especially important for women over 60, here are a few ways to boost your metabolism – and they actually work. 

Strength and Resistance Training

When you are ready to lose weight, the first thing you might think is, “I have to eat less and exercise more. I should probably hop on the treadmill or start walking.” Most women have this thought process ingrained within them from years of misinformation that eating less and exercising more, specifically with cardio is the only way to lose weight.

You do not have to do long, arduous, cardio sessions to lose weight. In fact, those long sessions may be making your body hold onto fat, lose muscle, and leave you feeling no energy at all. 

When you work out to build muscle (through strength and resistance training), your body has more lean muscle and less fat. When your body has more lean muscle, your metabolism works more efficiently, meaning your body will burn more calories even while at rest after your workouts. 

Once we have passed 35, strength training becomes a MUST-do instead of a should-do (or something you are thinking about starting). Strength training helps to build lean muscle, reduce fat, protect your joints, build bone density, boost your brain health, mental health, sleep, and confidence. 

Start with the key muscle groups such as your glutes, mid back, and hips for 8-15 reps of each exercise and 2-4 sets two to three times a week. Your strength training sessions should be with a weight that feels challenging for you by the end of the set. If you are doing the right movements for your body, you can get a great workout in just 20 minutes. 

If you are new to strength training, there are safe exercises that are body friendly and so many options and modifications to keep you strong. In our virtual fitness programs, our team of top notch personal trainers give our members exercises that work for their body each workout. Give this quick exercise snack workout a try:

Food That Fuels Your Body

Remember the old myth: eat less and exercise more? Calorie restricting and counting calories alone will only lead to you feeling exhausted and hungry. It will be a struggle to continue with this plan because you are so tired it brings on more cravings. Your body is losing muscle and not fat if you are focusing on calorie restriction alone. 

Protein is your body’s best friend, especially as a woman in mid-life. Be sure to get at least a third of your plate with protein at each meal or up to .75-1g of protein per pound of body weight. Getting enough protein will help you to feel more full, reduce cravings, and help to build muscle in your body, which ultimately will help you to stick with your healthy lifestyle and feel your best.

High protein foods include fish, chicken, beef, lentils, quinoa, eggs, hummus, low sugar greek yogurt, and nuts. 

Reduce added sugars and fuel your body with lots of fruits and vegetables, protein, and complex carbohydrates. Check your labels because added sugars are hidden everywhere even in “healthy” foods.

Four grams is about a teaspoon. When you read your food labels on the back, which I suggest you do when picking out food in the store, imagine how many teaspoons of sugar are in that item and consider if it is worth it. Are you looking for a crash shortly after eating followed by more cravings or are you looking to feel full and satisfied? 

Sleep and Stress

Have you ever noticed that on days where you didn’t get enough sleep the night before or on stressful days you have more cravings? A lack of sleep boosts your hunger hormone (ghrelin) and decreases the hormone that helps you feel full (leptin). Your blood sugar levels also increase with a lack of sleep, increasing your risk for developing type 2 diabetes. 

Try a calming nighttime routine to ensure you get 7-9 hours of sleep each night. Put away electronics and turn off the TV, keep to the same bedtime and wake time, do some deep breathing or meditation.

Try 3 cycles of 4-7-8 breathing. Breathe in for 4, hold it for 7, and breathe out slowly for 8. Keep evening snacks to light snacks such as fruit like cherries, grapes, or strawberries. Gentle stretching can be another way to ease your body into a good night’s sleep. Try these gentle stretches:

When you focus on the right exercise that builds muscle instead of taking it away, the right food that fuels your body, and good routines for sleep and stress management, you will find that your metabolism will improve, helping you to feel more energetic, stronger, and healthier. 

Let’s Have a Conversation:

What are you doing to boost your metabolism at this stage of your life? Have you started strength training? What kind of exercises do you do? How do you destress at the end of the day?

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Understanding Medicare C-SNP Insurance Plans: A Friendly Guide for Seniors

Hey there! If you’re a senior navigating the world of Medicare, you might have heard about something called C-SNPs—that’s short for Chronic Condition Special Needs Plans. Don’t worry if it sounds a bit complicated; we’re here to break it down for you in a friendly way!

What is a C-SNP?

So, what exactly is a C-SNP? These plans are designed specifically for people with certain chronic conditions, like diabetes or heart disease. They’re different from other Medicare plans because they focus on providing personalized care tailored to your specific health needs. You can find more details about C-SNPs on the Medicare website.

Benefits of C-SNP Insurance Plans

C-SNPs come with a bunch of perks! Here are a few:

• Personalized Care: Your care will be tailored to help manage your chronic condition better.
• Specialized Providers: You’ll have access to doctors and specialists who understand your specific health issues.
• Cost Savings: Many C-SNPs may help lower your out-of-pocket medical costs.

Want to dive deeper? Check out the benefits of Medicare Special Needs Plans.

How to Enroll in a C-SNP

Ready to sign up? Here’s how to do it:

1. Check Your Eligibility: Make sure you qualify for a C-SNP based on your chronic condition.
2. Review Your Options: Look at the different C-SNPs available in your area. You can find them on the Medicare Plan Finder.
3. Enroll: You can usually enroll during the Annual Enrollment Period (AEP), which runs from October 15 to December 7 each year. Don’t miss out on those important dates!

Tips for Choosing the Right C-SNP

Here are a few tips to help you pick the best C-SNP for you:

• Know Your Needs: Think about your healthcare requirements and what matters most to you.
• Explore Your Options: Compare the plans available in your area.
• Get Help: If you’re feeling overwhelmed, don’t hesitate to reach out to a licensed insurance agent or a Medicare counselor for assistance.

Conclusion

C-SNPs can be a fantastic option if you’re managing a chronic condition. They offer tailored care that can help you stay healthy and save money along the way. If you have questions or need guidance, don’t hesitate to reach out to family, friends, or a professional.

In the past month or so, I have noticed that I am ready to move on. I am ready to move on from politics. I am ready to move on from yelling at each other. I am ready to move on from fearing what may happen. I am ready to move on with my life.

When I look back, I am struck by how my memory of these past months is rooted in the experience of doing nothing. I don’t actually remember dates of things. If my calendar didn’t tell me what I was doing on such-and-such a date, I wouldn’t have a hook to hang them on.

Of course, my life has been moving on, whether I am ready or not. Weeks fly by in spite of my mindfully paying attention to the moment. My weekly appointment calendar that was pristine in January promising splendid adventures, is now filled with appointments kept or canceled and reminders for observed holidays and phases of the moon.

Readiness Does Not Signify Change

As someone living with long-COVID, I continually experience the necessity of taking time to slow down and come to terms with what kinds of influence I have on myself and those I am connected to. It took long-COVID to really teach me just how vital self-love is.

What is true for me is that just because I am ready for change doesn’t mean that things will change in response to my readiness. For example, I think I am ready for a new relationship, yet I find excuses to stay at home, and in fact, I mostly prefer my own company!

I am ready to return to vitality and good health, yet I have limitations, physical and psychological, that prevent my implementing the changes I need to make.

I have sat with many older adults who have lived a full life and are ready to go, but remain suspended between living and dying. My capacity to witness their pain and suffering increases with practice but doesn’t hasten their passing.

The Tipping Point on Aging

Malcom Gladwell’s book The Tipping Point came out in 2001. In it he brilliantly brings into focus how social change occurs. It is not linear. The visionaries, the salespersons, the “mavens” as he tags them, all swirl around, seemingly without connection, until, “Boom!”, the kaleidoscope turns and the pieces fall into place. I am sensing we are at a tipping point now. It has certainly taken a while, but it is here.

Those of us who have been working in the field of aging will tell you that for decades it has been a lonesome journey, with only the occasional gathering of the tribes to reassure us we were not lost in the desert.

We would speak of the same themes: the challenges in meeting the needs of an increasingly older population, lack of funding for research, lack of resources to adequately train and staff care homes and long-term care facilities, underpayment of providers, and a general dismissal of the extraordinary nuances that life offers after that benchmark birthday of 65.

Reclaiming Our Present; Rewriting Our Future

As with many life changes, it is only when we are living the experience that it takes on importance. There are now sufficient numbers of Boomers who are taking stock of what it feels like to be 68 or 73 or 86. And it isn’t like what “they” said it was going to be!

Greater numbers of aging adults are exploring and describing their lived experience. Their words are reaching across the generations and penetrating wider markets. These experiences are in stark contrast with the ageist images of frail elderly or technologically challenged gray-hairs perpetuated by marketers and pharmaceutical companies. We are reclaiming our present and re-writing our future.

Three Questions to Get You Moving

A friend posed three questions to me recently.

“Who are you now?”

“Why are you here?”

“Where would you like your ‘where’ to be?”

Here are my answers:

I am a vital, thoughtful, and passionate older woman who has wisdom and insights worth sharing.

I am here to change lives for the better and to offer compassion and understanding, especially to those who feel silenced or invisible.

I would very much like my “where” to be here and now, although I find myself spending more time with my past and making amends. I realize that my physical “where” may need to be more temporary than it has been, because the world I am a part of right now is unsteady, but my internal “where” is anchored in my heart.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

How do you answer these questions: “Who am I now?” “Why am I here?” “Where would you like your ‘where’ to be?” How has your answer changed in the past year? Why has it changed?

Writing to money can help us positively build a relationship with our money. It helps us to be honest with ourselves about money. It helps us to really see the big picture of our frustrations and feelings about money.

Every day, we bottle up our feelings about money. It’s essential to feel them and let them go. We often don’t realise the extent of the negative feelings we’re carrying.

And How Is a Love Letter to Money Really Going to Change Anything?

When we write our love letters, we become very aware of the stories that we’re carrying around about money. While writing the letters, we can start the process of changing our stories to ones that we really do want to carry around with us.

Writing your love letters to money, you will realise how you really feel about it and its presence in your life. You will begin the process of building a much stronger relationship with it. As you continue to build your relationship with money, you start allowing more money to show up in your life.

How to Write a Love Letter to Your Money

It’s a great idea to use a journal to write your letters. Use these sorts of questions to help you start writing:

What does money mean to you? 

How could more money change your life? 

What does financial freedom mean to you?

What would you like your money relationship to look like?

What is really frustrating you with money right now?

What wishes do you have for money right now?

Do you want more money in your bank account?

Do you want to be able to pay all of your bills in full with last month’s money?

Do you want to buy a new car and pay cash in full?

How can money give you more support in your life?

What’s holding you back from making money unlimited in your life?

What do you want to experience in your life right now?

What are you currently not doing for lack of enough money that you would like to do? How do you feel about that?

Whatever money is actually making you feel right now, write it in your letter. 

What if You Don’t Really Like Money Right Now?

Money can be stressful and cause a lot of frustration in our lives. Not having enough money, having a creditor or bill take money that we were planning to use for something else, having an unexpected bill show up, losing a job, wanting to buy something we really want, but just don’t have the extra money right now and so many other issues show up in our financial lives. Then throw in being taught to not talk about money with anyone. At the end of the day, we just don’t like money.

So, when it comes to writing your love letters to money and not really liking money right now, voice your true feelings in your letter. Let money know how you are feeling. Don’t hold anything back. Write it all out. And make sure to include as much detail as possible.

Building a relationship with money means being honest with money, just like in any other relationship you have. So, no matter how you are feeling about money on any particular day, put it in your love letter to your money.

What if You Really Don’t Know What to Say? 

This question is the biggest procrastination device that anyone can use to delay this challenge. When you don’t know how to start go back to the questions.

Challenge yourself to write love letters to money for 30 days straight.

Continuing Your Love Letter Process After 30 Days

Our relationship with money needs nurturing on a regular basis just like any other relationship in our life. Writing love letters to our money, letting it know how we feel, is one of the easiest ways to keep nurturing our relationship. Plus, during the writing process, you continue to learn even more about yourself and your own thinking processes. Every time we do the challenge, we get new opportunities and expand our money relationship even more.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

What is your current relationship with money? Where do you see the relationship going? What money goals do you have? What would you write in a love letter to money?