Last week I offered the first of these challenges. I’m hoping that if you’re visiting this blog, you have at least a passing interest in retirement and the lifestyles it can bring. No matter how old you are, I’d like to challenge you once a week to give a little thought to your future.
Each Thursday for at least the next few months, after doing a post myself on the same general topic, I’ll suggest an aspect for you to consider and perhaps fit into the context of your own life.
If you’d like to share what you think, or post on it, that’s great – and I’d love it if you’d share those thoughts in a post or comment (tag posts: TRS Future Challenge and link to this post) so others can also see them.
If you choose not to share them, that’s fine too – but with any luck, you’ll still gain some insight on where you’re headed (or would like to be), and how you can get the most out of your own journey.
Challenge #2:
The holidays have become a time of indulgence for many. Then again, sometimes we indulge ourselves beyond the holidays. We all know we shouldn’t, but still we sneak that one more cookie, or make that one additional purchase…
After all, we tell ourselves, it’s “just this once.” We somehow think, or at least hope, we can get away without making any changes in our lives that we don’t want to make. There is something in us that believes we can defer consequences. After all, change is hard.
Looking to your future, what likely change or changes are you dreading – or hoping for? (Ideas: Are they big or small things? Fun or challenging? Do you think you can avoid them? How long can you wait before you will have to make a change? Will you change at all?)
For my own slightly humorous take on one aspect of this, see my post If I Am What I Eat, Am I Different at the Holidays?
The Retiring Sort 
Interesting topic… You know, I had some chocolates last night and just as I was about to berate myself, I said … let it go, enjoy! I’m not dreading any changes in my life, at least none that I know of. If anything is that dreadful, I’d let go of it already… {{{HUGS}}}
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Great attitude! Glad you’re enjoying the holiday festivities and food!
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Hi TRS, Here is my entry: http://shareandconnect.wordpress.com/2012/12/21/change-is-a-bummer/
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Thanks, Amy – a very nice post – glad you hopped on board in this busy season! 😉
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Pingback: Change is a Bummer « The World Is a Book…
I have awards for you http://shareandconnect.wordpress.com/2012/12/20/blog-of-2012-the-year/
if you have time to play.
Btw, I think this is a wonderful challenge to work on.
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Thanks so much, both for the nomination and your challenge participation! Wishing you the best for 2013!! 😉
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Retirement is still a few years off for us, but includes moving to Europe and walking El Camino de Santiago in Spain. With this clear goal in mind, it’s easier to look at purchases and say, “Do we need this, and will this go with me?” Just having the vision and the moment of hesitation and mindfulness is enough sometimes.
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What a wonderful plan – and how great to have that focus! Thanks for sharing!
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Stevia has been life-altering for me (in a good way!) No more artificial sweeteners in my life.
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I use it in my coffee – I always have some packets in my purse now! 😉
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Retirement last year brought some big changes to our lives. My husband and I decided that, with a move to a more rural area, we could live on his pension and set up my art hobby as a business. I am on the production side and he takes care of a lot of the business part of the equation (e.g. reporting sales tax, updating the website, keeping the calendar). So he is at home more now and after 33 years of a great marriage, we are still having to work on styles of communicating!
Our styles of cooking and eating haven’t undergone significant changes except that I am now cooking for just the two of us. We continue to add healthier ingredients to our diets, like using applesauce instead of oil in baked goods like cakes, pancakes, and quick breads, and eating a couple of vegetarian meals each week.
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No doubt about it, being together all day every day will change communication dynamics! My beloved and I are also trying to eat a healthier diet now I’m not always “on the run,” and are also enjoying cooking together now that it’s just the two of us.
Thanks for sharing your recent changes – I hope the art business is doing well through the holidays – and beyond!! 😉
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Your challenge is appropriate for anyone and a good topic for a possible post. In the eating department I have tried to refrain from indulging all month long on those sweet goodies and have hopefully cut back on some calories and guilt when January comes around. Canoe and Communications has some good ideas too! Cheers!
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Thanks for stopping in – it’s always great to hear from you! I hope your resolve holds up until January!! 😉
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As I bake for the holidays, I’m making a change in the ingredients to make them healthier. I’m using agave syrup or a sugar substitute in some of the sweets that I bake. I might substitute use a healthier flour like spelt. They taste the same as with sugar and everyone can enjoy them.
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Great suggestions! We do make some adjustments with gluten free flours, almond milk in place of dairy, applesauce in place of oil in cakes, Stevia and other sweeteners in place of sugar, etc. The less processed foods are always better and we reduce some inflammation and calories, but there are still an awful lot of carbs and sugars in baked goodies, I’m afraid! We just try not to keep too many around!! Happy Holidays! 😉
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