Baby Boomers
Articles
Open Your Mind To
ThePossibilities!
1. Is There Romance After 50?
2. Okay, You've Been Fired! Now What?
3
. Reinventing Yourself Into An On-line Entrepreneur
4
. A Baby Boomer's Shortcut To Financial Planning
5
. How Financial Planning Can Help The Over 40 Crowd!
6
. Work/Life Balance is Just Good Business!
7
. How To Toot Your Own Horn During Your Reinvention
8
. Happy Birthday, Baby!
9
. Baby Boomers Turn To Blogging to Stay Connected
10
. If I Were a Rich Woman
11. Are Your Goals Exciting?
IS THERE ROMANCE AFTER 50?
by Carol Stanley
Author “For Kids 59.99 and Over”
www.carolstanley1.com
Is love and dating just for the young? What can an aging baby boomer do to meet men?
There are lots of ways to meet men and women after the age of fifty? I feel obligated to mention men, however we all know it is easier for men to do the search rather than their female counterpart.
So ladies lets concentrate on you. First of all take a look in the mirror and give yourself a true examination. Men are visual beings, and looking your best is paramount. Your great personality will surely be discovered, but if the attraction is not there it may never have its moment to shine. So lose those extra pounds and follow through with that promised diet, change your hairdo if that seems like a promising idea. Perhaps a redo of your makeup and a new outfit is in order. You have lost those promised ten pounds and you think you look absolutely perfect and ready to find some suitable and fun men to date. Having confidence is the most important ingredient and with it you are now ready to get out there and meet the guys.
The big question is where do you go? Actually today it is easier to find sources than it has ever been. You know where I am going with this, of course, it is the internet. Hook up with some reputable internet dating services and start by lying about your age. Just kidding….maybe…..The problem here is that many fifty year old men are requesting women in their thirties and stretching…maybe their forties. There are also some free online dating sites. This is your call. Today this is considered a very respectable way to meet the opposite sex. To avoid any mishaps or unwanted surprises be sure someone knows where you are going to meet this person. Always meet in a public place regardless of how nice he seems on the telephone or in e mails; and be sure not to give out too much information about yourself. He does not have to know where you live or even your phone number.
There are the usual places like church, work, and also indulging in an activity that you really enjoy. These are especially good places to meet people as you share a common bond before you even begin. There are singles groups branching out all over. From what I here there are a lot more men going to these groups today. This is a totally non threatening place to meet the opposite sex. What is especially advantageous about these groups is that they often do fun things like trips, outings, barbeques etc. Also check
your town for restaurants that have party tables. These tables are designed for singles, so you just go in plop down and mix and mingle with other single people. It makes going out to dinner an adventure instead of “a table for one.” Another great place is a poker table, and there are many informal games in many cities. I have run into a lot of single guys at the poker table. If you do not play maybe you should learn how to be the next texas hold’em winner. These tables are usually nine men to one woman.
Bars are always questionable, however if you have a local watering hole where you feel comfortable; patronizing them gets you out and talking with people. The key word here is meeting lots of new people, as people often know other people, even your married friends. You can never have enough friends!
It is a competitive world out there in business, love and friendship. Look your best, be friendly and know you will have to get out of your comfort zone. There are guys out there, and as a married woman I have run into a lot of them. So there is romance around the corner, and forget your age.
Okay, You’ve Been Fired! Now What?
By Mid Career Crisis Expert Peter Fogel
www.reinventyourselfnow.com
It happens, probably more times than anyone wants to admit to it.
Everyone has gotten canned, whether it was office politics, events out of your control, or perish the thought: you deserved it. (Of course, that’s not you.)
Yes, it happens. Yes, you feel rejected, angry, and a myriad of other emotions. People who tell you – “don’t take it personal,” well guess what? After it happens to them—they WILL. If you saw it coming, then you probably knew it was only a matter of time.
I was waiter twenty six years ago. Fresh out college, struggling as a new actor. I moved to Chicago and worked at That Steak Joynt—A Chicago Landmark. It was next to the famed “The Second City” the top improvisational theatre in the world. (the Mecca where a lot of Saturday Night Live actors trained.)
That Steak Joynt was a tough place to be a beginning waiter. The kitchen was small and hot. The waiters were professional “lifers.” This was where they were going to work until they tore the place down. Me? I was a young buck, wearing a second hand tuxedo that didn’t fit.
All the other waiters hated me, because A) I was bad B) this was a stepping stone for me until I landed a real acting gig. C) My incompetence affected the other waiter’s tips.
The manager and kept me working there because I made him laugh. I was his cotemporary, his court jester, and his friend. Eventually, he did fire me. And I hugged him as if to say, “It’s about time…” Why was I relieved? Because I hated the job… and made no money. (As much as he liked me, he gave me the worst shifts so I wouldn’t hurt myself or others.) There’s nothing like opening a $75 bottle of wine in front of table and the cork falls inside of it. Oh, yes, those were the days!
When “D-Day” came, Steven (I call him Steven, because that was his name) said, “Peter, you are singularly the worst waiter in this fine restaurant’s forty year history.” Then he fired me and we both laughed. (BTW—twenty six years later I am still friends with the restaurant manger who now lives near me in Florida near who owns three successful rib joints.)
So if you’re given the boot, then yes, it might be the best thing that happened to you. Many folks were given the pink slip. Lance Armstrong, Michael Bloomberg, J.K. Rowling, you name it.
But enough about them, this is about you! Here are 13 sure-fire tips on how you can rebound from your being dismissed.
1. When the ax comes, and you didn’t expect it, then yes, take it personally. Grieve, be pissed, throw stuff. Then take step back and look at the situation. But then take a step back: Perhaps… just perhaps you just weren’t a good match for this gig and weren’t good enough.
2. Let go of the bitterness—now! You need to move on to bigger and better things. And you will!
3. Rejection happens to everyone; as hard as it is, you have to accept it. Do you believe over 11 percent of applicants are accepted to Harvard and Princeton? And the other 99 percent rejected think: “Screw them… I didn’t want to go to that stodgy school anyway.”
4. Getting fired will give you the impetus to really go after what you should be doing. Your dream career or job. “Display that ‘I’ll show them” attitude.
5. Examine why you were canned. If it was your fault, learn from your mistakes. (I don’t care how old you are. Never stop learning from any situation.)
6. Don't burn bridges… unless the person you really hate is walking across it at that moment. Okay, that part I made up. Always, if you can, as much as it feels like chalk across a black board, try to maintain a civil relationship with ex-colleagues. You never know when they might recommend you to another gig, or employer.
7. Don't wallow in failure (that long). Sleep fifteen hours if you must, eat lots of ice cream, if you must—then get over it and then move on.
8. Visualize acceptance. See in your mind’s eye that you’re already in your next dream job that you love!
9. Take baby steps. Regroup if you must, then get back to it. Whenever I’ve had a bad stand-up comedy show. I know it was temporary and then I’d get onto the most important task there is: figuring out what went wrong and getting ready for my next show.
10. Now you have no excuses. Get back into the industry that laid you off; or look for new ventures that get you excited. Yes, my friend, maybe it’s time for a new career. Reinvent yourself.
12. Look for a support group. Yes, misery loves company—that’s why it’s important to find a “winner's circle” of people who have gone through what you have. Make sure you surround yourself with people who are positive and action-oriented.
13. Discover the things that really motivate you. Take some time to do the things that you enjoy both personally and professionally. I once met a woman who was let go after 9/11. She was so thrilled: she felt like kayaking; partying, doing things she hasn’t done in twenty years. Don’t hold back; indulge yourself. Then get back to business of getting yourself into a situation/job/career that gives you meaning.
By Peter J. Fogel , Speaker/Reinvention expert and author of the critically acclaimed book “If Not Now… Then When? Stories and Strategies of People Over 40 Who Have Successfully Reinvented Themselves. Sign up for his FREE e-zine, “Reinvent This! And get the Ultimate Reinvention Quiz e-book, Powers of Persuasion E-book and an MP3 tele-seminar on Reinvention all at www.reinventyourselfnow.com
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Reinventing Yourself Into An On-line Entrepreneur
Here Are Top Seven Ways That Writing Articles Can Explode Your Internet Business!
If you’re thinking of reinventing yourself into an on-line entrepreneur, know that in today's highly competitive internet universe, the importance of attracting highly targeted traffic to your website cannot be overemphasized.
You need people (i.e. prospects) to buy your product, service, or consulting expertise.
Routing web traffic to your site can be your only means of survival, especially in the cutthroat world of ecommerce. Getting a high search engine ranking can be very difficult. Fortunately, there is plethora of website promotion strategies you can use to drive traffic to your website.
There is a wide variety of strategies you can adapt, from paid advertising to affiliate marketing. However, most of these techniques require payment. Nevertheless, there are ways to promote your website and increase your web traffic without spending anything.
Writing articles is one of the best web site promotion strategies you can use, and they can be very effective. How, you may ask, can writing articles help improve your web traffic? Here are the top seven ways in which it can help explode your business.
1. Reach more people
When you write good articles, it would be a shame not to share them with other people. You can post your articles in your website or you can submit them to other sites such
as e-zines and online publishers. By submitting your articles to these sites, you give exposure not only to your ideas but also to your website.
Simply include a link back to your site or include your information in the resource box. With this, you get exposure and free advertising as well. Submit your articles to popular e-zines and take advantage of their popularity.
Other sites who find your article relevant may also link back to you. Thus, you increase your link popularity, which is one of the most important strategies in the internet world.
Remember that most people are looking for information online and by filling this need with your quality article; you may reap the benefit of more exposure and higher web traffic.
2. Free Advertising
Submitting your articles to other websites presents an opportunity to advertise your website without paying exorbitant fees. Although you should avoid marketing language in your articles and make it informative and useful to your readers, you can always include your site's link in the resource box.
In addition, by making your article relevant and helpful to your readers, you are making a good impression for your website, which could ultimately lead to a visit and hopefully a purchase. Good quality content in an article is far better and more effective than a few lines of ad space. You have a very special opportunity to presell your product or service to your prospective customer. (Yay!)
3.Gain High Search Engine Ranking
Create a new web page for your article in your website. Optimize your article to make it search-engine friendly. Use top-ranked keywords and Meta tags that can give your website a high search engine ranking.
As soon as you upload your new webpage to your server, search engines will spider through it and you can gain an increase in search engine ranking. Remember that search engine optimized content is a very effective strategy to gain a high ranking in search results.
4. Increases Link Popularity
Instead of looking for other sites who would want to establish reciprocal links with your site, you can simply submit an article to other sites. Just do not forget to include a link to your site in your resource box. When these websites pick up and publishes your article, you automatically get a link partner.
Try to get as many link partners as you can. Link
popularity is one of the factors used by search engines in determining search engine rankings. Make your article especially useful and appealing, so that more websites will be encouraged to publish it.
5.Optimizes your site for improved search engine ranking
By making your site keyword rich, you can greatly improve the search engine ranking of your site. Remember that keyword density is one of the most important factors that search engines use when determining the search engine ranking of site.
However, you should always provide relevant, useful and pertinent information. Avoid the temptation of overusing keywords just to gain a high ranking as this may turn off most web surfers.
Relevance and quality is still the most important things to consider when writing articles and it will be doubly useful to your site if you make these articles search-engine optimized.
6. Establishes a Good Impression and Reputation
By writing excellent, original and relevant articles, you not only give your site exposure, you are also creating a good impression on your prospects. Encourage more people to visit your site and do business with you by establishing an impressive reputation through your articles. Be seen as an expert in the field and your will ultimately gain more customers eager to do business with you.
7. Enhances your credibility through references and testimonials
Certainly, your articles are going to receive feedbacks and testimonies when you publish them in e-zines and free article sites. Record these positive feedbacks and comments and use them as promotional material in your website or in any of your advertising efforts. Your credibility will be greatly enhanced by these feedbacks, as it will create a good impression on your prospects as well as your existing customers.
In this highly competitive world, excellent credibility and trust may be the only things you need to attract new customers or make loyal patrons out of your existing customers. Original, relevant, useful and pertinent articles are important tools you should utilize to improve and explode your business.
Listen, if you’re an expert in your new field… write articles, as many as you can and get them up on your site. (with correct keywords) In the movie “Field of Dreams” there was a line of dialogue. Perhaps you remember it. “Build it and they will come.” Well, on-line it’s “Display it… and they shall come!”
Peter Fogel is an in demand advertising copywriter; the nation’s leading reinvention expert as well as the author of the critically acclaimed book, “If Not Now… Then When? Stories and Strategies of People Over 40 Who Have Successfully Reinvented Themselves!” Sign up for his Reinvent This! Ezine and receive FREE
“The Ultimate Reinvention Quiz” E-book PLUS hear an MP3 Recording of Peter on the Clear Channel Network www.reinventyourselfnow.com
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A Baby Boomer’s Shortcut To
Financial Planning
Let's face it: If you're a baby-boomer then you might have to start . thinking about the "R" word. Retirement.
And by that I DON'T mean, "your dad's retirement." Gold watch and kick in the butt and you're out the door. No, I mean. dealing with your financial planning so as a baby-boomer if you decide to reinvent yourself into a new career you should have your financial ducks in order.
When you go to the bank, unit trust or insurance company, financial planning seems to be the new buzzword among customers, clients and people in the finance field.
But, what IS financial planning, actually? Is it strictly for the rich or people who have money to invest? Or is it for those who want to buy insurance and unit trusts?
Have Your Financial Ducks In Order!
The truth is that whoever has financial challenges to solve or financial goals to achieve needs financial planning. Regardless of how much money you are making, financial planning will help you achieve both greater wealth and financial security. Inadequate or poor financial planning can obviously lead to unimaginable financial disasters like nightmares come true.
For instance, an uninsured loss can wipe out all your accumulated wealth. Insufficient savings for retirement can force one into a reduced, low lifestyle or even worse, the postponement of retirement and many other financial catastrophes that are far too depressing to be named!
So in a nutshell, financial planning involves taking a broad view of one's financial affairs covering many areas of wealth management and then going through a step-by-step process to solve financial problems and achieve financial goals.
Financial planning is also about making choices such as:
- Do I want to spend all my income today? Or should I save a portion of it?
- Should I clear all my debts right now? Or should I increase my savings for retirement instead?
- Should I plan for my child's education? Or should I let him seek his own scholarship applications and apply for a student's loan?
So, what is Included in Financial Planning? If you were to wonder what areas wealth management would cover, here are some examples:
This involves assessing your current net financial net worth (what you own minus what you owe). This will generally tell you whether you are on your way to financial freedom. or financial disaster.
Once you have determined the amount of money you would like to save, you should consider where to put your savings with the aim of receiving a higher return than your usual savings account.
Forget the 2% p.a. interests for saving. You need something more sophisticated than that! An investment strategy has to be mapped out so that you will have greater success in meeting your desired financial goals.
Insurance planning is required to in ensure that all your assets are protected and that your family members are well shielded by having sufficient insurance coverage.
The subject of tax planning affects everyone who receives income, yet it is an area that is largely ignored or forgotten by most people. Therefore, this area involves strategies making the most under the local tax regime in the area of your income, stocks, real estate, and property.
You are not going to work your whole life, are you? When old age symptoms start to kick in or you have reached the mandatory retirement age, you will need to retire. Hence, having a retirement plan regardless of your age is essential!
Having an estate plan or a will shall ensure that your wishes for the future are carried out. In addition, an estate plan or a will can provide financial security for your family, ensure your property is preserved and avoid dispute among family members.
All in all, an ideal financial plan does not focus on one aspect or product only, but it involves taking all areas of planning into consideration when making financial decisions.
Peter J. Fogel , Speaker/Reinvention expert and author of the critically acclaimed book, "If Not Now. Then When? Stories and Strategies of People Over 40 Who Have Successfully Reinvented Themselves Go to his website to real other cool articles and to sign up for this Reinvent This ! Ezine and receive FREE " The Ultimate Reinvention Quiz" e-book. www.reinventyourselfnow.com
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How Financial Planning Can Help
The Over 40 Crowd!
(Psst! That's You!)
I've been studying and as a copywriter writing for the financial markets for quite a while now. Of course, I am not an expert, more than anything I come from school of hard knocks. So here are some aspects that you should think about when and if you want to take the prudent approach to financial planning.
First off: If you are still thinking that financial planning is only for the rich , you might just want to change your mind on that now.
It is a fact that financial planning is even more important for the person with an average income than it is for someone who earns a very high income.
The reason is this: an average person has to make his income stretch to cover many needs, and usually there is little money left each month after paying all the bills and loan.
Hence, it is wise to say that financial planning can help you in a number of ways, among them are:
- Financial planning can help you make beneficial use of your current income and savings. By having every household's expenditure budgeted and a savings plan drawn up, it will help you spend your money wisely and effectively.
- It can fight the effects of inflation on your savings - by having your savings invested in an investment vehicle that pays higher returns than the normal bank account, it will add in some muscle to your savings and help you reach your financial goals in a shorter period of time.
- It can push you to take advantage of savings and investment options that exist now, but may not be available later.
For example, you want to invest some of your savings - in a particular unit trust fund that pays good returns. However, the fund's approved size is limited and the units are easily taken up by investors. Now, if you were to have some extra cash and buy some of these unit trusts before they are all taken up, you will hopefully make your money work for you through future gains from this investment.
- Lastly, financial planning helps you identify the expected sources and amount of your retirement income.
Start TODAY!
By starting your retirement planning now (not later!), you can gauge how much money you will need to maintain your current lifestyle and where this money will come from.
Many people, especially those who have just started working, always put their retirement planning on the back burner for reasons such as "I just started work" and "Oh, I am still young".
Many, however, fail to realize that by starting early to save for retirement, you will be able to save and invest more due to the magic of "compounding interest", provided that you invest your savings wisely.
Maybe you do not have to wait until the age of 65 to retire. For all you know, by the age of 40, you might have already reached your financial independence and do not have to worry about getting up early to clock in or work until late hours because there are deadlines to meet.
You can then reinvent yourself NOW into a new business or second career that does not involve clocking in and reporting to your boss, especially if that person is other than you!
Peter J. Fogel, Speaker/Reinvention expert and author of the critically acclaimed book, "If Not Now. Then When? Stories and Strategies of People Over 40 Who Have Successfully Reinvented Themselves Go to his website to real other cool articles and to sign up for this Reinvent This ! Ezine and receive FREE " The Ultimate Reinvention Quiz" e-book. www.reinventyourselfnow.com
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Work/Life Balance is Just Good Business!
It would be nice to think that the companies on the leading edge of work/life balance programs are simply being good citizens and doing the right thing! But, the fact is that these programs make good business sense.
In addition to increased productivity and employee satisfaction, companies can retain valuable employees in a competitive environment, and attract new employees with these programs.
Every generation in the workforce today reports that work and life balance is one of the top issues for them and that they want to work in a company that supports their desire to have more balance in their life.
Whatever the reason for the movement, we should be glad it is upon us.
Who are the companies with programs, what do the programs look like and what results have they achieved?
You might be surprised to know that these companies cut across all industries in the private and the public sector. Here are some examples of program components:
- Elder care programs consisting of resources directories, counseling, elder care services and educational services
- Expanded telecommuting and ‘telework’ programs that allow employees to work from home or other locations
- Part-time and job sharing positions for employees come off disability or recovering from health problems, or for parents who wish to spend time at home with their children or with aging parents
- Fully accredited child care centers in or near the workplace
- Babies in the Workplace programs that allow a child to remain with a parent in the workplace until the age of six months or whenever the child starts to crawl
- Alternative work schedules and FlexTime work schedules that allow employees to work hours other than 9:00 to 5:00 in order to better meet their personal needs
- Family Advocacy Programs held at lunch-time on managing personal finances, parenting, stress management, anger management and elder care issues
- Outdoor recreation, walking paths and fitness equipment for employee use during and after work. Some companies even provide grills, row boats and other equipment for employee family use.
- Support groups for elder care, new fathers, holistic health, spousal abuse, single parents, adoptive parents, parents of teenagers parents of blended or merged families, caregivers, and grandparents raising grandchildren alone.
- Nursing Mother Rooms for breastfeeding moms
- Enforced scheduling and use of vacation and personal days to ensure that the employees takes time off from work
- Cross-training in positions to ensure coverage so that employees can take time off without the company suffering
These are just some of the examples of programs in government agencies, hotels, banks, corporations and union environments around the country.
Human Resource Management companies and universities study the effects of these programs and publish reports to support and encourage their growth. And the really dedicated companies keep finding new ways to encourage balance.
In many cases, this effort still has to trickle down into the company. Older managers or those supervisors who feel they are being shortchanged on work may frown upon these initiatives and studies find that programs put in place without adequate manager and employee training rarely have the same impact as a program that includes communication via seminars, training, written manuals and frequent follow-up.
If your company wants to start a work/life balance program, you can contact a consulting company that provides analysis and planning services to get you started, or you can look to some of the publications out there online or in written form for self-paced program implementation.
Here are some links to get you started:
http://www.simpleliving.net/timeday/links.asp
http://wfnetwork.bc.edu/business.php
http://www.workfamily.com/Open/ElevenStepsPage.asp
http://www.workfamily.com/Vendors/WorkLifeVendors.asp
A simple internet search will give you more options. Whether you are an employee, frustrated with overwork, a manager who wants to create a more supportive environment, or a company trying to get more information on these programs, the search is worthwhile.
Work/Life Programs benefit the company by increasing productivity and focus on the job, reducing job turnover and increasing employee satisfaction. Employees will miss less time from work, because they will not be sick as often.
Families will be more supportive of the employee’s job and company choice because they know the company supports the employee’s personal needs, and their efforts to sustain good health and to manage stress.
If your company does not have a Work/Life Program in place, ask your manager about starting one. See if you can get a grass roots movement going!
If you are in a position to influence the company’s decision or you have the power to decide on a Work/Life Program, don’t wait. Contrary to what you may think you won’t lose money or time on this program. Instead, your company will run better and you will find it easier to attract and retain good employees.
You will get a lot of support and good press from your employees and your managers, alike - and your company may even end up in one of those University Case Studies. A role model for others to follow!
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Peter J. Fogel is our resident humorist and reinvention forum leader who is also the author of the book, “If Not Now… Then When? Stories and Strategies of People Over 40 Who Have Successfully Reinvented Themselves. Sign up for his Reinvent This! Ezine and receive for FREE his Ultimate Reinvention Quiz e-book. www,reinventyourselfnow.com
Email: peter@reinventyourselfnow.com
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How To Toot Your Own Horn During Your Reinvention
Some folks when they decide to reinvent themselves decide they might not want to go “out on their own.” By that I mean being a consultant in their field or switching
careers completely.
BUT if you do decide to pull a 360, it’s important that you know what’s available in the marketplace and what that new job might entail. The US Department of Labor has a cool resource called “The Occupational Outlook Handbook.” You can locate it in the resource center at any library.
As you reinvent yourself, and acquire new skills, it’s important that you always update your resume. And always use the industry’s terminology on that resume, so the folks in your new field accept you as one of their own. You should list five important aspects about yourself that make you stand-out in a crowded marketplace.
Here’s a quick checklist of skills that you should develop:
- Management skills, ability to give feedback
- Tolerance, ethics, diversity awareness
- Critical thinking, conflict resolution, problem solving
- Written and oral communication
- Scheduling, planning and organizing
- Leadership, decision making
My friend this is the time to toot your own horn. As a speaker and freelance copywriter I am always gathering marketing materials for myself to show perspective clients. If you’ve done a job well done, get and show proof of it. Hey, you’ve earned it, now tell the world about it
- Samples of work from successful projects
- Letters of recommendation from thrilled clients
- Company awards
- Materials from former work assignments
- Performance reviews
- Evidence of past accomplishments
- Evidence of how others have thought of you
- Published articles
- Certification of completed training (seminars; etc)
And if you need to get into the mindset… to really focus
on your goals than I recommend a great mentor, BRIAN TRACY, a gifted speaker and author. Now you can't afford his consulting fee BUT you can afford the second best thing: his programs.
Check out a wonderful program at The Reinvention Store
now www.reinventyourselfnow.com
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Gift idea
My book, “If Not Now… Then When? Stories and
Strategies of People Over 40 Who Have Successfully
Reinvented Themselves” would make a wonderful gift this holiday season. It’s available at:
www.reinventyourselfnow.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peter J. Fogel is our resident humorist and reinvention forum leader who is also the author of the book, “If Not Now… Then When? Stories and Strategies of People Over 40 Who Have Successfully Reinvented Themselves. Sign up for his Reinvent This! Ezine and receive for FREE his Ultimate Reinvention Quiz e-book. www,reinventyourselfnow.com
Email: peter@reinventyourselfnow.com
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Happy Birthday, Baby!
Today – this day – thousands and thousands of the seventy-six million baby boomers in America are marking their 50th birthday: a milestone to celebrate as significant as or more so than the traditional 40th. Truly,50 is the new 40, the beginning of mid-life, and with every new discovery in a multitude of fields ranging from biogenetic engineering to pharmaceuticals and robotics, that age marker will be pushed ever upward. In the not too distant future it may become possible for many in the developed world to reach, in a healthy, active state, the “natural” age cap of 120 years. That’s a lot of partying to come.
But steady on! Before we all boogie on down, it might be a good idea to take note of some other facts and figures. In 2006, the first-born of the baby boom generation will be celebrating their 60th birthday, and five years away, their 65th. It is estimated that by 2030, when most boomers will have long crossed over the traditional retirement threshold of 65 years of age (and the remaining few fast bearing down on it), they will make up 20% or more of the entire US population (as opposed to their current hold of 13%). Baring bird flu’ and other mutant pandemics, there will, by 2030, be approximately 70 million people over 65 years, and the 85+ age group will have become the fastest growing section. And they won’t all be wearing rose-tinted granny-glasses.
There is a multitude of studies and commentaries available on the internet into how well baby boomers are prepared for living out their twilight years. The conclusions and predictions are often contradictory and, despite the good news about increased health and longevity, the overall trend tends to favour the hysterical sentiment of “It’s my party and I’ll cry if I want to”:
• A majority of boomers are optimistic about being able to live in the same style when retired as they do now.
• Boomers typically earn more than their parents ever did, and than their own children do or will do.
• It is often estimated that a boomer will need to have set aside at least $1 million for a decent retirement,
• A majority of boomers expect to work after “official” retirement in a variety of ways (part-time, phased, new career), either because they wish to remain socially active, or because it will be necessary for financial reasons.
• Half of all boomers between 50-59 years of age currently have $10,000 or less in personal retirement savings.
• Boomers face unprecedented levels of financial obligations to their children (who are earning less than their boomer parents did at a similar age) and their parents (who themselves are living longer).
• Boomers hold greater levels of personal financial debt than previous generations, and in general prefer to spend than save.
• The vast inequalities in wealth that characterizes American society is just as evident in the baby boomer generation, and as they age it will be women and minorities who will be especially at risk of sinking into poverty.
One indisputable fact is that the enormous baby boomer bulge has always placed great pressures on society as it passes through the body politic. It has wrought radical changes on education, family life, gender roles and relationships, leisure, work, health care and much, much more, and it will certainly do the same for the concept of retirement. In fact, the existing notion of retirement as a time to putter round on the golf course or in the potting shed is in any case a fairly recent one. Up until the Second World War most people worked until they died.
The brief “golden age” of retirement, kick-started in the sixties by the Affluent Society of the mid-twentieth century, is undoubtedly coming to an end. What it will be replaced by is as yet unknown, but it is certain that, through a combination of force of circumstance and personal desire, the baby boomer generation will once again make this their own. Good enough reason to put on the party hats.
Morgan Evans
"Born bang in the middle of the boom ... left school with high hopes, if somewhat confused ... dabbled in this, was drawn to that ... had some success, got knocked off the rails ... now back on a track, of sorts"
Freelance Writer
for Baby Boomers United
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Baby Boomers Turn To Blogging
to Stay Connected
Blogs allow certain Baby Boomers/seniors make new friends, keep up on current events and share interests. Especially those Baby Boomers/seniors who are restricted due to illness, financial, etc.
Bloggers (the people who write the blogs) update their weblogs on a very regular basis, often adding brand-new posts every day.
Blogs (Weblogs) are gaining a foothold as a new leisure time for seniors, reports Carla Johnson (Chicago).
"It keeps the head working a little better so you're not just sitting there gawking at the TV."
Bottom line with everything is "use it or loose it" and the same is with the mind.
It is so easy to set up a blog. The one I use most is www.blogger.com because:
1. You can use it free.
2. It has great templates which you can alter yourself or use your own. All you need to do is:
- register for membership (create a login and password)
- enter your personal details (if you choose to do this)
- select blogs section (optional)
- fill in the top with the title of your post. This is what people will see what your blog is about.
- write in the form below (just like an email).
- publish (hey your live :)
A bit more complicated if you are wanting to hook it to your website, but let's not go there now!
**Stay tuned for more help on setting up a blog
BabyBooU
(Jan)
www.babyboomersunited.com
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If I Were a Rich Woman
If you are not happy, you need to get that fixed. If you are not rich, you are not happy. Seems like a bold statement to make, doesn't it? How many millions of people are doing a job that they just hate? My guess is that that number is probably too high to count and too scary to even consider. How often do you dread Monday because you believe not only is this an awful day in itself, but also that you will have four more beyond Monday that you will also have to face. I know how you feel; I was like that for a very long time. I don't want to go back? Do you want to really stay there?
If you took longer than five seconds to answer that question, then you are not really ready to do what it takes to make the difference in your life. When you are so ready the question will barely be out but you will already be answering it with a resounding "No, I don't want to stay here". You will be open to hear the whisper of change and feel the faster beating of a joyful heart. You will be willing to do what others won't, search for new answers, and become relentless in your desire to find the truth that is within yourself. You will find you are ready to become a Rich Woman.
When talking about being a rich person, that may or may not apply to having lots of money. The real richness we are talking about is enjoying what you do. It is possible, very possible! You just have to look to find the answers. You have to spend time doing something you may not be comfortable with at first. That is deciding there is something else besides what you have always done and you are willing to find out what that is and move towards it. The initial thing you will have to do is decide what that something is that you have always wanted to do, which may require you to do a five minute thought race test. What this is, is finding a quiet place where you won't be disturbed, have a pen and paper in hand (or a computer if you are so inclined) and for five minutes do nothing but write. Do NOT think. Just begin writing and do not stop and put down everything you have ever thought that you would like to do. I mean everything. Do not attempt to reason it out or ask the way that you can make this possible. Just Write! You may be wonderfully surprised at what comes out of this because your mind has been holding on to ideas sometimes for a very long time waiting for you to take the initiative to bring it to the surface. No idea is right or wrong and nothing is impossible. This list will not be all encompassing and you may add to it often even once you are past the five minute test. The idea is to find the dreamer/ the knower within so that you can begin to create your riches by living the life that you have wanted.
Once you have these ideas you will probably have to do some research. This research may be as simply as imagining in your mind what it would look like and feel like if you were doing what you really wanted to do in life. It may be going online or to the library and finding out more about what you are wanting to do. Sometimes just talking with someone or hiring a coach that can guide you through this process will help surface the things that you need to start the steps to getting to the new life path that will help you find the joy, peace and happiness that will make you a rich Woman. Any of the research you do will be bringing a bright beacon of light to your discovery of yourself and that happiness that can be a very big part of your life.
Being rich means never having to worry. Okay maybe never is too strong. But even as you begin your research you are going to find that you are feeling a lightening of the heart because you now know that there is hope for a brighter tomorrow. You are starting the discovery that will allow you to find and keep the things in your life that resonate with you. As you move from the research stage to actually starting the process of doing that which is significant to you, you will start to feel the richness that will become a permanent part of your future.
The surprising part of all this, is so often when you start doing what you have always wanted or what you have always been good at, you will find the money riches often follow too. People will consciously and unconsciously start to support you in what you are doing. They will find ways to help you because people really do want people to be happy in their lives. People will want what you have. This is richness in itself. And that can lead to the financial monies that you wish to attain. It is a powerful force that gives you many wonderful things that you have not even thought of yet. Embrace it and enjoy it. It is a part of being rich.
It is in your corner now. You know that it is available because it no longer sits in the wanting of your mind. You have the choice! Being happy, enjoying what you do, loving the way your life is going, that is all part of being rich. Don't stay stuck. Don't wait until the right time because that time will never come. Leave the if only behind you and step up to the now, the present and say, "I am a rich Woman and here is why.".
Laura Johnson - Success Coach
"Working with Woman of the Baby Boomer era who are frustrated with job and wanting to create success for the 2 nd part of their lives"
Website: http://successcreation4u.com
Email: laura@successcreation4u.com
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Are Your Goals Exciting?
With another year about to end, now is the perfect time to think about your future and begin to design the kind of life you'd like to be living. Unfortunately, too many people leave their lives to chance and happenstance, not taking the time to write down their goals and create plans to achieve them. This can be a huge mistake. Not having written goals would be like going on vacation without a destination, something most people would never consider doing. Yet, those same people will leave their futures in the hands of circumstance.
Having written goals will change your life. Spend some time thinking about what you'd like your life to be like. For the sake of this exercise, let's set goals you'd like to have accomplished one year from now. Of course, you can set shorter and longer goals as well.
What would you like for your relationships? How about your health, career, and finances? How about your mind and emotions? What would you like to experience? What would you like to do, be, or have? Invest some time now to identify these things and write them down. This will greatly increase the likelihood of your accomplishing them. If you want to know more about this, there are lots of books, including mine, to help you. That's not really the topic of this story, however, I'm asking you now to revisit your goals, particularly your short-term ones.
Do they make you want to jump out of bed each day eager to get going? Recently, I was feeling "less than great." I was even bordering on becoming depressed, something I rarely experience. I felt unmotivated, and wound up being pretty sick for several weeks. Upon closer examination, and because I agree with Socrates that, "An unexamined life is not worth living," I realized one of the things that I had done was to reset some of my short-term goals to be "more realistic."
What I had noticed about myself was that in the interest of being realistic, I had lowered my expectations. While this may seem like a reasonable thing to do, in reality, it left me totally uninspired and feeling pretty unmotivated about my goals. For example, if you have a goal of making enough money to "pay the bills" how exciting is that? Is that going to make you jump out of bed in the morning saying, "oh wow, I can't wait to get going, so I can make money and pay the bills!" I doubt it. When I understood what I was doing, I immediately set new goals. I set goals that were way beyond my reach. Goals that were huge enough to really get my juices going. Now, when I think about my new, bigger goals, I get excited just imaging what it would feel like reaching them and what my life would be like having accomplished them.
Now, let's start setting some new goals for the coming year. Following is a simple exercise to help you become clear about your goals and begin creating the life you've always wanted.
1. Write what you do want. Be specific. List everything you want to do, be, have, and share for the upcoming year and beyond. Rather than writing "be thinner," for example, write "I feel & look great weighing 175 pounds." Instead of writing, "More money," be specific. How much more per month?
2. Write each goal in the form of a positive affirmation, in the present tense (I am, I have, etc). Set goals in the key areas of your life - spirituality, health, relationships, social, career, things, and money.
3. Next to each one, write why you want this and how you will feel when you have accomplished it.
4. Write at least one small action you can take right now to move toward your goal.
Each day, read your list of goals, concentrating on the feelings associated with having them. The more you can feel the feelings your goal will produce, the faster you can draw it to you. Your sub-conscious mind does not know the difference between that which is real and that which is vividly imagined. Fake it until you make it.
After you reread your goals, seeing yourself as having achieved them, and are feeling the good feelings associated with having them, ask yourself, "What is the next action I can take to move toward this?" Do this daily and watch your life change.
Jim Donovan is a motivational speaker and the author of Handbook to a Happier Life (New World Library). For a free ebook or subscription to his newsletter visit www.jimdonovan.com
Email: jim@jimdonovan.com
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