21 Life Lessons For An Awesome Retirement

Some of us have reached our golden years, and some of us have not. But these suggestions should be read by everyone. They have been collected from many a senior, each with his or her own piece of advice. Some you may know, some may surprise you, and some will remind you of what's important. So read well, share with your loved ones, and have a great day and a great life!

1. It's time to use the money you saved up. 

Use it and enjoy it. Don't just keep it for those who may have no notion of the sacrifices you made to get it. Remember there is nothing more dangerous than a son or daughter-in-law with big ideas for your hard earned capital. Warning: This is also a bad time for an investment, even if it seems wonderful or fool-proof. They only bring problems and worries and this is a time for you to enjoy some peace and quiet. 

 

2. Stop worrying about the financial situation of your children and grandchildren.  

Don't feel bad for spending your money on yourself. You've taken care of them for many years and you've taught them what you could. You gave them an education, food, shelter, and support. The responsibility is now theirs to earn their own money.

3. Keep a healthy life, without great physical effort.  

Do moderate exercise (like walking every day), eat well, and get your sleep. It's easy to become sick, and it gets harder to remain healthy. That is why you need to keep yourself in good shape and be aware of your medical and physical needs. Keep in touch with your doctor and get tested even when you're feeling well. Stay informed.

4. Always buy the best, most beautiful items for your significant other. 

The key goal is to enjoy your money with your partner. One day, one of you will miss the other, when money will not provide any comfort. So, enjoy it together. 

 

5. Don't stress over the little things.  

You've already overcome so much in your life. You have good memories and bad ones, but the important thing is the present. Don't let the past drag you down and don't let the future frighten you. Feel good in the now. Small issues will soon be forgotten.

6. Regardless of age, always keep love alive. 

  Love your partner, love life, love your family, love your neighbor, and remember: "A man is not old as long as he has intelligence and affection." 

 

7. Be proud, both inside and out.  

Don't stop going to your hair salon or barber, do your nails, go to the dermatologist and the dentist, keep your perfumes and creams well stocked. When you are well-maintained on the outside, it seeps in, making you feel proud and strong. 

 

8. Don't lose sight of fashion trends for your age, but keep your sense of style.

There's nothing worse than an older person trying to wear the current fashion among youngsters. You've developed your own sense of what looks good on you - keep it and be proud of it. It's part of who you are. 

 

9. ALWAYS stay up-to-date. Read newspapers, watch the news. Go online and read what people are saying. Make sure you have an active email account and try to sign up to a couple of social networks. You'll be surprised which old friends you may meet. Keeping in touch with what is going on and with the people you know, is important at any age. 

 

10. Respect the younger generation and their opinions. 

 They may not have the same ideals as you, but they are the future and will take the world in their direction. Give advice, not criticism, and try to remind them of yesterday's wisdom that still applies today. retirement 

 

11. Never use the phrase: "In my time". Your time is now. 

As long as you're alive, you are a part of this time. Have fun and enjoy life. 

 

12. Some people embrace their golden years, while others become bitter and surly. 

 Life is too short to waste your days on the latter. Spend your time with positive, cheerful people, it'll rub off on you and your days will seem that much better. Spending your time with bitter people will make you older and harder to be around. 

 

13. Do not surrender to the temptation of living with your children or grandchildren.  

Sure, being surrounded by family sounds great, but we all need our privacy. They need theirs and you need yours. If you've lost your partner (our deepest condolences), then find a person to move in with you and help out. Even then, do so only if you feel you really need the help or do not want to live alone. 

 

14. Don't abandon your hobbies. If you don't have any, make new ones. You can travel, hike, cook, read, dance. You can adopt a cat or a dog, grow a garden, play cards, checkers, chess, dominoes, golf. You can paint, volunteer at an NGO or just collect certain items. Find something you like and spend some real time having fun with it. 

 

15. Even if you don't feel like it, try to accept invitations. 

Baptisms, graduations, birthdays, weddings, conferences. Try to go. Get out of the house, meet people you haven't seen in a while, experience something new (or something old). But don't get upset when you're not invited. Some events are limited by resources, and not everyone can be hosted. The important thing is to leave the house from time to time. Go to museums, go walk through a field. Get out there. retirement 

 

16. Be a conversationalist. 

 Talk less and listen more. Some people go on and on about the past, not caring if their listeners are really interested. That's a great way of reducing their desire to speak with you. Listen first and answer questions, but don't go off into long stories unless asked to. Speak in courteous tones and try not to complain or criticize too much unless you really need to. Try to accept situations as they are. Everyone is going through the same things, and people have a low tolerance for hearing complaints. Always find some good things to say as well. 

 

17. Pain and discomfort go hand in hand with getting older. 

Try not to dwell on them but accept them as a part of the cycle of life we're all going through. Try to minimize them in your mind. They are not who you are, they are something that life has added to you. If they become your entire focus, you lose sight of the person you used to be. 

 

18. If you've been offended by someone, forgive them. 

If you've offended someone, apologize. Don't drag around resentment with you. It only serves to make you sad and bitter. It doesn't matter who was right. Someone once said: "Holding a grudge is like taking poison and expecting the other person to die." Don't take that poison. Forgive, forget and move on with your life. 

 

19. If you have a strong belief, savor it. The key is not to waste your time trying to convince others. They will make their own choices no matter what you tell them, and it will only bring you frustration. Live your faith and set an example. Live true to your beliefs and let that memory sway them. 

 

20. Laugh. Laugh A LOT.  

Laugh at everything. Remember, you are one of the lucky ones. You've managed to have a life, a long one. Many never get to this age, never get to experience a full life. But you did. So what's not to laugh about? Find the humor in your situation. retirement 

 

21. Take no notice of what others say about you and even less notice of what they might be thinking. 

They'll do it anyway, and you should have pride in yourself and what you've achieved. Let them talk and don't worry. They have no idea about your history, your memories and the life you've lived so far. There's still much to be written, so get busy writing and don't waste time thinking about what others might think. Now is the time to be at rest, at peace and as happy as you can be! 

 

 AND REMEMBER: "Life is too short to drink bad wine."

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     

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SOME THINGS WHICH MAKE US TIRED

1. Sugar

Sugar provides quick energy, but after picking you up, it drops 

you hard and leaves you looking for more.

One key to cutting back on sugar is having the right food with 

you so you don't head to the nearest vending machine.Always 

have healthy snacks on hand, and  make sure they contain at 

least 1 to 2 ounces of protein to keep your blood sugar stable 

for several hours, combined with a complex carbohydrate to 

give you a quick boost of energy. Here are a few of her 

favourites:

• Whole grain crackers and low-fat cheese
• Fresh fruit or a small box of raisins and low-fat cheese
• Half a lean turkey or chicken sandwich
• Plain, non-fat yoghurt blended with fruit or all-fruit jam
• Small pop-top can of water-packed tuna or chicken with 
• whole grain crackers
• 
  

2. Caffeine

Caffeine can also leave us "tired and wired. If we need sleep 

and we choose caffeine instead, we continue to throw off our 

natural sleep cycle. If you find that too much caffeine -- whether 

it comes in the form of coffee, tea, cola, or even chocolate -- is 

keeping you from getting a good night's sleep, switch to 

decaffeinated varieties of your favourite beverage and cut back 

on the chocolate.

3. Exercise  Either Too Little or Too Much

When it comes to fitness, there are two ways to zap energy. 

The first is by not exercising. Exercise energizes us physically, 

mentally, and emotionally. Without it, we're naturally more 

sluggish. Exercise also enhances our mood by increasing the 

release of endorphins, a "feel good" chemical that increases 

energy levels. On the other hand, too much exercise also 

presents a problem. Over-training depletes our energy 

reserves, breaks down muscle, and eventually makes us 

weaker, not stronger. Overdoing the workouts also suppresses 

the immune system, which in turn reduces our resistance to 

bacterial and viral invasion. We're more vulnerable to illness, 

which further zaps our energy as a result.

4. Dehydration

Most people don't drink enough water. We need water to flush 

out toxins, keep our tissues hydrated, keep our energy up.

Water is the perfect no-calorie beverage, and you can dress it 

up by adding citrus slices or a sprig of mint. But when you want 

another alternative, try 100% fruit juices, while not necessarily 

low in calories, they contain important nutrients; non-fat milk, 

which will give you a calcium boost; unsweetened tea -try 

herbal or decaffeinated,  seltzer water with a splash of juice or 

slice of fruit; home-made lemonade, with lemon, water, and a 

small amount of sugar or artificial sweetener; or coffee (again, 

choose decaffeinated if caffeine keeps you up) with skim milk 

and artificial sweetener; try it iced in hot weather.

5. Lack of Sleep

If you don't get a good night's sleep on a regular basis, 

chances are, one of these "sleep busters" is keeping you 

awake:

• Stress or anxiety
• Illness
• Noise
• Light
• Overcommitted schedule
• Caffeine
• Alcohol
• Stimulant medications (such as diet pills, cold and allergy 
• remedies, asthma medications)
• Depression or anger
• Fear

To get a better night's sleep, you need to strengthen your 

natural sleep patterns, says  a Dr, who offers these 

suggestions:

• Regularize your sleep-wake patterns. Get up at the same
• time every day. If you wake up at 7 a.m. during the week, skip 
• the temptation to sleep in on weekend mornings. Avoid naps, 
• unless you take one regularly. Try to sleep the same amount 
• of time every night. Some people need nine hours of sleep 
• every night; some do fine with less. Find out what works for 
• you and stick to it.
• 
  
• Ritualize your cues for good sleep. Use the bedroom only
•  for sleep and sex. Keep the room quiet, dark, and cool. Get 
• in bed only when you're sleepy.
• 
  
• Start a worry notebook. Using a child's school notebook, 
• on the left side of the page, list the issues that have been 
• running through your mind; on the right side, list actions you 
• can take to resolve those issues.
• 
  
• Resist temptation. That includes alcohol, tobacco, and 
• caffeine, all of which can interfere with sleep.
• 
  
• 
  

6. Attitude

A bad attitude will zap your energy. Change your attitude and 

your energy level, feelings, responses, outlook, and 

perspectives on your situation change along with it. This one 

simple choice can transform your life. In changing the nature of 

the way we think and act, we build an attitude force so strong 

that it will attract favour  opportunities, people, and dreams into 

our existence.

7. Clutter and Disorganization

Being disorganized or having clutter in your home can make

you feel lethargic and lacking in energy and optimism.

Looking for lost or misplaced stuff is a huge physical drain. And 

trying to remember where things are and all you have to get 

done on your to-do list is a big mental drain.

Give everything a storage place, and put it back when you are 

done.

• Make a short daily to-do list; when it's on paper, it's out of your
•  head.
• Divide a big pile of "stuff" into smaller containers. A few small 
• sorts are easier than one big one.
• Take action. Choose one area to get under control; set a 
• timer for 20 minutes and dive in.
• See a project through. Do not put the mail down, for example; 
• stand over the shredder and sort it right then.
• Love it or lose it! Keep only the items around you that you find 
• beautiful and uplifting. Sort through the clutter, letting go of 
• items you no longer love. This frees up space for all the items 
• you want to have around.

8. Not Enough Food

Cutting back on calories helps you lose weight, but not eating 

enough can leave you feeling drained.

If you maintain a diet that severely restricts calories for long 

periods of time, your body will have the tendency to go into 

"starvation mode," they say. Your metabolism will slow down 

and your energy level will be low. During times of severe calorie 

restriction the body tends to store calories as fat and burn 

muscle as a way to conserve energy. Figure out your 

recommended caloric intake based on your age, weight, level 

of activity, and the rate at which you want to lose weight.

Waiting too long between meals can also sap your energy, they 

add. Increase your metabolism by eating enough calories at 

regular intervals during the day. Try to have something small to 

eat every 2 to 3 hours. Avoid large gaps of time without food 

where your hunger completely takes over. If you skip meals, 

your body starts conserving energy because it lacks nutrients.

9. Stress

Conflict and stress can quickly deplete your energy resources. 

To deal with stress, it is best to take advise, communicate, 

compromise, and problem-solve. Cope with anxiety and stress 

by meditating, taking a walk, or breathing deeply and slowly. 

Keep a journal or diary by your bedside and write down the top 

issues that are stressing you out that day. By putting your 

thoughts on paper, you're giving your brain the approval to let 

them go for the night.

10. Lack of Self-Esteem

Spending all your time pleasing others and trying to fit in can 

be a big energy zapper. It takes so much energy to wear a 

mask to the world ... so that others will like you. It is exhausting 

and leaves you feeling utterly powerless.

Some tips for building self-confidence: 

• Get to know yourself. Who are you? What makes you 
• unique and different from anyone else?
• 
  
• Don't get caught in the comparison trap. Stop 
• comparing your insides to someone else's outsides. Instead
• , shift your focus and attention within and learn to become 
• more congruent by having your insides match your outsides. 
• Check in with yourself several times during the day and 
• notice how you're feeling.
• 
  
• Affirm your own self-worth. Replace negative self-talk with
•  positive affirmations. Affirmations are statements made in 
• the present tense as if they've already been achieved, such 
• as: I am worthy and deserving. I make a difference.
• 
  
• Rid yourself of jealousy. Stop focusing on what you don't 
• have, and start appreciating the gifts in your life. Jealousy is 
• one of the most negative energies and attracts more scarcity 
• and lack. Gratitude, along with joy and love, is the most 
• powerful energy.
• 
  
• Learn to love and accept yourself -- just the way you 
• are. Know that you're worthy and deserving of only the best. 
• We teach others how to treat us by the way we treat 
• ourselves, and unconditional love has to begin with you.

11. Saying Yes

Spending time doing things you don't really want to do can be 

another energy drainer. Do you tend to do things that fuel you? 

Or do you find that most of your time is spent on activities that 

deplete you? Your personal energy inventory is a reality check 

on where your energy is being distributed. I don't want you to 

perceive it as a list of problems, or a way to defend why things 

are the way they are. Instead, it is a way to raise your 

awareness about where all your energy is going and how to 

get it flowing back into your life." Here are some energy 

enhancers:

• Quality time with kids
• Reading good books
• Prayer
• Eating healthfully
• Quality time with friends
• Focusing on the positive
• Expressing gratitude
• Massages
• Celebrating special occasions