Have you ever thought about what will be going on with you in later life? And after you get the important stuff such as how & where you’ll live sorted, what shoes will you be wearing?
I often use a visualisation technique where I have a chat with myself plus 10 years if I have a decision to make, or just to see how the older & wiser me thinks I’m going. She gives me lots of valuable feedback and right now seems quite happy with how we’re trucking.
As I do for inspiration, I look at the people of my life, this time the generation before me, many of whom are at various stages of retirement and all are doing it differently, so I’ve decided it’s a good time to have a chat with my much older self: me plus 25 years.
2012 me: How are you doing in general?
2037 me: Pretty good. We live well but not extravagantly and get pleasure from the simplicity of our life. The garden is looking great and feeds us & the chooks. We’re still doing projects on the house to amuse ourselves but all the planning ahead and work you did in the early days fixing it up and making it energy & environmentally friendly paid off.
2012 me: What are you doing?
2037 me: Much as I thought. We’ve never really retired in the true sense of the word. Both of us continue to work, but it’s flexible: partly self-employed, casual, part-time & changing, depending on if we’re at home or travelling. Not for the money but to stay active and in touch with the world. Ok, the money is handy too.
2012 me: How did things work out financially?
2037 me: Not so bad. You did good paying off the house, not incurring any more debt & keeping those savings. The superannuation funds, well, they are what they are but I don’t have to worry. There’s enough.
2012 me: What’s been the best part of retirement?
2037 me: I stopped planning everything, and take things as they come. To travel and be indulgent with the amount of time we take to look around, be present & enjoy. At home, to see what the day brings.
2012 me: Are you well?
2037 me: Better than ever. Simple living suits me. I’m more active and life lends itself to “everything in moderation”. I found fulfilment in a lifestyle I believe in, and living with integrity.
2012 me: What do you miss from your pre-retirement life?
2037 me: Aaah, a guilty pleasure – home delivery dinner. Logistically we usually have to pre-think it and even though some nights we’d kill for Thai or pizza, when we indulge it generally disappoints. Life moves on.
2012 me: Do you still wear my favourite boots?
2037 me: Mostly practicality dictates my footwear and my true state of bliss is barefoot walking on the beach. But yes, I have the tan leather high heel boots we bought over 30 years ago. Worn with a pair of favourite jeans, as the saying goes “they complete me”.
Make time for a chat with your older & wiser self. You’ll be glad you did.
“You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself any direction you choose.
You’re on your own, and you know what you know.
And you are the one who’ll decide where you’ll go.
Oh the places you’ll go.” Dr Seuss
Shortly after I began WordPress blogging I came across Commonwealth Bank’s Women in Focus Global Blogger Search Competition – In My Shoes. It was a great opportunity to practise blogging and continue my D.I.Y. social media education. For me the prize was the process, although it would have been a hoot to travel to New York or Mt Kilimanjaro with Mrs S.
Fortunately several elladee post ideas leant themselves to the theme. Now the competition has ended I’m posting them as intended, with a few edits thanks to wisdom of Robin Coyle.
This is post 2 of 4 of my blog “one foot in front of the other”.
daleleelife101.blog 
I shall have to give this a try.
LikeLike
Excellent. It’s been very useful to me 🙂
LikeLike
Good Lord! Wisdom of Robin Coyle? You flatter me! But thank you for the lovely shout out!
Me, 2013? Published, God willing.
LikeLike
Excellent… then me 2013 lounging on the verandah futon reading it 🙂
LikeLike
How interesting. But I think I would be talking to younger wiser roughseas of 20 years ago 😀
If I was to do a post like that, it would be more me of 15/20 years ago talking to me now so I could give the real answers about what happened. Or maybe one of each – what I thought would happen – and what did. Very very different.
LikeLike
It would be an interesting post. Do it 🙂
LikeLike
I might, and it probably would. No idea what old me would say anyway. Can’t imagine me in xx years time. Not for today as got other things on.
LikeLike
Oh and you have changed your blog!!! I like it 🙂
LikeLike
Thanks. I needed a wider text space, and a side bar so I could add widgets.
LikeLike
Awards 🙂 Would you like the Illuminating Blog award? I’ve just been given it and more than happy to pass it to you as you are always giving me them. You’ll have to visit the blog who gave it to me though as I never both adding the pix (you may have noticed). Check out bringing europe home comments (robin) on my last post.
LikeLike
I’m ok for awards but thanks, I still have one from June I haven’t responded to…bad, bad… I wanted the sidebar mainly so I could profile my likes, and it grew from there. When I first started blogging I had no idea about such things 🙂
LikeLike
Wonderful stuff! I used to do this when I was younger, but haven’t in ages. What a brilliant reminder 🙂
LikeLike
It’s great regardless of whether you go forward or back in time. A song on the radio meant I got to the last part of my morning walk earlier this week in the company of my 15 year old self 🙂
LikeLike
Wish I had had the insight to have these types of conversations with myself 20 years back! But then I am a slow starter in this type of arena. Better late than never…
LikeLike
We could all have done with those conversations, if I’d had more, listened more, I’d never have had the opportunity to write the “No Egrets” post 🙂
LikeLike
I don’t know that I want to think of myself as getting that much older. Haha. 🙂
LikeLike
Hah. I have so many retirees in my extended family & friends, it’s a hard reaility to miss. The alternative is worse 😉
LikeLike
I think taking things as they come is definitely one of the keys to happiness. Of course the teachings of Dr. Seuss are always helpful. Oh, The Places You’ll Go is my favourite Seuss book and I think it should be requred text. 🙂
“Today is your day.
Your mountain is waiting
So…get on your way!”
LikeLike
Thank you. Dr Seuss always has the answer 🙂
LikeLike
I love this visualization idea. I never thought of it, but it’s brilliant. I’m happy to hear your future self thinks your on a good path. She seems so well grounded too. Something to be proud of. 😉
LikeLike
Thank you. I’m happy to share it as it was passed on to me half a life time ago through some “work” I did. It was a fabulous discovery to find my past selves still around like old friends & future selves happy to contibute their thoughts. You’re never alone.
LikeLike
What a great idea, and a strangely touching post. I’m nervous of doing it myself though.
LikeLike
Thank you. It’s one of those things you don’t have to do but is always there if you need to 🙂
LikeLike
I haven’t really thought of growing old. I sometimes I wish that I’d die young-ish. Or maybe because I don’t want to deal with the financial aspect of life, hah!
LikeLike
Your older selves definitely deserve to vote on that!
LikeLike
Good for you, sounds like your later years work out very well for you.. 🙂
LikeLike
Thank you. That’s what we’re working towards. My future chooks even got a mention 😉
LikeLike
In the blogosphere, we find many things related to art, photographs, music, experiences and more. Today on your blog appreciate your reflections and thoughts. Thanks.
Cruz del Sur…
LikeLike
Thank you for the lovely comment. The blogging world offers much 🙂
LikeLike
Always good to be friends with yourself. Very creative and well done! I really like the line under the surfing picture.
LikeLike
Thank you – my self has certainly been interesting to know. I’ve always had more dreams than plans. So planning for the future took some getting my head around. We have a mud map for future plans, but who knows…
LikeLike
I really like you approach to this topic. Thanks for such an interesting post!
LikeLike
Thank you for the lovely comment. Luckily I enjoy my own company as I seem to encounter my older & yonger selves quite regularly 😉
LikeLike