I’m Brian – not Bridget! – Jones and this is my diary. It’s about what really matters in life – staying healthy, keeping your finances on track, setting goals and making the most of time. It’s about seeing the world, engaging with modern society, enjoying leisure and being with family and friends.
The search for meaning, part 4. What is my passion?
My now four-day quest for meaning is getting more purposeful. As paid work recedes I am beginning to conclude I need to find myself something structured to do. The article I featured yesterday had a link to one of those personality tests where you answer a series of multiple choice questions that reveal the sortContinue reading “The search for meaning, part 4. What is my passion?”
The search for meaning, Part 3. Pleasure AND purpose
In my ongoing quest for meaning in retirement I found another great online article which really did resonate. It’s by retirement planning coach Larry Jacobson and describes why fulfilment or meaning is ao important in retirement. It’s certainly dawning on me that spending the rest of my life simply seeking pleasure will not be enough. Continue reading “The search for meaning, Part 3. Pleasure AND purpose”
The search for meaning, part 2. What nourishes my soul?
My bid to find meaning in retirement gets underway today and I’ve found an interesting article in Psychology Today, here’s an excerpt: “No matter how much you look forward to retirement, you may wake up the morning after your last day at work and feel sadness or anxiety. For decades, your days and weeks were structured. SometimesContinue reading “The search for meaning, part 2. What nourishes my soul?”
It’s time for me to find the meaning of meaning
I’ll be 60 in under a month. Thanks partly to coronavirus that big milestone I was so focused on will pass by with more of a whimper than a bang. No party, no holiday, not even a meal out. Maybe a small family gathering in the garden. Nothing wrong with that, of course. I shallContinue reading “It’s time for me to find the meaning of meaning”
Fancying a pigeon, that’s a first
It’s a June the first like no other with all manner of freedoms restored we never dreamt we could lose. If I had a primary school child in reception, year 1 or year 6 I could send them to school this morning, that’s assuming the unions, teachers and parents are in agreement. The sound ofContinue reading “Fancying a pigeon, that’s a first”
May I continue to feel good
Am starting to feel good as May comes to an end. I’ve got used to the lockdown restrictions just as they are coming to an end. At the same time I’m looking forward to the resumption of normal life as we head into June. Despite the unprecedented challenges of the last few months I’ve maintainedContinue reading “May I continue to feel good”
First restaurant visit since lockdown
Went into a restaurant yesterday evening for the first time since Saturday, March 14th. To all intents and purposes it was a normal restaurant. There were tables, chairs and a bar area with a line of traditional looking wooden tap handles for the draught beer that I could almost taste. There was hatch through toContinue reading “First restaurant visit since lockdown”
How we spend our time during lockdown
The UK’s Office for National Statistics published a report a couple of days ago that make fascinating reading. It’s got the snappy title ‘Coronavirus and how people spent their time under lockdown’‘ and covers the period March 28 to April 26 and makes fascinating reading. As I’ve hit retirement – time – and how IContinue reading “How we spend our time during lockdown”
I’ve gone back to Wordfeud during lockdown
Wordfeud is like an edgy version of Scrabble, the game play is identical in that you have seven scoring letter tiles and make words on a board. The difference is the game’s developers have altered the board to make it more exciting. These changes makes it more likely that you can combine a double andContinue reading “I’ve gone back to Wordfeud during lockdown”
What do you buy the 60 years-old man with everything?
My 60th birthday is just a month away and I’ve started to get that perennial – tri-annual to be exact – question, what presents do I want? There’s Father’s Day on June 21st, my birthday a week or so later and, of course, Christmas Day. I was planning a big celebration party for my 60thContinue reading “What do you buy the 60 years-old man with everything?”
Some Useful Links
The Centre for Ageing Better – A UK-based Lottery-funded project which works to create change in policy and practice to improve housing, health, employment and communities.
The Oxford Institute of Population Ageing – Useful research and an interesting blog
Later Life – A range of courses helping people prepare for retirement
British Heart Foundation – 20 retirement transition tips from Britain’s leading heart charity
Age UK – an interesting article about preparing emotionally for retirement
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