I have a 17-year-old daughter who is finishing up a year in Vitoria, Brazil. She's been having the time of her life in a gorgeous coastal city with the beaches of her dreams and the cute guys to match. What's not to like?
Tara told us that we could buy a beautiful home ("All marble floors!") on a spectacular beach ("White sand!") in a number of lovely cities ("Amazing architecture!") with friendly neighbors ("Dancing all night with people who don't know you but love you anyway!")
In fact, she helpfully suggested that we could snag one of these properties for a mere $100,000...less than half of the median price for a typical house in our area.
She went on to say that we could buy a house on the coast in Brazil and retire there, with a delightful lifestyle, plenty of great friends, outstanding and inexpensive medical care, and zero chance of boredom or loneliness.
We weren't surprised that she suggested this. After all, she has an ulterior motive--why, SHE could be the one to manage the property until we decide to retire! She would, of course, have to live in beautiful, coastal, hunk-heavy, dance-crazed Brazil in order to do this, but she was willing to make this supreme sacrifice to support our perfect retirement.
How thoughtful. No, really. It sounds fantastic. I'm turning 45 in June, and that's not too early to think about how I want to spend the next few phases of my life. I truly appreciate the suggestion.
The people I admire most are those who continue to reinvent themselves about every decade, and who laugh out loud at the notion of retirement. They're on their fifth or sixth "career" and fully expect to have a couple more, just for fun.
What we really long for in retirement is time to play, and what we don't recognize is that we should be playing on a daily basis. We need to live our lives in a way that connects us to our creativity and joy. Think of it as the Brazilian plan.
How do you picture yourself at age 65? 75? 85? You've got a decent shot at living to be 100.
Howard and Marika Stone have been inspiring people to reinvent themselves as they get older. On their website, 2Young2Retire.com, they share dozens of stories of folks who have done just that. Their intention is to help others "navigate the uncharted waters of longevity" and they do so with great passion and humor.
Whether we're 20 or 70, we can use mindfulness to help us see who we want to be next. The first step? Pay attention to what we consider to be FUN. Focus on what we do that feels like we're playing instead of working. Notice our "guilty pleasures"--those things we do when we think we should be working on something else.
Here's the good news: You can get paid for having fun. You can help your community while you're doing what you can only describe as goofing off. You can learn new skills and demonstrate overlooked talents in a way that helps others while making you laugh. And it's not too early to start thinking about what that might look like.
Retire your idea of retirement and embrace the concept of reinvention. Look at what you're dreaming about doing, and be mindful of how you can start "investing" in your opportunities for greater fun. That's my personal prescription for the not-enough-Social-Security blues.
That, and perhaps finding a lovely house on the coast in Brazil, where I can become fluent in Portuguese and become a painter, or a novelist, or start a school, or build a playground, or design a community garden, or write songs, or dance til dawn, or be the happiest grandmother alive. Or all of the above.
I'll tell my daughter to start looking.
Maya Talisman Frost is a mind masseuse in Portland, Oregon. Through her company, Real-World Mindfulness Training, she teaches fun and effective eyes-wide-open alternatives to meditation. To subscribe, please visit http://www.massageyourmind.com
recurring maid service Winnetka ...The Costa del Sol has long been one of the... Read More
Aquitaine with its 5 departments; Dordogne, Gironde, Landes, Lot-et-Garonne, Pyr?n?es-Atlantiques.Weather:... Read More
Real estate in Gatlinburg is thriving. While the 2000 census... Read More
Stay a week or stay a lifetime, the Emerald Coast... Read More
Made famous by Revolutionary events, infamous by cold winters, and... Read More
There are a few patterns to consider when looking for... Read More
As beautiful and modern as Cozumel is, visitors must remember... Read More
When it comes to shopping for something on-line, we tend... Read More
Many vacationers on Hilton Head Island have discovered a simple... Read More
The county of Dorset on England's south coast is a... Read More
Vacation packages are a great way for travelers to book... Read More
India has always been an irresistible tourist destination for people... Read More
As a family, we have been visiting Orlando since 1998,... Read More
Five Affordable World Travel Destinations Locations That Offer... Read More
Most of us take vacations for the express purpose of... Read More
Everybody knows someone who has been on one and an... Read More
Hospitable to all of our visitors, rental agencies on Hilton... Read More
People often ask me why we keep returning year after... Read More
Valencia is the third city of Spain, by number of... Read More
Wiltshire is a large English county situated in central southern... Read More
Taking the plunge from average vacationer to vacation property owner... Read More
The real secret to cheap family vacations is to be... Read More
A trip to the Bahamas does not have to also... Read More
More often than not, a person will base his or... Read More
Considering a romantic or family Costa Rica vacation? You're choosing... Read More
elite cleaning services Deerfield ...The DeLaunay House, located 185 N. Pioneer in Ashland is... Read More
In November, 2004, my wife Terry and I visited Paris... Read More
Stay a week or stay a lifetime, the Emerald Coast... Read More
The real secret to cheap family vacations is to be... Read More
There are a few patterns to consider when looking for... Read More
The southern English county of Hampshire is only two hours... Read More
How many of you have seen the classic Chevy Chase... Read More
A beautiful and inexpensive place without a tourist in sight.... Read More
More often than not, a person will base his or... Read More
Did you ever worry when traveling about the weather? Most... Read More
Vancouver will receive a lot of attention as the 2010... Read More
Making the decision to dive into the world of timeshares... Read More
Most of the time, when an individual is planning a... Read More
Fancy holidaying somewhere unusual? How about a 7 day tornado... Read More
Holiday time is around the corner and its time to... Read More
Hilton Head Island's mild climate, slow pace, and beautifully forested... Read More
Punta Cana is an affordable destination in a magnificent tropical... Read More
If a vacation, as defined by a dictionary is: 'leisure... Read More
When it comes to shopping for something on-line, we tend... Read More
Aphrodite's Hot SpotEuropean Road Trip AdventuresCyprus. Yes, it is a... Read More
Condo hotels, also known as condotels, are a relatively new... Read More
The secret treasure of Davenport's and Kissimmee's townhouses.Though usually Orlando... Read More
When vacation time rolls around, some people choose to stay... Read More
Following the horrendous events on Boxing Day 2005 The Maldives... Read More
Choosing a condo in Maui is definitely a great investment.... Read More
Vacation Rental |