It’s funny… since Michael started talking about retirement… my social media feed is full of posts relating to this!
What you must do before you retire…
What not to do when you retire…
Top five things you need to know about retirement…
Aaargh!
But overnight a friend shared a post that I thought was really lovely.
It was about the British comedian Bob Mortimer talking about ageing and retirement.
He acknowledged that life naturally becomes smaller as people age…
Retirement, changing routines and fewer responsibilities can leave people searching for new ways to stay engaged…
So he tries to focus on happy memories and joyful moments…
Small moments of pleasure that can transform your mood.
Some people call this joy snacking…
Or glimmers…
Noticing something that makes you smile…
Or laugh out loud…
Or your heart do a giddy skip…
It might be something as simple as noticing a new flower in your garden…
Or listening to the sound of a Kookaburra laughing…
Feeling the sun on your face…
Or the taste of a hearty, warm soup…
Catching up with a friend you haven’t seen in a while…
Walking your dog…
A sunrise…
The first thing to do, is to pay attention…
To notice what’s happening right now.
Noticing when you have that sense of joy… or ‘wow’ moment…
Noticing how you feel in that moment.
Studies have found that frequent, small positive experiences are vital for overall happiness.
It doesn’t mean being happy all the time… or having a perfect life (whatever that is)…
Just noticing and indulging in small bursts of joy.
If you like, you can also note these moments down or reflect on them…
Maybe in a diary or journal…
Once a week, or on a daily basis…
Gratitude is about recognising and valuing what can easily be taken for granted.
So by noticing and enjoying these glimmers or joyful moments… and then noting them down…
This can help to build a routine of acknowledging these moments in life.
Going back to Bob Mortimer, he’s found joy in gardening…
Nurturing something, watching it grow… gives him a sense of purpose and something positive to focus on.
One of my joys is walking… mindfully… and especially in nature.
In retirement I’m hoping we get to explore lots of new walks…
Finding lots of joyful moments along the way.
A whole new stage of life.
Ann 🙏