Boomer Life Topics From Grief to Retirement on Best of Boomer Blogs #551

As Baby Boomers reach retirement age, there is a myriad of life topics we ponder and challenges to be dealt with. Loved ones, friends, and colleagues as well as those we admire, slowly begin to slip away. It’s a time to re-assess, re-energize, and reflect on what direction to take next. Each of us has the power of choice. It’s what we do with it that matters.

We may be contemplating where we’ll live as we grow older, destinations we’d love to travel to, how we can improve our mindset and achieve desired goals.  This week, Best of Boomer Blogs covers the gamut of these issues. We invite you to click on each link to read all the posts and share your thoughts in comments.

Let’s start with dealing with a loss and work our way up to happier life topics

There’s no getting around it. Most of us are 60+ so it’s inevitable that we’ll begin losing people we know and love.

Laura Lee Carter from The Adventures of the New Old Farts says, “The world lost a brilliant and thought-provoking boomer soul this past week when it lost Anthony Bourdain.” Learn more about him and his thoughts.

Many of us were dumbstruck when we heard the news of both Bourdain and Kate Spade’s suicides and have been having a tough time dealing with it.

I wrote a piece called Addressing Suicide: The Elephant in the Room for Baby Boomers because Boomers have the highest rate of self-inflicted death and there are signs to be aware of and help available.

Dealing with death and loss is difficult for most and is harder for some more than others. This week over at A Healing Spirit, Carol Cassara points out that when we hold too tightly, what we desire eludes us. A lighter touch often gets better results.

The best remedy for hopelessness is to have a goal

On Unfold And Begin, Jennifer reminds us that it’s important to keep our goals in mind and the best way to do that is with a visual reminder like a Vision Board.  That goes for professionals too and if the term Vision Board is too ooie-gooie for them, Jennifer offers an alternative, goal board, in Why Do Professionals Need A Vision Board.

It also helps to stay busy

Not all Baby Boomers are ready to give up their jobs and retire. Some are still in the workforce and plan to continue for as long as possible.

On the Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide, Rita R. Robison, consumer journalist, writes about the top 11 occupations held by Americans 65 and older. Higher education, farmers, and retail sales top the list. Higher education teachers 65 and older make up 11.3 percent of the workforce, and despite universities trying to buy out older professors, retirement offers are being declined, and 15 percent plan to keep teaching until they’re 80, according to SeniorLiving.com.

Then, there are those who are thinking about where to retire

An on-going discussion among pre-retirees and new retirees is where to spend the retirement years. Do I want to relocate? If so, where in the world do I want to go? What am I looking for in an ideal retirement community? Everyone’s answers are different, and one person’s ideal place does not appeal to all. Meryl Baer of Six Decades and Counting settled in a coastal community in New Jersey before her husband’s retirement, and they like it so much they are staying – for now. She lists twelve reasons why her town is a great retirement town.

Meryl likes New Jersey but Laura is happy with her Life in the Colorado Outback.

. . . and others are enjoying every minute of retirement

Tom Sightings crosses off one of the items on his Bucket List — spending a month retracing the steps of the emigrants on the Oregon Trail, from Independence, Missouri, to the west coast. Roll your mouse over End of the Journey for a report on the end of his adventure, and some final thoughts.

Are you ready for the next few decades?

Women over 50 often outlive their spouses I list 7 “tools” Baby Boomer women need to survive.

When it all comes down to it, it’s about being grateful for all that life has given us

Have you heard of ‘Gratitude Walking’?  Sue from Sizzling Towards 60 & Beyond only recently heard this term and found this to be the perfect alternative for keeping a journal.  The concept is easy and not only keeps us healthy physically but gives us time to focus on the things we are grateful for.  Why not try it today?

Enjoy these posts about Boomer life topics and please comment, and share them with your friends.