Happiness Won 3 to 1 in 2011! What about today?

I published this article in 2011. I found it today while looking for another link.  It was a flash from the past and I could only think that things have changed in the last few years in such a drastic way. Those people that were turning 50 when the economic crisis hit 4 years ago are probably not feeling quite as depressed.  Maybe they have adjusted or maybe things were not a gloomy as the news and economist had them thinking. The truth was we did not know what would happen and the unknown is always disturbing. I just thought you might be interested in this.  Sometimes it is good to take a look back.

Grumpy Retirees: Harvard Reports Happiness Wins 3 to 1  (Retire In Style Blog 9/29/11)

Look around the room when a group of your friends are gathered together.  Would you say that out of 10 friends at least 7.5 of them are happy with their retirement?  Do those 7.5 get up in the morning  full of ideas and make every day a good one?  And what about the rest; do they act like grumpy old people?  

A poll done done by NPR in collaboration with the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation and Harvard School of Public Health, revealed that 1 in 4 retirees find that retirement is not as good as they expected. 

This poll was conducted in order to capture first-hand the perspective of those
who will shape the nature of retirement moving forward: people over age 50, including not only people who have retired, but also people who plan to retire (“pre-retirees”) and those who do not plan to do so. 

In an article published by the Harvard School of Public Health summarizing the poll they stated:

"Findings show that a large majority of retirees say life in retirement is the same (44%) or better (29%) than it was during the five years before they retired. Many retirees say their stress is less, their relationships with loved ones are better, their diet is improved and the amount of time they spend doing favorite activities is increased—yet 25 percent of retirees say life is worse."(Poll: Retirement and Health Summary. NPR, Robert Woods Johnson Foundation and Harvard School of Public Health)

There are two ways of looking at this--three are happy and that is good. But why are 25% of retirees unhappy with their lives?

In an article published on Blog Critics yesterday the possibility that  25% were unhappy before they retired was sited as a possibility.  I just wonder if that might not be true.  Not everyone gets up in good spirits.  They probably are not morning people.

But the poll revealed a lot more than just the "happy issue".  In my mind it raised the question about the mind set of those people over 50.  It seems that they do not think that the retirement they had dreamed about was going to happen as soon as they had hoped and some even thought it would never happen.  Issues with health care and affordable insurance and monthly income have them worried.  And 25% of those already retired are discontented in one way or another.

I can only compare this attitude to the one that people take when selling their house in this market.  They cannot get past the value of their house now as compared to what it was worth 4-5 years ago.  I hear them saying "I am not going to come down that much...I am so far down from where I was I just can't see that MY house is worth that little."  They cannot face the reality of our recession economy.  

Retirement is not the end of the journey. It is just a cross roads. You can turn this way or that depending on the choices you make.  Asking yourself if you are happy doing what you are doing is only smart no matter the economy.  But in the end the retiree will be the one deciding what to make of the years to come.  For those of us that were raised by depression parents, the image of parents working to live and enjoying life in simple ways, the answer is very clear.  We know that money is not the answer to happiness.  The financial part is a matter of making do with what you have.  But happiness happens inside your mind.  They are probably not related as much as we think. 

In an article published by Bob Lowery on his blog called Satisfying Retirement, he talked about living on less--a lot less.  Bob knows what he is talking about because he has done it for many years.  He teaches retirees how to live on less.  People give up cars, pay off the mortgage by downsizing and carry no credit card debt.  Coupons and online shopping help cut the cost for necessities and make the non-essentials more affordable.  He touts living off the grid with no cable TV.  The list goes on and on.  He thinks life is good and he quoted one person as saying, "I have less money than when I worked but I enjoy my life even more."

So could it be that some people over 50 are grumpy and full of gloom and doom because they are now and have always been dissatisfied with what they have?  Have they been yearning for the grass on the other side of the fence?  Couldn't it be that their lives are actually wonderful in so many ways and they just can't see the good side of it all?  But most importantly what would it take to keep that 25% happy?  Maybe there would never be enough.  It is just a thought. 

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FYI:  I do realize that poverty and life circumstances can make life simply unbearable for many people.  It is my belief that we cannot abandon humans that have run into situations beyond their control.  It is people like me with adequate income and good health that I speak to.  

Thank you for reading.

A similar article: Article first published as Poll Shows Many Retirees Happy, But What About the Rest? on Blogcritics.

Related articles

• Poll: Seniors Disappointed By Golden Years (npr.org)
• How to Retire...Live on LESS Than You Have (retireinstyleblog.com)
• Just a Few Good Reasons to Retire by Erik Braunitzer (retireinstyleblog.com)
• Good News...life on Venus is wonderful! 50 is the new 40! (retireinstyleblog.com)
• Cell Phones...a luxury or necessity! (retireinstyleblog.com)

An invitation to link: 5 Small Things To Do...Everyday

There are things that I think we should do everyday...not big things but small things, doable, and real.  Why? Because big elephants need to be eaten one bite at a time. When we look at the whole, we become discouraged and stuck. Think about these small things. This is an invitation to link to this post in the comments with your blog post about your 5 things:

1. Savor waking up every morning.  Have you ever thought about the miracle of sleeping and waking every day of your life?  It is one of the most amazing things. Begin each day slowly, savoring the joy of being awake to greet the day.
2. Walk fast for a little distance. Time is no problem because a short distance can take a matter of seconds. Who knows, if you begin with a very short fast walk, you may find yourself walking fast for a little longer each day. Don't pay attention to how long or far...just walk until you are done and then be done!
3. Smile at someone. Is there a scientific reason we should smile?  I don't know nor do I care. I just know that it is something we need to do everyday. The more the better.
4. Be a little grateful.  Not to much because I do know that too much forced gratitude will dilute the quality of your thoughts.  Focus.
5. Make yourself shine...the very old saw cleanliness is next to godliness may be true. Take the time to wash and brush and reflect on the wonder of the vessel given to you that you may live another day.

Thoughts on my 5 things:

My Garden and Sanctuary

• Savoring Morning sets the tone for the whole day, each and every day. I personally make myself sit up and hold a cup of hot liquid in my hand, sipping myself awake each and everyday. It is not a task to do or a time for prayer. It is savoring the time of day. I am more creative, happier and rested when I start the day. When I was working I would do this each morning for just ten minutes. By the time I climbed out of my bed I was ready to face the day with joy.
• Walking Exercise is important. We all know that BUT when it becomes onerous and time consuming, it weighs on our minds and soul. But a short fast walk? We can all do that everyday. Exercise is like a good book in that we need to start at the beginning to appreciate and love it.
• Smiling Human contact is one of those things we need to remain alive. When denied human love, babies actually die. Talking care of basic human needs will not keep them alive.  Smile at a human, talk to a human, be alive.
• Gratitude The reason I think that a the focus for our gratitude is important has come to me over a long period of time. Have you noticed that when you say "thank you" to a friend for a kind deed, the thank you is more meaningful the first time than after you have said it 10 times?  Gratitude is like that.  One or two thoughts of gratitude are enough for one day...at least for me. Then I try to focus on those thoughts.
• Cleanliness...it can help Clean teeth actually helps your mental functioning. Frequent hand washing keeps disease away and so on. I want to add to that list. I think that people that live long value their life and the body they are given. Beyond breathing and eating which are not choices in our daily life, up lifting daily habits result in a quality life. (Information from 17 Day Plan to Stop Aging (review here), Dr. Mike Moreno)

What are your 5 things?  I would love have you think about it and write a post.  I invite you to leave a link in a comment.

b

Note: The 17 Day Plan to Stop Aging (available on Amazon)

I reviewed this book on Blog Critics recently. The book is jam packed with so much information. The book reinforced the daily habits listed above. I received the book as a gift from Free Press

There is a blog called 5 Things to do Today. I should give credit where credit is due...the writer of 5 Things to do Today inspired me!

Interesting pdf file (put text in Google search):  (Spirituality and health:  What we know, what we need to know Linda K George; David B Larsons; Harold G Koeing; Michael E McCullough
Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology; Spring 2000; 19, 1; Psychology Module)

Some Days!!!! or Your Shoes Don't Match!

I was trying to get an article for Blog Critics whipped into shape so Jon Sobel, the guy in charge could publish it...my cat decided I needed to up really early...my daughter is out of town and her dog has to be put out in the morning and in at night...I really want  a new pair of running (walking) shoes.

The cat shows up at 7:15 am, sits by my bed and meows until I get up and turn the water on in the sink just a little so he can drink.  Remind me again why we have a cat!

I really wanted to have this article published on Blog Critics so when I turned on my ipad and saw an email from them I jumped on it in a hurry.  It took me all day to figure out that I need to close the window to the website before they can see anything...very frustration.

I needed to put my daughter's dog out and got dressed hurridly(can't spell) fast.  As I was heading out the door I looked down and this is what I saw!

Yes, they are the same brand but still.  You would think that I could multitask by now but obviously I am not getting it right.  

But never let it be said that I am too busy to shop for shoes...no siree!  

Have a wonderful day!

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Hang onto your hats! Tom's Shoes founder commented on my blog and I sold our Condo!

I'm very sorry...it has been a very busy month, week, day.  I am trying to wrap my mind around what has happened.  It started very simply.  My Granddaughter and Grandson had birthdays.  My son and his family flew in from China.  Then the grandson graduated from high school.  My blog was recognized on Virtual Granny and I received a comment from Brent Mycoskie, founder of Tom's Shoes, for a piece I wrote for Blog Critics. AND to top it all off my house sold today.  Two offers came in within 24 hours and it seems we have sold the condo.

But other than that nothing much has happened.  Sorry to disappoint you.  Life as a retiree can be very slow.  But not today!!!!

The house sale was huge and greatly desired.  My grandson graduating from high school was the best.  Being recognized by Virtual Granny is so important to me.  But a comment from Brent Mycoskie is beyond anything.  Really.  He has done such a wonderful thing by creating a for profit business that supports itself and also provides one pair of shoes for a child that is barefoot for every pair sold to people like you and me.  I am sure that my grandson would hope to do something as meaningful during his lifetime.  I want you to read his comment, go to his website and reflect on what he has done:

Thanks for the mention of TOMS in your blog. Yes, the ATT ad was a driving force in moving the company to a profitable position which has now allowed the launch of a new one-for-one giving vision back to people in under-developed countries. Hopefully, there will be more to follow. ATT continues to be a great partner with TOMS on many fronts. They sponsored a "shoe drop" in September during which the 1 millionth pair of shoes was given. ATT execs traveled with TOMS to Argentina for that milestone event.

Read more: http://blogcritics.org/culture/article/tv-ads-with-a-social-conscience/#comments#ixzz1QXdMfbWQ

So what does a retiree do all day?  She just hangs onto her hat.

Have a wonderful week.

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Sunday Comics...the New York Times, Howling Roadrunners and other stuff!

In the New York Times:
At the very top of page this morning there was an article about Arizona, restrictive covenants in neighborhoods and grass.  It seems that here in Arizona where water is at a premium, if you own a home with a lawn, you have to keep it green!  There is no choice according to the NYTimes article:

Homeowners’ associations in this arid region typically have rules requiring residents to maintain either desert landscaping or green grass, with brown lawns not an option.

     I have had experience with all the rules that living in a "modern" community involve. The community I live in back in Oregon has rules for everything.  I am sure the color of our lawn is important to them.  But back in Oregon it rains a lot so water is not a huge problem. In the past, homeowners in the Willamette Valley have let their lawns go brown in the summer when the rains decreased. They would keep it mowed very short so when the lawns catch on fire, the house does not burn down. Believe it or not that has happened. But I cannot imagine that the aesthetic of a modern community would allow that now. We have come to think of aesthetics first. Saving resources is not high on the list.
     But Arizona???  Really????  Wouldn't a lawn that is mowed very short be okay brown during a time when the temperature went over 100 day after day?  Obviously not. Well anyway, it seems that people have gotten creative.  One guy has even started a business painting lawns. It would cost the home owner about $200 every three month. I don't know how much water would cost but I am assuming it would be a lot.
     You knew this was coming...here is what I think.  I think we need to lighten up a bit.

Roadrunner on the golf course.

In our front yard.

Hummingbirds at a feeder.

     The humming bird is back in the tiny nest she built on a string of lights under our carport last year.  I always wonder how she remembers where we live?  I was tempted to take the light down earlier this year...those aesthetics you know.  Now I know we will keep them up until she never comes back again. This year we are hoping that the eggs hatch and we can see at least a little bit of the babies. Last year, the babies hatched on the morning we left.  Our friend had to refill the feeder until they flew away. I love our feisty little humming birds.
     The Roadrunner gave us a start the other day. It sat on the fence around the tennis court and made a sound like a trapped dog. We got up and went outside to see if a dog was hurt in Pantano Wash.  No dog. It was a Roadrunner with his neck stretched out to it's maximum length howling like a wounded Rottweiler! I did not know they could do that! Maybe he swallowed Wiley Coyote.

On the web.
     Ari Cohen at AdvanceStyle posted an interview with a 80+ year old blogger from the UK the other day.  He said this about her:

Rita Marcus, a blogger in her 80s, proves you are never too old to learn about new technology. I met Rita while in London for my project with Selfridges last Summer. She told me about her wonderful blog VeryOldGrandmother.com and I have been a fan ever since.

     I am adding her to my bloglist.  I know her name says she is a very old grandmother but from where I stand she is looking younger by the day.  Stop by Advanced Style to read the interview and then visit this talented woman at her blog soon.
     ApartmentTherapy.com is have their 7th Annual Smallest Coolest Home Contest.  I found the one I liked and voted it  up.  It is a 350 square foot 5 floor walkup with left over furniture and big windows.  Wander on over that way and cast your ballot.  You will need to sign up for the website but is it a breeze.

Sunday night deadline.
     My dead line is passing so I will post this now.  Follow me on the Google Follow button.  Leave a comment so I can visit your blog soon.  Go over to BlogCritics where you will find more of my writing. (Article first published as Knowledge vs Opinion Are we so Opinionated Because we are Stupid or Just not Informed! on Blogcritics.) Thank you for coming by.

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When Being COOL Means Being OLD....Blogcritics.com published my story!

Image via WikipediaArticle published as I'm Old...Just Shoot Me Now! on Blogcritics.


     In an article I just published on Blogcritics.com I talked about how watching my husband and I age worries my children. Because it turns out I may be the healthiest although not the youngest in their aging parent group, I am measuring the reactions of the offspring. I am like the youngest child.  I am watching to see what my children do about the other-in-laws. I may need to be careful in the years to come. Maybe!
     Boy do I love my life...writing for fun and even a little money keeps me going with a lot of enthusiasm. I have found that retirement is a lot more meaningful for me since I have started doing what I wanted to do when I was young. I have abandon the dreams of being a model or a brain surgeon. Some dreams will never be and it could be I didn't want to do that stuff anyway. But writing makes me happy. Wouldn't it be wonderful if every thing we chose to pursue did that?  
     I hope you take the time to click on the link above and find out how really COOL I am. Giggle!


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