The benefits of getting older

Let’s think about some of the benefits of getting older … how many can you agree with? Increased wisdom and perspective: As we age, we often gain a deeper understanding of ourselves and the world around us, which can give us a greater sense of perspective and wisdom. Improved financial stability: Many people find that […]

Are you living your life?

I’m watching The Peripheral on Amazon Prime and one comment resonated – “If you knew you wouldn’t exist in 10 years would you change anything”. And then last night went to the cinema to see ‘Living’ with Bill Nighy a civil servant who finds out he has a terminal illness and makes significant changes.  He says it […]

Being happy as an introvert

People are different, different personality styles, different interests. And we can sometimes want to step outside our comfort zone. As we age, we may be clearer on our personality and be happy with, for example being alone, but others may want us to change. In work we may have acted ‘as if’ we were someone […]

The people in our lives

I’m working on my next book – working title Rethink Retirement to be published by Routledge next year. This post is a draft to include in the chapter on relationships. Now could be a time to review the people in our lives. Some, like family, have been there for much of our life, others we met along […]

The Vision Quest

I’m a Vision Quest Guide, supporting those who have been called to undertake a vision quest, sometimes known as a wilderness fast. This is nothing like a typical training course. This is not an easy option for people. It takes strength and courage. They have fears. And they have support. 4 years since my first […]

Have you thought about a sabbatical?

A time out to step off your busy life, contemplate a question, or consider your future. Some academics get a chance to do this every 7 years. This often takes them outside their lecturing and other work with students, it is often still work, but different, where they work on academic research and publishing. I […]

I’m 65 and one day

Two weeks ago I wrote about celebrations for a big birthday https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/celebrations-big-birthday-dr-denise-taylor-mba/ I said that I planned to mark it in ceremony. To create my own, deeper way of recognising the passing of the years, rather than a big party with cake, candles and balloons. I did it. Sunday, late afternoon I went to my […]

A personal story – Birthday plans

Planning my big birthday celebration in the wood. On 29th August I’ll be 65. This was the age men got their state pension and, as female, I should have had mine for 5 years. But things changed and I’ll now get mine in a year. Recently I’ve been thinking on birthdays and how to mark […]

Having Fun

There is fun, and then there is Type 2 Fun. These are the activities we only recognize as fun afterwards. They can be physically challenging such as mountain climbing or where there is a fear, perhaps of being laughed at. I do comedy improv classes and hadn’t realized this was Type 2 fun. I still […]