TRY SOMETHING NEW WITHOUT WASTING TIME

People frequently tell us they want to try something new. When we follow up with them, we often find out they haven't even taken the first step. There's a lot of lip service between what people say they want to do, and what they actually do. We have begin to analyze why.

A big and not surprising factor, is that it can come down to jealousy. That's right, jealousy of safeguarding one's time and money! Today, more so than ever before, people want a good return on their investment of time and money. We understand that expectation because we do to! But we also know that people are eager to find new hobbies, interests, passions, whatever...so you do have to expend time, effort and money to find out what you like and don't like. This is where people get stuck. They don't want to spend the money or time on something they might not like---but then again, it could be time and money spent on something they do like. Frustration is an obvious result, as well as feeling frozen, or in limbo, waiting to take that first or next step.

We have a few ideas to share that will help people get unstuck and begin to rewire in a cost-effective way.

For example, if you want to learn something about 19th century art, you can sign up for a 6 week $600 course at a local museum. But what if after the second class you discover it isn't what you wanted to learn. Now that's a problem; you're thinking, money and time wasted. So rather than running the risk of being disappointed and a little poorer, people convince themselves to do nothing. We understand their reluctance because time and money are both precious commodities, especially today.

But wait. How about managing your risk with a free or low cost seminar before you take the plunge? Now there's an opportunity. You would be amazed at the number of free lectures, seminars, classes, and other offers on the internet. Take a look at some of the GROUPON offers...or offers coming through Amazon.com. Some people automatically use them, and others automatically click them off! We say look before you delete! Your future fun could be lost once you hit that delete button!

Museums offer free lectures that are excellent and inspiring. You can meet like minded people interested in the same topic that you are pursuing, or if you are feeling like a hermit, you can learn new and exciting things on -line. How you choose to experience new things is your call...but our point is that there are FREE things to try before you plunk down your hard earned cash. You just have to do some investigation to find one that fits your interest. It's a great way to "try before you buy." These type of offers can get you started on a rewiring path to a new interest or an old one that you want to rekindle.

How do I do it? Just go to your browser and type Free Seminars and your city or town name. Then see what pops up. Usually the local newspaper or magazine has a listing. Do it now---your future is waiting.

Do Your Heavy Lifting Travel Early

I just came back from 10 magical days in Peru. Visiting Machu Picchu was the initial objective for the trip but seeing Peru’s many other treasures made the whole trip an even greater experience. Too often people omit visiting country capitals; they view them as being only big cities, but Lima, the only capital of a South American country located on water, was a highlight and a culinary surprise. The food in Lima was delicious, especially if you like fish and ceveche, and a great drink called a Pisco Sour! Cuzco, one of the highest cities in the western hemisphere, and the capital of the Incas was beautiful and the magnificent historical site, Machu Picchu was beyond words; everything that I had imagined, and more.

Machu Picchu, home of the Incans, is the crown jewel of Peru. It is also one of the great wonders of the world and a UNESCO site. I learned so much about history, the rise and fall of the Incan empire, and what archeologists and scientist are doing to preserve such a unique site. I also discovered that many people had visiting Machu Picchu on their “bucket list.” Many people told me that they had wanted to visit Machu Picchu for years and now that they were there they were wishing they had done it years earlier! The oldest person I met hiking the ruins was a 77 year old woman who although loving the experience said she wished she had done it 20 years earlier…when she was fitter and definitely more agile. Simply put, many of us have dreams of what we will do when we rewire, or retire, and our recommendation is “to do your heavy lifting sooner rather than later.” We aren’t saying that this 77 year old woman did not have a great experience because she did, but not everyone wants to, or can be climbing rocks, or steep stone stairs in an oxygen-diminished place (it’s located at 7700 feet above sea level) when they are older. (and only you can define older—we’re not here to pass age judgment!)

Rick Miners, my husband and co-author of DON’T RETIRE, REWIRE! and I have always advocated doing the heavy lifting first when it comes to travel. In other words, do the more strenuous travel when you are in good shape. People often tell us that they have visiting Angkor Wat, the Great Wall of China, the sand dunes of Namibia or Ayers Rock on their bucket lists. These can be wonderful adventures, but not necessarily for the weak of heart or knee. Our rewiring® advice? Get them on your travel schedules as early as possible. Of course you’ll see people aged 70 or 75 at these extraordinary sites but most admit wondering what the experience would be like if they were younger and in better health. Sometimes you can put off going on a trip and then have it become too physically intimidating or medically impossible to go.

I’m not working for Peru tourism however… the Sacred Valley, religious temples, mummies, remnants of the Spanish conquistadors, Lake Titicaca, great crafts, lovely people, even golf courses, not to mention Machu Picchu are reasons to put Peru on your bucket list. What makes it additionally interesting is that the Incans had no written language and no way to do the architectural feats they accomplished.

So check out what you have on your own bucket list (and we hope you have one!) and start to prioritize what trips and adventures you should undertake sooner rather than later!

Do your heavy lifting first! We’re not doom and gloom people, just realists!

Observing 9/11: Did You Reflect On Your Last 10 Years?

We have lived through the 10th anniversary of September 11,2001, and saw the nation reflect on the tragic loss of life in New York City, at the Pentagon and in Pennsylvania. Living in New York City I found myself having more questions about that day, as well as more emotions than I had imagined that I would feel.

I heard so many of those who had lost loved ones say that 9/11 seemed like yesterday. I knew what they meant because although my own Father died 20 years ago next month, it still feels like I just saw him.

So along with mourning I decided to take some time, to stop, and to sit back to do a mental review of my own life over the past 10 years. I had been working on writing DON'T RETIRE, REWIRE! on the morning the towers fell. The first edition of the book came out in 2002 and I became immersed in promoting it across the country. Having others discover their future happiness, helping them rewire became my goal, in a way my obsession. I think a lot of that passion was driven by the 9/11 tragedy, and the reality of the random loss of life, and the fear that it could happen to any of us.

I went year-by-year since 9/11, reflecting on ups and downs, decisions made, decisions not made,and took the time to think of cherished moments. I realized how many things occurred in those 10 years that were out of my control, and how many were in my control and that I had squandered.

One of my biggest take-aways was how quickly those 10 years really did pass.

So going forward I promised myself that I will not assume that I have all the time in the world to accomplish what I feel is important to me.

I will not throw away my time even if life is frustrating.

I will not find scapegoats for why I didn't do something.

I will create my "bucket list" even though I hate the word.

I will "Keep Calm and Carry On" and read books about my hero, Winston Churchill.

I will continue to add to this list, and live each day as if it were my last.

Suze Orman and I Both Say Alter Your Expectations! New Comments Added!

For the past year and a half my co-author/business partner/husband Rick Miners and I have been researching people's attitudes about the future. We were simultaneously tracking what we call Life's BIG Game Changers... fluctuating financial portfolios, joblessness, sandwich and generational issues not to mention health care, social security, and longevity challenges. We came to the conclusion that we should expect to live longer and probably with less money! And now as you read this we are imagining that you are letting out a collective OUCH! Since we have been sharing this message with audiences across the country for the past year we have heard that gasp many times!

With increased life expectancy (three million Boomers are expected to reach 100)and walloped financial portfolios we have been telling everyone that they need to rewire their thoughts AND actions about the future. We know that no one, especially Americans, want to believe that they might have to alter their expectations in any way. We have come to expect certain things at work, at play, in our lives overall. And let's face it, change goes down hard.

So as we were working on our book proposal, Suze Orman comes out with her new book,The Money Class,and everything we believe is right inside those paper or electronic pages! Suze is a no holds barred expert and she is out to help people create or re-imagine a new American Dream! I only wish we could have gotten her to recognize that our Rewiring process is THE WAY for people to jumpstart the process!

So after getting over the feeling of being scooped, we said,"we were on the right track, Suze just got there first!" And the great thing is, is that the message is getting out!

Both Suze and I agree that:
1.) you HAVE to be honest with yourself--it's now or never!
2.) it takes GUTS to do that but you won't get anywhere good if you don't!
3.) you need to create a New Dream based on reality, not fantasy!
4.) big and having more are NOT better---hence the mess we are in today!
5.) you WILL have to alter your expectations--even live below your means!

Suze knows the financials...whereas I know the qualitative part of life.
If people knew their drivers, as defined in DON'T RETIRE, REWIRE! they would have a good sense of self, and of what makes then tick. Basically they would have a leg up as they set out to redefine their American Dream.

We highly recommend this book, as well as viewing Suze's Money Class on PBS.

WE NEED THE HALLOWEEN FEELING MORE OFTEN!

I loved Halloween this year! I was in Michigan visiting my Mother and couldn't believe how Michiganders rocked out--challenging times and all! Everyone knows that Michigan has, and still is, going through tough economic times but you wouldn't have known it on Halloween. As I walked around my Mom's neighborhood I saw houses whose front yards had been turned into cemeteries!I heard the song the MONSTER MASH being played through windows and I saw huge spiders crawling up the sides of chimneys. I saw Lady Gaga and Barak Obama trick or treating not to mention assorted ghosts, goblins and dogs who were dressed for fun!

Neighbors were gathered around movable fireplaces in their driveways (living in New York City I had never seen these before!) and adults and kids both were heavily costumed! In fact the couple in the picture don't have kids, but had their house and themselves all decked out!

Now some of you might be thinking, this is what happens when you have too much time on your hands, but truthfully these people were having fun...and allowing for everyone else to have a great time too!

People were letting loose and the attached article from The Detroit News says it all: Halloween Weekends Raised Spirits. Did you laugh enough on Halloween? Get into the spirit?
If you did, then I say keep it up and find ways to laugh more...and by the way you should know that it only takes 4 muscles to smile and 13 muscles to frown! :)Maybe we need to rewire our fun!

Ants in Your Pants Are A Good Thing

Jim Sollisch recently published an article in The Wall Street Journal entitled:"Ants in Your Pants? You Will Probably Live Longer."

The premise of the article is that the more you move, bounce, fidget, or even go for a walk, the healthier you will be and as a result live longer. In so many words fidgeting is good for your body and your brain.

When I was a kid, and always doing "stuff," I remember my parents saying...what's the matter with you? Can't you sit still? In fact they have been telling me to sit still since I was about 3 years old, and I always equated it with buzzing around like a bumble bee.

Now as a grown up I realize that we have advocated something similar in our book, Don't Retire, REWIRE! Except in the book we call it rewiring®. Rewiring® is taking energy previously used in one area (typically work) and moving it into new, fulfilling activities. The simple act of shifting energy moves people around into new work, volunteering, learning new sports, games,or devoting time to hobbies and other life enhancing endeavors.
In his article Jim says that stepping back from the computer and email actually improves results,and you will also lose weight. You may also gain a new zest for life. Now that's two good reasons to get moving and get rewired®.

INSIGHTS FROM MILES DAVIS

A few months ago I wrote that I was getting into jazz. I was spending time listening to it, and going to jazz clubs with "smart" jazz friends who would graciously answer my naive questions. Then over the Thanksgiving weekend I took a deep diveon the topic and read the book, MILES, The Autobiography, written by Miles Davis with Quincy Troupe in 1989.

To put it mildly, Miles Davis lived a fast life. He had to overcome many demons and he holds nothing back in this book. I guess that is why I was so entranced by it. But I will admit that his language is extrememely colorful, so if you read it don't say that I didn't warn you!

The book cover states that "for more than 40 years Miles Davis was in the forefront of American music." I know that people have a wide range of reactions to Miles Davis, both the man and the musician but as I read the book what struck me was that Miles Davis was constantly rewiring himself when it came to his music.

I began to see a correlation with some of the people I had met this past year who have asked me...how do I stay in the game? How do I compete? It is highly competitive today regardless of one's field or one's age. Miles Davis made me realize each of us HAS to be our own critic. At age 49 when Miles Davis saw younger musicians coming on the scene he made the statement," I'm not prepared to be a memory yet," and he went out there and learned what it takes to stay in the game!

He hired younger band members. He dressed differently. He added percussion instruments to the mix and he gained an understanding of why Jimi Hendrix, SLY, James Brown and PRINCE were having success. He could have hung it up and complained, but he didn't.

Yes, I know that I'm overlaying my interpretation on what Miles Davis did, on what each of us can do, but it works. If we're still playing the same old song, with the same old beat, with the same old band then we need to change.

Tony Bennett was an original inspiration for us when we wrote DON'T RETIRE, REWIRE! When he did the MTV show Tony Bennett UNPLUGGED, and then went on to make duets with KD Lang we caught the fever and thought of him as a role model for rewiring!

Maybe neither Tony nor Miles works for you, but find someone who does and go make some changes in your life that keep you in the game!

Discover Why Traditional Retirement Is Obsolete

Long before the economic chaos of this past year, Americans were already beginning to redefine what retirement meant to them. In fact it was as early as the year 2000, that AARP discovered that 80% of their members said they wanted to "work in retirement," but with flexible hours and with less stress and responsibility. But there is more to the story....


I had the chance to explore the concept with my friend, Andres Tapia, of HEWITT ASSOCIATES in an article entitled: Take Five - Retirement Is So Yesterday- Think Rewirement! It was an opportunity to propose a few ideas that all of us can start to do regardless of age or stage of life.


Andres is the author of the new book "The Inclusion Paradox: The Obama Era and the Transformation of Global Diversity," and is putting forward new ideas to consider that will impact all of our futures. It's a great read and very thought-provoking!

JAY LENO REWIRES HIMSELF and NBC!

I became a Jay Leno fan years ago. I was bummed to see him moved aside for Conan but since I do work in the mature worker category I understood what was happening. At 59 I knew that Jay was not ready to stop working...and why should he? If you love what you do, why stop? To me it is very apparent that to Jay "work is fun!" Some of you might be shocked when you read this ...work and fun in the same sentence, you ask? Isn't that an oxymoron? For some yes, but NOT FOR EVERYONE! and definitely not for Jay Leno!

I won't surmise what Jay's drivers are, although we do identify 85 drivers, or motivators in DON'T RETIRE, REWIRE! for why we all work beyond a paycheck. If Ihad to guess I would say that he has a high need for accomplishments, to stay creative and to be competitive.

And to do that he had to take a risk and so did NBC, hence the birth of The Jay Leno Show! Rewiring is about moving energy into new and different areas, which is what they both did, and now we literally need to stay tuned to watch how Jay's rewirement goes. There are always critics and supporters and remember rewirings do not happen over night.

Let's be honest---the future is about risk. Will it be worse to take a risk, or to not take one? That is the question that many boomers will have to ask themselves. You need to know yourself: are you risk oriented, risk averse or somewhere in between?

When we choose to rewire we need to face the reality that a lot of it has to do with risk AND reward. So I'm advocating that regardless of the economy or challenges that we are facing, that each of us takes the time to assess our drivers and to analyze our own risk factor. And while we're doing that let's see how Jay rewires. His rewiring is on TV...five nights a week...in front of the world. Ours isn't, so take a small step toward rewiring yourself. For most of us our rewiring will not be covered by the media!

A Rewirement Book and Blog Launch

The Second Edition of DON’T RETIRE, REWIRE! was released on November 8th and as a way to celebrate the book launch I’ve decided to begin my blog. I want to support the new book and you also as you use it to start your rewiring journey. It’s exciting to bring out a Second Edition that includes all of the on - target information and inspirational content of the first edition PLUS MORE!

The new content was inspired by letters from our readers---questions from our audiences---plus insights from my work as Senior Advisor at The Conference Board on the Mature Workforce. Now that the leading edge boomers are 61 and realizing that we are living longer…healthier…and younger lives, the search for answers and ideas on how to get the future “right” has only increased! First I don’t believe that there is one way “to do the future”…. as I say ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL that’s why creating your rewirement based on your motivators and interests is so important. It doesn’t matter whether you’re married, single, working, already retired or thinking that you’ll never retire…you still need to think about what you’ll do or want to do in the future.

DON’T RETIRE, REWIRE! Second Edition is filled with cutting–edge realities that can impact your rewiring…from partners struggling to figure out their futures…to workers trying to combat real and perceived ageism…to having “scripts” to use as you rewire into new paid, volunteer or fun activities.

I’ve come to think about the future in terms of the 6 F’s:

• Having fun


• Being fulfilled


• Continuing to grow financially


• Staying physically and mentally fit


• Spending time with friends and family


• Recognizing the fear that the future is about the unknown and going forward any way

In a recent speech a man thanked me for challenging him to look at the future differently (that’s the reason I’m wearing the wild glasses). I needed to do something to shock people into seeing that I’m really serious about looking at the future with a new set of eyes. After a bit of laughter---they get it! We all need to look at the future differently. You’ve got to rewire your mindset before you can rewire your actions and get exciting results. We need to lighten up about the future. Rewiring shows you how. It’s about thinking...then doing!