Inspiration: Ten Things To Do…
“Be glad of life because it gives you the chance to love and to work and to play and to look up at the stars.” Henry Van Dyke
Inspiration: Ten Things To Do... Pursue a life of the mind...
What would you do if you were offered early retirement? or if you didn’t have to work? Pursue a life of the mind? Start a special aid program? Most of us enjoy earning a living so we can live independently and make decisions about our financial future and our lives. We don’t want to be a liability or a burden on our loved ones; yet, in the current economic marketplace, millions are struggling to keep head above water and manage households.
In a perfect world, people would be able to reinvent themselves and become instant entrepreneurs, new hires in new fields, consultants and change makers… In the current market, there is room to do so, just not enough room for everyone. The prevailing wisdom is to not give up hope of finding suitable work, but to start thinking of creative, out of the box ways to shine above the competition. Even imagining what we would do if we didn’t have to work, could give us the impetus to refocus our attention to areas of interest with greater career potential.
“You are never given a wish without also being given the power to make it come true. You may have to work for it, however.” Richard Bach
Inspiration: Ten Things To Do... Travel... and learn
Sometimes, a bit of day dreaming can give us enough insight to help us make a much needed career change or develop a new line of work entirely out of the norm. So the question is: What ten things would you do if you didn’t have to work? I think it would be easy to choose a life of leisure, with golfing and sailing as backdrops to to our walks on the beach; all fine options. However, those don’t quite appeal to me in their entirety. I’d like walks on the beach just not every day.
I enjoy working and can’t imagine spending retirement without activity or some engagement. The following are what I’m drawn to: ♥ Pursue a life of the mind; spiritual and philosophical study and understanding. ♥Travel the world as a peace advocate/photojournalist. ♥ Writing and the creative arts on a community scale. ♥Spend a year in an ashram or a monastery; studying the great works of all the spiritual and philosophical masters. ♥ Healing arts combined with yoga/meditation retreat work. ♥ Start a special service that helps poor women with children. What would you do? 😉 More below
“Your work is to discover your work and then with all your heart to give yourself to it.” Gautama Buddha
Inspiration: Ten Things To Do... Volunteer like the HandsOnMiami Zoo volunteers...
There are lots of other ways we can make meaning of our lives, and even develop new career paths, if we spend some time and reflect on where we could best serve our fellow man. What I find resonating in my spirit is the need to keep learning, the need to serve, and the desire to see the world. So, when I think of additional endeavors or pursuits, they might include the following: ♥Join the peace corp or a nonprofit that works directly with the need population in their home countries. ♥Organic farming with an educational component. ♥Volunteer work and training in the field. ♥Motivational speaking, training and healing work. What are your thoughts? What would you do with early retirement? Do you have things in mind to do if work was no longer a viable option? Do share! Thank you. 🙂
This post was inspired by a prompt from MamaKat’s Writer’s Workshop: 10 things you would do if you didn’t have to work.
Positive Motivation Tip: Find other creative, inspiring things to offer others; we can serve our fellow man in many ways.
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- I’m Not Listening Uncle Bff (nrhatch.wordpress.com)
- Inspiration: An Abundance of Riches… (eof737.wordpress.com)
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PHOTO CREDITS/ATTRIBUTIONS: All Photos, life of the mind w/Buddha, world travel incl Oberoi in Egypt, Volunteers at Miami Zoo, via Wikipedia
Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank
Mirth and Motivation
Positive Kismet
This is another great motivating blog. So many good ideas. I have always been drawn to the peace corps as a few of my family members had done. Once I get closer to retirement, I’ll need to think more seriously about a change, some type of volunteer work other than the Master Gardeners.
I’ve always loved the Peace Corp too and had a few friends who were part of the experience… I love the idea of working in a local community somewhere around the world… it always appealed to me… but life/circumstances led me elsewhere and the fact that I grew up in another country made a difference. TY for your comment. 🙂
I planned early retirement within ten years. What I want to do is traveling all
the world and organic farming. 🙂
Oh welcome to the club on that one… isn’t it interesting how many of our lives have intersected through blogging? And then, the more we chat, the more we we find out we have a few common goals. TY! 🙂
Travel and learn. I’ve done a bit of it but i would love to do more. I love exploring other cultures away from the tourist highway.
I love learning about other cultures and communities too. Essentially, we are all the same and then we have our cultures and language and other things that make us unique… I love that about travel; so much to learn. TY! 🙂
Get to know my country better and travel the world especially sacred and UNESCO World Heritage Sites, start an arts/cultural center, return to school for a self-directed course of study of photography, writing, art/design and philosophy. But I’m about to do some of that now.
Oh yes, we had discussed that site some time back…. I would love to visit all the UNESCO designated sacred sites too… Yes, I wrote a post about that too. 🙂 You know, I have to say that the Weekly Photo Challenge has nurtured some budding photographers and we are now climbing out of the wood work… I love it. Keep me posted on your studies Marcia TY! 🙂
Retirement? I can’t see myself being even close to that until I am almost 70. By then I think my 10 things to do will involve sitting on a verandah looking out over the sea and the waves and watching over a couple of grandchildren in the shallows!
Oh Robyn, I do hope when you reach that age that you would add other things that interest you; including writing and traveling to the mix… Nothing wrong with having a home near the ocean and enjoying some R & R, but I see you active too. TY! 🙂
they offered an early retirement to me – so I had the chance to discover YOU and the dailypost2011 project 🙂
Good for you Frizztext… living the life eh? Now you and Barbara get to enjoy your creative sides and your children. There is much to be said and to enjoy about that… especially when people keep their interests alive. TY! 🙂
Hi Elizabeth, that was a great post and got me thinking. I have actually had the opportunity to retire this year but interestingly I found that it wasn’t what I expected – I will write a post on it one day soon. I have just gone back into the workforce and enjoying being a part of a team and all that comes with being in the workforce. I see a blog coming on…..Lorraine 🙂
Excellent and do write it soon… I’d love to know how you transitioned out and then back into the work force in New Zealand, right? TY! 😉
Living, Loving, Laughing, and Learning is a lifelong endeavor. If we don’t grow and embrace change, we stagnate.
I am definitely enjoying a life of the mind these days ~ with freedom to pursue whatever thoughts I want to think. It’s bliss. 😀
Good for you Nancy! I think there is so much we can all offer in those retirement years that, if people take some time to explore their strengths, they can be an asset to others…
Of course, the hard part is that some/many can’t really afford to retire before the official retirement age. so that is that one big problem too… TY! 🙂
Very thought-provoking post! If I could travel the world as an environmental advocate/photojournalist, it would be a dream come true. 🙂
That would be wonderful especially these days; we live in a world that has become increasingly green and energy conservation conscious and more attention is being focused on the subject…
You take great pictures so I can see you doing fantastic work, and documenting and showcasing different environmental matters around the globe… TY! 🙂
Great post, as always. 🙂 But gosh. 10 things… I don’t know really. I think I would pretty much do what I am doing today. Lol!
Good for you to be exactly where you want/need to be… I hope you see how blessed you are in that… It is wonderful when you can make life decisions that support your heart’s calling… TY! 🙂
I would definitly like to travel, there is so much to learn around about the different cultures. So many places, I would love to visit. I too hope to be able to look out my window and see the sea, feel the breeze and soak up the sun.
You and me both … on the travel bug. I have met people who don’t want to leave their home to go anywhere and I find that amazing… Anyway the window on the seas is a beautiful image but don’t forget to go outside too. :lol
TY! 🙂
I’ve done it! Not only did I leave work, but I reinvented myself and now have an interesting, inspiring and successful second life. I can’t wait to put my feet on the floor each morning. Life is GREAT!
Oh girl! I applaud you for doing that and I hope you will share your story in your blog sometime! It is a great thing when we accomplish that goal… Good for you and TY for stopping in. 🙂
Another great blog post, Elizabeth. 🙂
TY Robin …and I hope life in the bogs is bright and sunny for you today? It has been gloomy with rainfall here… TY! 🙂