Author Archives: James Wm. Frank

Love’s Enduring Blueprint

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Love’s Enduring Blueprint: Hygiene and Motivation Factors

Navigating the landscape of relationships in later stages of life presents a unique set of challenges and opportunities for older-than-average couples. The wisdom of Frederick Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory, initially aimed at deciphering job satisfaction, offers an illuminating framework for understanding what makes such relationships thrive. By adapting the theory’s “Hygiene Factors” and “Motivation Factors” to the realm of personal connections, we can uncover strategies for older-than-average couples to foster lasting success and fulfillment in their partnerships.

Delving into the Two-Factor Theory

Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory introduces two distinct categories that influence satisfaction: Hygiene Factors and Motivation Factors. Hygiene Factors refer to the environmental conditions that prevent dissatisfaction but don’t necessarily motivate on their own. In the context of older-than-average couples, these factors underscore the importance of stability and security, encompassing financial well-being, health, effective communication, and mutual respect and trust. Though not directly contributing to the relationship’s joy, their absence can lead to discord.

Conversely, Motivation Factors are the true catalysts for satisfaction, involving aspects that foster deep emotional, intellectual, and spiritual connections. These include shared aspirations, recognition of each other’s contributions, quality time, and emotional intimacy. For older-than-average couples, prioritizing these factors becomes crucial as they navigate the complexities of their shared life paths.

The Importance for Older-Than-Average Couples

The nuanced application of Hygiene and Motivation Factors can significantly impact the relationship dynamics of older-than-average couples. Addressing Hygiene Factors ensures a solid foundation, eliminating sources of potential dissatisfaction. Simultaneously, focusing on Motivation Factors allows couples to deepen their bond, enhancing mutual understanding and joy in their companionship.

Crafting Stability Through Hygiene Factors

  • Financial and Health Security: Addressing these practical aspects can alleviate stress, fostering a sense of security.
  • Clear Communication: Essential for maintaining a strong connection and addressing needs and concerns.
  • Respect and Trust: The bedrock of any relationship, particularly vital as couples face the challenges and changes of later life.

Deepening Bonds with Motivation Factors

  • Emotional Intimacy: Sharing feelings and experiences strengthens the bond.
  • Pursuing Shared Goals: Collaborating on future plans and dreams adds a layer of companionship.
  • Appreciation and Quality Time: Regularly expressing gratitude and spending meaningful time together nurture the relationship’s growth.

Harmonizing Hygiene and Motivation

The interplay between Hygiene and Motivation Factors is key to a flourishing relationship for older-than-average couples. A stable, secure environment allows for the pursuit of deeper, more fulfilling emotional and intellectual connections. Regularly evaluating and addressing both sets of factors can help couples maintain a dynamic, resilient partnership.

Steps Toward Lasting Love

Older-than-average couples can strengthen their relationship by openly discussing their needs, setting joint goals, and celebrating life’s small and significant milestones. Prioritizing both Hygiene and Motivation Factors creates a balanced, nurturing environment conducive to long-term happiness and mutual growth.

Conclusion

For older-than-average couples, achieving a lasting and fulfilling relationship is both a delicate balance and a rewarding journey. By applying Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory to the intricacies of their partnership, couples can create a blueprint for enduring love. This approach not only helps navigate the challenges unique to their stage of life but also celebrates the depth and richness of their shared experiences. With a focus on both Hygiene and Motivation Factors, older-than-average couples can look forward to a future filled with joy, understanding, and companionship.

 

Prostate Cancer Awareness Month

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Prostate Cancer Awareness Month

November is a critical month in the healthcare calendar, marking Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. This period serves as a vital reminder of the importance of early detection in battling one of the most common cancers affecting men globally. At www.boomertozoomer.com, we emphasize the significance of awareness and proactive health checks.

Understanding Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer occurs in the prostate gland and predominantly affects older men. It is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths, yet its prognosis can be significantly improved with early detection. Understanding this disease is the first step in combating it.

The Importance of November

November’s designation as Prostate Cancer Awareness Month aims to break the silence surrounding this disease. It’s a time for health campaigns, educational events, and community engagements to increase awareness and encourage early screening.

Early Detection and Simple Blood Tests

Early detection of prostate cancer can be life-saving. The PSA test, a simple blood test, plays a crucial role in early detection strategies. Catching cancer early can lead to more effective treatment options and better survival rates.

Overcoming the Stigma and Fear of Testing

Many men avoid or delay testing due to fear or stigma. However, the PSA test is a quick, non-invasive procedure. Health experts stress the importance of regular screening, especially for those at higher risk.

The Journey After Diagnosis

Being diagnosed with prostate cancer begins a journey of treatment and recovery. Our Prostate Treatment Guide on www.boomertozoomer.com offers valuable insights into treatment options and managing life post-diagnosis.

Advocacy and Community Support

Support from the community and advocacy groups can be incredibly empowering for those affected by prostate cancer. Our Prostate Cancer Advocacy page on www.boomertozoomer.com provides a platform for support and resources.

Conclusion

Prostate Cancer Awareness Month is more than a calendar event; it’s a call to action for early screening and education. Visit www.boomertozoomer.com to learn more and join a community committed to fighting prostate cancer through awareness and support.

Clinic Care Experiences

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I recently had an unsettling experience with Dr. Yoo at the Cary Endocrine & Diabetes Clinic. Dr Yoo prescribed testosterone replacement therapy. Suddenly, several months later, I was informed by a phone message that Dr. Yoo had changed her mind and would not renew the prescription and was withdrawing my patient treatment. The distressing part was her decision seemed based, not on science and medical ethics but on her emotional stance shifting to “I don’t feel like treating you any longer,” I was told to find another healthcare provider.

The clinic’s administrative process also left me baffled. They accepted a referral without first obtaining Dr. Yoo’s authorization, even though she usually treats patients with testosterone replacement therapy. Furthermore, her staff physician, Dr. Weir, prescribed testosterone replacement therapy under Dr. Yoo’s signature. Later, I was told Dr. Yoo regretted allowing this to happen. Both of these errors occurred due to poor leadership and inadequate staff direction.

The abrupt cessation of testosterone replacement therapy, particularly for a patient with hypogonadism like me, isn’t just a matter of changing medication. It impacts the body significantly, leading to a host of physical symptoms. More than that, the mental anguish, fear, and confusion caused by such a sudden and unexplained withdrawal of medical care has been extremely distressing.

I have been ghosted in my requests for copies of all medical records and now require legal action to obtain records for a referral.

I urge potential patients to be cautious and ensure clear communication when seeking care at Cary Endocrine. My experience speaks to the importance of patients advocating for their health and ensuring their doctors are aligned with their best interests.

To bring awareness to your experience at the Cary Endocrine & Diabetes Clinic, leave a comment.

 

Developing Goals for Baby Boomers: Exert, Evolve, and Execute for a Fulfilling Retirement

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Developing Goals for Baby Boomers: Exert, Evolve, and Execute for a Fulfilling Retirement

Portrait of confident senior male carpenter standing by his workbench looking at camera. Mature male carpenter in his workshop with laptop on table.

Are you a baby boomer looking to develop meaningful retirement goals? Developing Goals for Baby Boomers using the progressive repetitive steps of Exerting, Evolving, and Executing can help you build physical and mental strength, continue to learn and grow, and take action toward fulfilling your goals.

Exert: Building Physical and Mental Strength

The first step in the progressive repetitive process is to exert oneself physically and mentally. As a baby boomer, you may find that your body and mind are not as strong as they once were, but there are still many ways to build strength and resilience. For example, you might consider:

  • Exercising regularly: Even a 30-minute walk each day can help improve your physical health and mood.
  • Taking up a new hobby: Engaging in activities that require physical or mental effort, such as gardening or crossword puzzles, can help keep your mind and body active.
  • Engaging in intellectual pursuits: Reading, attending lectures or workshops, or learning a new language can help keep your mind sharp and engaged.

By exerting yourself physically and mentally, you can build a foundation of strength and resilience that can be used to achieve future goals.

Evolve: Growing and Developing Over Time

The second step in the progressive repetitive process is to evolve or to grow and develop over time. As a baby boomer, you may have already achieved many of your life goals, but there is always room for growth and development. Consider setting long-term goals that challenge you and allow you to continue learning and growing. For example:

  • Learning a new skill: Whether it’s cooking, painting, or playing an instrument, learning a new skill can be a fun and rewarding way to continue growing and developing.
  • Traveling to new places: Exploring new cultures and experiencing new things can help broaden your horizons and keep life interesting.
  • Volunteering for a cause: Helping others can be a meaningful way to give back and stay engaged with the world around you.

By setting long-term goals that challenge you and allow you to continue growing and developing, you can stay motivated and fulfilled in your retirement years.

Execute: Turning Dreams into Reality

The final step in the progressive repetitive process is to execute or to take action to achieve your goals. This is where the rubber meets the road, and where you can turn your dreams into reality. To execute your goals, consider:

  • Breaking down larger goals into smaller, more manageable steps: This can help you avoid feeling overwhelmed and stay motivated.
  • Seeking out resources and support: Whether it’s a fitness coach, a mentor, or a community of like-minded individuals, there are many resources available to help you achieve your goals.
  • Staying motivated and accountable: Set deadlines, track your progress, and celebrate your successes to stay motivated and accountable.

By taking action to achieve your goals, you can turn your dreams into reality and live a fulfilling and meaningful life.

Outtake

As a baby boomer, you may be facing unique challenges in your retirement years, but you also have many opportunities to stay engaged, active, and fulfilled than ever before. By using the progressive repetitive steps of exerting, evolving, and executing, you can develop goals that help you build physical and mental strength, continue to learn and grow and take action towards meaningful goals. Whether it’s exercising regularly, learning a new skill, or traveling to new places, there are many ways to stay motivated and fulfilled in your retirement years.

At Boomer to Zoomer, we’re committed to providing resources and support to help baby boomers live their best lives. Our website is filled with articles, tips, and advice to help you navigate the challenges and opportunities of retirement. We also offer a community of like-minded individuals who are on the same journey, providing support, inspiration, and motivation to help you achieve your goals.

So why wait? Start using the progressive repetitive steps of exerting, evolving, and executing to develop goals that will help you live a fulfilling and meaningful life in your retirement years. With the right mindset, support, and resources, anything is possible.

Find tips on traveling with goals HERE

Find goal setting for side hustles for baby boomers: HERE

Senior Fast Get-Away Tips

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Recently, I needed a break. I had completed cancer treatment and a reward was warranted. I just wanted to quickly travel to some sunny place and have someone else fix my meals and say please and thank you. Mostly, I wanted to remain totally anonymous, just see and not be seen. Here are five steps to make travel for seniors more enjoyable.

Senior Fast Get-Away Tips

Senior Fast Get-Away Tips

Plan Ahead.

When planning your trip, it’s important to research your destination and accommodations to ensure they are senior-friendly. Consider factors like accessibility, transportation options, and proximity to medical facilities. If you have specific needs, like wheelchair accessibility or medical equipment, make arrangements ahead of time to ensure they are available when you arrive.

I wanted easy transportation and attractive accommodation. Originally, I thought the idea of a short cruise might be a good option. The disadvantage was the nearest port with a cruise that would work was a plane ride away. If I was going to take a flight, I wanted to arrive and be feet up within two hours. Not waiting for afternoon check-in and living out of a carry-on.

With an early flight, it made sense to start with prepaying the enclosed long-term parking at the airport. It is so easy to enter and exit with a QR code on the mobile receipt.

Arriving early at the airport is essential to starting a trip feeling the least stressed. In fact, I make it a habit of signing off nearly all responsibilities a day earlier than my flight so I can take a breath and focus on enjoying a few days without responsibilities. It’s cheaper to chill at home and pack thoughtfully. For that reason, I flew out on Sunday morning early.

The destination I wanted needed to be close to the arrival airport. I was not interested in a long van ride with other guests and sweltering heat. I decided that all-inclusive resorts don’t work for me. As an abstainer, it’s never a bargain. I just wanted it to have a pool, decent restaurants on the property, easy walking to entertainment as necessary, and enough sights and sounds to keep my attention in the here-and-now moment.

Pack smart.

Packing light and using luggage with wheels can make navigating airports and other destinations much easier. Consider packing versatile clothing that can be mixed and matched and bring any necessary medications or documents in your carry-on bag. Start with investing in a good travel bag or suitcase that is easy to maneuver, light, and fits your needs.

I amazed myself at how few things I really need for four days away. The biggest liquid turned out to be shaving cream, which I never got around to using. Changes in undergarments, replacement bottom & top in case of spills, and lighter shoes occupied very little carry-on space. No need for anything larger. Adding some outer clothing for unexpected weather conditions to the outside pocket gives fast wardrobe changes as needed.

I discovered a decent hack at the airport when checking in. Airline attendants nearly always offer no fee for checking your carry-on as baggage if checked at the gate. Interestingly, it costs no extra. Normally, checked baggage exceeds $30 for each checked item. You simply leave your carry-on at the plane door for white-glove pick-up. As I discovered, last-on luggage is first-off luggage. By the time I got to the luggage carousel, my bag was already waiting for me.  I loved not having to horst the bag into the overhead bin and down again in a crowd of passengers.

Navigating airports with ease.

Many airports offer wheelchair assistance, pre-boarding, and TSA PreCheck for seniors. Take advantage of these services to make the airport experience less stressful. Additionally, consider bringing an extra pair of comfortable shoes for long walks through the airport.

Arriving two hours before your flight is just good thinking when you know the airport is not your friend. Every airport TSA checkpoint can be different. Shoes off, and laptops out, can be ignored in one place and strictly adhered to in another. Just expect slow-moving lines, and you keeping a watch for the next bathroom, and I suspect you won’t be disappointed.

Choose senior-friendly destinations.

When choosing a destination, look for places that offer easy accessibility, like flat terrain, ramps, and elevators. Consider visiting senior-friendly attractions like museums, botanical gardens, or theaters. Many cities and tourist destinations also offer senior discounts or special packages, so be sure to research these options before you book your trip.

Destination and accommodations are important to me. Creature comforts like room temperature, lots of pillows and towels, and a fridge are essential. I like black-out curtains to facilitate daytime sleep. I love an afternoon nap of one to two hours for no reason whatsoever.

And don’t ask me to wait long for a morning coffee. Wherever I travel, quick access to java is keen on my list of amenities. Room coffee and “Breakfast Included” black lightning leave much to the imagination.

There are places of activity that allow the introvert in me to flourish. Like sitting on the porch and watching the world go by, entertaining with no interaction. Kind of like moving the home screen to room-size and interactive.

I have done theme parks with kids and famous landscapes across the US and Canada. Crowds and long lines leave me exhausted and cranxious, that’s a cross between being cranky and anxious simultaneously. It’s age-related. Like having a hot flash in a soaring 90-degree sun blast and someone asks you to make one more decision.

Stay active.

While traveling, it’s important to stay active to maintain mobility and enjoy the trip to the fullest. Take walks around the destination, do light exercises in your hotel room, or sign up for a senior-friendly exercise class. Staying active can also help alleviate the symptoms of jet lag and keep you energized throughout your trip.

I enjoy being outside, so walks that include nature experiences are calming effects for a quick get-me-out-of-here escape. I like short lines at unusual restaurants and some fun shopping experiences to answer what should I do next. And I especially enjoy a relaxing walk back to the hotel after a grotesquely extravagant meal of multiple flavors where I taste test just to experience the spices and textures.

Staying active also means staying cognizant of stamina and strength. Although I pride myself in regular exercise and flex stretching, trying decades-old moves without warming up can lead to disastrous muscle pain. The lesson here is if you have not gone horseback riding, surfing, or bowling in a long-long time, don’t be surprised the next day when you go to sit down and wonder how that pain happened.

Put it all together.

So, after researching and enjoying the four-day inaugural trip following two years of cabin fever, this is my report. I booked through Expedia to use air miles covering the entire flight and accommodation costs.

Less than a one-and-a-half-hour flight took me to Orlando. Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort is a short rideshare from the airport. Asking nicely at the check-in yielded immediate room access. Within two hours of landing, I was in a darkened room, meditating to freshen my mind for three full days of wonderment.

This hotel is not on the Universal grounds, yet there is a center of activity near one entrance, including great restaurants and shops. There is an easy-level 20–30-minute walk from the hotel through manicured paths overflowing with myriad plants and flowers to reach the fun activities and live cable TV show.

The hotel boasts famous cars from Universal Studio’s early movies and a Fifties theme throughout. With two pools and loads of uncrowded sandy areas with lounge chairs for sunning, taking a few minutes each day near a lunch counter proved inviting.

The piece-de-resistance is the putter golf and bowling alley attached. Now comes the bowling story. I’m thinking “bowling?”. No problem. So I take a twelve-pound ball and crouch down to release it twenty times in a game. Yeah, one strike. I don’t want to talk about the rest. It had only been over a decade since I did that last time.

So, the next day, I woke up and my hips were sore. From there I remained stiff for over a week. The lesson here is just because you stay mobile for one activity does not mean it is transferable. Plan for new activities before you travel. Practice movements before you go to stave off discomfort on a breakaway.

By following these tips and planning ahead, seniors can navigate airports and find senior-friendly destinations with ease. With a little preparation and an adventurous spirit, traveling as a senior can be a fun and rewarding experience.

For more about making the life you desire, check out more here.

Seventy-Two

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Today I reach the end of my seventy-second year and begin my seventy-third. My best friend and lover sleeps. I habitually write.

My Pop was this age when I was twelve. That’s right. Pop was sixty when I was born. In today’s coronavirus world, he and I could be sacrificed for the survival of younger generations. Times have not only changed, but there is also now a paradigm shift like none other in recent history.

Examining the past to find direction for the future seems to fail to provide answers today. There are those who dwell on the past as if repeatedly revisiting it will somehow bring solace to their anxiety of fear of failure and loss. Especially, in times of crisis, MY go-to for peace of mind is hope for the future and gratitude for the present. How else can you leave the woodpile higher than the way you found it?

I enjoy having huge, scary goals. Especially the ones when I hear some parenting message in my head asking sarcastically, what makes you think you can do that, kind of goals. Putting my focus on where I am headed not only gives me a path to follow, it examples for others the confidence they need to define their vision for their future. As is often announced by elders, be the example you want to see in the world.

Which brings me to this incredible day. Grateful, I am, for having my health, being safe, loved and in love, and other than some inconveniences, having the best days of my life so far.

Indeed, this comes with some reflection and evaluation of the present moment. My last sibling brother passed very recently. My only child was taken by Cystic Fibrosis a couple of years back. That puts this birthday as somewhat special for the memory banks. No immediate family member will ever call to wish me a happy birthday. This is not a lament, simply an observation. By now, I have folks from far off continents remembering and sending birthday greetings out of love and respect, rather than obligation.

Happiness can be so relative. Mostly, the word is associated with an event that brought some feelings of bliss. But how often have you been able to say day after day, I am the happiest I have been in my life? For me, living the dream is not a trite message of contraire. Several times each day I find myself requesting a cosmic pinch to question my reality.

Before you find yourself muttering, lucky you, I remind you of a line by the Rock in a recent movie. His childhood friend remarked that he had been much less physically fit in high school and asked how he had gotten so buff. His answer: I worked out 6 hours a day, seven days a week, for the last thirty years. As we all learn in life, it goes Dream, Struggle, Prize and the Struggles provide the contrast needed to verily give contentment to the prize.

As the world resolves the latest crisis, a previous world will slip into repeated sound bites. Rapid change is inevitable. Bills Gates book 1999, Business at the Speed of Thought comes to mind. The elders who have learned to embrace accelerated change may be the thought leaders of today and as well, the encouragers for the current arriving generation.

Be safe and responsible for yourself and others.

Happy Birthday to me! Seventy-two successful trips around the sun.

Your friend in life.

Escape Pretirement Become a Zoomer

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How I escaped pretirement to become a zoomer at heart began by implementing one of the first commandments recited as a 5-year-old in order to attend kindergarten, “Stop, Look, & Listen, before you cross the street.”

Now, to stop has not been one of my strong suits. I am more often, ready, fire, aim.

Rather than enshrining myself with some label, I accept and encourage my tendency to be easily distracted by shiny objects arising in my field of vision. That has always been my source of wonderment for what might lie just around the next bend in the road. Perhaps it’s part of why some folks don’t care what is on TV, they just want to know what else is on TV.

Rather than stop, however, the best I can do is slow down. A productive way for me to slow down is to go for a long drive down some back-country roads while I think. I always feel I am accomplishing something while I am conjugating life. Rolling past fields and woods with little traffic while I think releases some creative potential otherwise not seen by sitting in quiet contemplation. This eyes-wide-open meditative state while taking in scenery has led to many aha insight moments that simply astonish me as to their source.

So, before I stepped off to cross the street in this pretirement journey, I drove and thought for hours and hours. I recorded unabashed thoughts on my cell phone and transcribed them. It became a formidable collection of thought snippets, scribbled napkins notes, quotes from books, messages from friends, and at least a gazillion favorite webpages carefully stashed by topic. Add to that, hundreds of created word documents with poignant titles sorted simply by month and year as well as copious journal posts, blogs, letters to myself and messages to friends. Other writers have confided to me that they too cast a cacophony of notes on a wall and then search for some melody of meaning.

The desired outcome was to arrive at a destination with a cadre of recorded history that would outline just how I had gotten to this point in my adventure. I wanted to look back to determine what goal and activity had led to my success that would benefit other baby boomers determined to reroute their potential.

My goal, in the beginning, was to simply look and listen. To look and listen to how I had gotten to this crossroad in my life. Endorsing that my past was merely a part of where I’m headed, while extracting the good and the bad, knowing that it took both to create the journey thus far. The subsequent goal was to then attempt to predict the best direction forward, making this part of the journey the best adventure of my life to date.

Looking back with 20/20 vision, I can now confidently say I have reached a condition in my life that I consider the best I have ever experienced or even imagined.  That comes with some weight because the result I have today is, to a large extent, the payback from the work in applying three words that have formulated much of my life; Clarity, Focus and Concentration.

Initially finding clarity meant deciding what I wanted the next stage of my life to look like. It meant answering the question “what if”. What if the future could start with a clean slate? What if small steps could take me to a destination I had only dreamed of?

I knew for sure I would never find out if I didn’t try. My initial onslaught to a new beginning required taking a break from the daily habits that keep us numb to change. To move forward demands we answer the question, who are you and what do you want?

Have you knowingly stepped off in a totally new direction that required you to identify some part of your potential and then redirect your focus?

Escaped Pretirement to Zoomer

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How I escaped pretirement to become a zoomer at heart has been an evolving process.  It began with a written description of my vision for the future over five years ago. Repeating successful goal setting techniques from the past, I began to take the steps to make the next part of my life-journey the most incredible yet. It is said that if you want to change your life, you must change your life.

The last five years have certainly been life-changing. By the time you reach the seventh decade, change has become a welcome friend whether you like it or not. My perspective on change was highlighted by one life-lesson experience.

Many winters ago, after surviving several hours of white-knuckle, zero-visibility, night driving conditions, I discovered a secluded motel in the mountains of upstate New York that resembled something out of a Psycho vintage movie scene. Of course, like the movie character, I was oblivious to any life-altering moments that might lie ahead. I was finally just able to feel some relief; relax my shoulders, stretch my fingers, and proclaim OK, I’m going to be safe, warm, and dry.

While unpacking only enough to support collapsing into bed exhausted, I ignited the rabbit-eared screen in the corner to glean some local weather conditions. I was amused that the preordained channel happened to be a B&W TV movie.

The scene was a man and woman who had not seen each other in many years. She is saying that he looks the same after all these years and she thinks she has barely changed herself. She then asks if he thinks he has changed. His response was one of those quotes that ring true for all the years to come. He simply said, “Change is the only evidence of life.”

I recall being stuck with the importance of the moment and writing down that message. Since then, I have referred to it repeatedly over the decades and chimed it many times to my kids.

Change is the only evidence of life!

For the first four decades of my life, I welcomed change. I couldn’t wait to grow up, get a driver’s license, get out on my own, travel, have kids, have kids grow up and leave home. The older I got, however, the more rigid I found myself becoming.

I discovered that I had boxes and boxes of “shoulds” tarnishing my thinking. People should think and behave this way. The world should get better. Younger folks should treat older folks a certain way. On and on it went. I found myself reenacting my parent’s mantra of “the good old days”.

Now, I’m a positive guy. My kids refer to me as Mr. Positive, half with respect and a half with OK, DAD. How I managed to hold that outward appearance and feel like an imposter inside is a whole other story. What I came to surmise, however, after I decided to stop “Shouldn” myself, was both enlightening and encouraging.

I came to a fork in the road. One direction was going to take me down a well-known prescribed route that would resemble the archaic pathway many elders advocated.

The other fork would take me to uncharted, I have little to no idea what is going to happen territory. I am so grateful I made the decision to be bold.

What decisions have you made after retirement that have taken bold steps to begin? What one thing can you look back on and say, I am so glad and proud that I did that? It has brought much happiness.

Brian Tracy Interview Outtake 1

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I was introduced to public speaker, author, business and personal development expert  Brian Tracy in 1986. Since then Brian has published some eighty-four books and numerous business courses that have been translated into many languages around the world.

Brian and I sat down in the Boomer to Zoomer studio recently to discuss three broad topics of interest to baby boomers; What Brought You Here? What’s Here Like? Where Are You Going? This is an outtake from that interview that covered such questions as; What part of your youth are you proud of? What would you go back to change? How has resistance been an asset to a lifetime of development?

Leave a comment on how Brian Tracy’s insights have impacted your thinking and any questions you have as a baby boomer wanting to move forward and take new directions in life after normal retirement age, what many are calling “pretirement”.

Weekly 5 Outtakes October 13, 2017

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Weekly 5 Outtakes October 13, 2017

So, hello again, Zoomers. My apologies for the hiatus in posting my Outtakes for the latest week in my latest 90-Day Adventure. I was on an unexpected sabbatical of a whirlwind kind following the passing of my only child, Mary Boleyn. The lessons experienced from such an event for a baby boomer have been profound and life-changing. As I have often said, if you want to change your life, you must change your life. As regularly happens, we don’t get to choose the time and place of high impact life events. We do have a choice, however, in how we will respond to those events.

Many topics passed through my awareness as I attempted to stay in the moment for the events as they unfolded surrounding my daughter’s transition from, and celebration of, this life. I will expound on the observations over time with you as important turning points that have become part of the fabric of my life story and legacy.

And, now, back to the Weekly 5 Outtakes. If you enjoy reading these, please like and share boomertozoomer.com and tag someone who would enjoy reading.

What I am reading

Wicked Problems Workable Solutions – Lessons from a Public Life – by: Daniel Yankelovich

From the dedication: “I dedicate this book to the thinkers who kept my interest in philosophy alive long after I had grown disillusioned with logic as a way of discovering the truths of living.”

Mr. Yankelovich speaks to me when he reiterates that our experiences are beyond the physical dimensions of Aristotelian and Newtonian frameworks. “It is no accident that we humans are most comfortable with storytelling. The story of our lives is a series of answers to the question: “And then what happened?”

What Else I am reading

On Death & Dying – What the Dying Have to Teach Doctors, Nurses, Clergy and Their Own Families – by: Elizabeth Kubler-Ross

I read this when I started working at a hospital as a teenager thinking it would help me develop better bed-side-manner. I decided to revisit the updated version following the passing of my only child in July 2017. I am no longer amazed lessons learned still require refreshing and updating. Not only can grieving be repeated for the same event, it can be triggered for so many components of the past that demand we stop and acknowledge that they are human events, which fail to follow a predictable unfaltering sequence.

App I am loving

Recording my thoughts in a useful manner for transcription. I am constantly coming up with ideas that need follow up. I discovered a voice recording on Google Docs that allows me to record quick thoughts directly into text that I can later transcribe to files and label for further research.  This saves me hours of time and reduces losing thought threads of great ideas.

Fiverr Gig I am loving

I use Fiverr for many services that I sub-contract out. I have found Fiverr the best service for transcription, logo creation, and character creation artists. This was a personal character creation that I really liked. Check out all the Gig producers and have fun.

Best Flipboard Article

Boomers: What’s Your American Dream Story? Discover the disparaging differences between the early and late baby boomers. Take a quiz and let me know what opportunity or inequality describes your life adventure.

What I am working on

Working with young adults this week gave me hope that the future will have bright minds to overcome the challenges of our planet’s stewardship. I had the distinct opportunity to share with high school students some of the soft skills that I feel are important in developing before applying for their first job. The number one soft skill should be to learn how to set goals. Unfortunately, these skills are not being taught in our school systems. I asked how many students had been asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”. The response was 100%. I then asked how many have been asked, “What do you want your life to look like when you grow up?”. The response was zero. As my mom said, the emphasis is on the wrong syllable. Visit: boomertozoomer.com for more details on goal setting for young adult job seekers.