Category: Imagination

3 alternatives to ‘retirement’ or ‘next chapter’

Retirement synonyms word cloud

That whole ‘next chapter’ term I’ve used…there is something just creepy or other-worldly to it.

I keep seeing me sneaking past St. Peter and the pearly gates [‘sneaking past’, mind you…not assuming I’ve earned my way in.] and floating in the stratosphere and dodging all of the satellites Elon Musk is planning to launch and wondering what’s on the menu at Nirvana Cafe and if the coffee is beyond decent up there because if it’s not, then I’ll take my chances back down on Earth…

Anywaaay, thesaurus.com’s alternatives to retirement. Blecch!

evacuation
pullout
withdrawal
ebb
fallback
flight

So, how about:

‘The Roaring 60’s’ [add the decade of your choice]

Prime Time

Youth 2.0

 

 

Reinvention Writing Prompt of the Day–Define ‘honeymoon’.

I like this quote from Mark Patterson’s post on gotoretirement.com.

“Waiting for something different to happen after you retire is not a plan and may lead to discontent.”

You can also find some good ideas for a proactive retirement in this aboutboomers.net post.

Reinvention Writing Prompt of the Day–Think different.

This list of 50 Tips for a Healthy, Wealthy, Happy Retirement should provide a few good starting points.

A few of my favorites:

  1. Find a motto for your retirement plan.
  2. Come out of retirement for a career switch.
  3. Get a dog.
  4. Learn a new skill.

Reinvention Writing Prompt of the Day

Here are a few  suggestions from Melyssa Griffin on how she enhances her creative side. You’ve probably tried most or all of these, but they serve as worthy reminders.

More creative reinvention tips for July 5

idea-cartoon guy

More suggestions from this list that I’ve shared on my Word Inventions blog .

From Leo Babauta of Zen Habits
[Note: The Zen Habits link alone should carry you through years of creative reinvention.]

  1. Get lots of rest. Overwork kills creativity.

  2. Don’t force it. Relax, play, it will start to flow.

  3. Allow your mind to wander. Allow distractions, when you’re looking for inspiration.

Do you have any tips to share?

A few creative reinvention tips for July 3

I’ve shared selections from this list on my Word Inventions blog .

Let’s see if any of these resonate with you.

From Jody Cleghorn of Write Anything. [This site is now closed, but the content remains online as an archive.]

  1. Make up the rules for what you want to produce.

  2. Try to write every day, even if just for a few minutes. [Substitute ‘paint’, ‘sculpt’, ‘cook’, for ‘write’.]

  3. Work on several projects. This keeps you energized and working creatively even when one project isn’t firing. [Good advice, but I’m guilty of taking this a little too far. Make it manageable.]

Retirees: Pep talk 4–7 Commandments of the Unmistakable Creative

stone tablet
of the Unmistakable Creative

Creatives: I am once again deferring to the wisdom of Srini Rao, whose latest post 7 Commandments of the Unmistakable Creative delivers the message better than I can.

Those commandments are:

  1. Reality is malleable.

  2. Your Resources are Limited, But Your Imagination and Creativity Are Not.

  3. Your Temporary Circumstances Don’t Have to Become Your Permanent Reality [I say, we don’t have time to allow for ‘permanent realities’.]

  4. The Status Quo is Meant to be Challenged. 

  5. Adversity Leads to Growth. [We also don’t have time to shy away from adversity. I really need to heed this commandment.]

  6. Only Is Better Than Best [A key theme of his first book **, Unmistakable]

  7. What You Create for An Audience of One is Much More Likely to Reach an Audience of Millions. 

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Any book suggestions? Journal writing tips? Methods you use to explore your interests?  Let us know in the comments box.

Thanks for reading.

 

** A. Not affiliate links.