Month: October 2025

Already retired or thinking about retiring? Once we are over 60, most of us likely fall into one of those two categories. No matter which one you are in, I encourage you to ask yourself if there has been a whisper in your mind that you have been ignoring?

Dr. Caroline Leaf has a podcast that I listen to regularly. I find it really hits the nail on the head as I help individuals with retirement planning. I find that some folks have no difficulty turning the page when retirement starts and others do. Dr. Leaf points out that sometimes what shifts everything (retirement or otherwise) doesn’t always require a massive breakdown, it can be a little whisper.

Pausing to Create Awareness

When you start to pause and think about retiring or what you want to do now that you are retired, she reminds us that the pause is not indecision, it’s intelligence. Awareness creates the shift that brings you into a state of “malleability” which means your brain can be re-wired and so your situation CAN be changed. It makes sense to be aware of and listen to whatever your whisper might be telling you.

Sometimes one of the most helpful things you can do, whether it’s related to retiring or a relationship or a job, etc. is to admit that it’s time to do something new. That takes courage. Yet it’s really no different than the analogy she uses of watering a plant. You stop watering a wilted plant and choose to redirect that water to something with roots.

The Financial Side of Change

A common denominator for most life changes, a move, a new job, etc. has at least some financial component to it. I would love for all women to take the emotion out of their financial life by treating it as a checklist to be taken care of and then moving on to enjoy the fun and meaningful aspects of life once that financial checklist is complete. Retirement is no different.

We all enjoy more peace of mind when we know the financial aspect of our life is not a worry. Thinking about and taking action on pre- and post-retirement aspects of our finances is no different. We are all ready for different steps at different times, based on our individual circumstances, so I’ve developed a variety of retirement checklists to get women started on whatever they need and are ready for in the moment.

Our Mind Is in Control

Depending on our childhood and our past relationships, acting on the financial tasks may come easily or not. Even though I am in the financial industry, I see over and over again that it is the “mind” aspect of our behaviors (not just financial behaviors) that we most often fail to realize is in control.

Dr. Leif is a Neuroscientist, and she does a great job of reminding us that our mind is in control, not our brain. Our mind thinks, feels, and chooses how our brain rewires. So walking away from something, retiring for example, is a disruption that we can choose how to “start over.”

Even when the retirement decision isn’t always our choice, we still have choices we are in control of. Research continues to confirm that about half of Americans end up retiring 3-5 years earlier than they had anticipated. Most often that is due to uncontrollable factors like health issues or job loss from employer changes.

Our mindset should not be about erasing who we have been but about updating what no longer fits and adding some new learning/growing opportunities. I overheard two women talking the other day about retiring. One had retired four years ago, and the other, two days ago. They were discussing the difficulty of letting go of the worry about who would replace them after they left. The former encouraged the latter to let that thought go sooner rather than later as it was no longer in her control.

So I think the best news for all of us to remember is that our brain does not think. It just responds to your mind. And you are totally in control of your mindset. My wish for you is Less Worry, More Life! I challenge you to get the financial peace of mind behind you so you can focus your mindset, time and energy on the enjoyment of the new learning and growth opportunities that await you in retirement.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

What have your retirement thoughts or experiences been like? Any mindset shifts you are experiencing or found helpful or challenging? How about any tips for women thinking about retirement or already retired? Let’s share!

What happened between the three of them?

Waft those autumnal aromas in our direction, please.

If you thought Sicily was just another region of Italy, think again. This autonomous region has an enormously strong sense of identity and culture, quite separate from mainland Italy. It’s often viewed as a microcosm of Italy, a showcase for the country’s varied landscape, fascinating history and gastronomy, all packed into under 10,000 square miles.

On face value, it’s the ultimate holiday destination – sunshine, glorious beaches, culture and delicious food all wrapped up in one perfect package. But delve deeper and you’ll discover aspects to the island which may be quite different to what you were expecting.

Sicily Is the Largest Island in the Mediterranean

Separated from the mainland by just 1.5 miles of water, situated at the toe of Italy’s boot, Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean. Triangular shaped, and with several offshore islands, its landscape – comprising volcanoes, nature reserves and ancient Greek and Roman sites for starters – is incredibly varied. But, traditionally, it’s the coastline, comprising just over 900 miles of powder soft sands, rocky bays and glorious translucent water, that’s the ultimate magnet for holidaymakers.

Sicily Is Home to Europe’s Largest Active Volcano

Visiting Mount Etna is one of life’s big adventures. This is Europe’s largest active volcano, frequently emitting lava flows and ash plumes. In fact, it has shaped many of the towns of south east Sicily, with its most devastating eruption in 1669 resulting in the reconstruction of Catania and the eight UNESCO Baroque towns of the Val di Noto. Today, you can visit the volcano independently or join a thrilling jeep tour across its rugged terrain.

However, the volcanoes on Sicily’s offshore Aeolian Islands are equally dramatic. While the Aeolian island of Vulcano gave us the modern word ‘volcano’, on neighbouring Stromboli, small explosions and glowing ‘fireworks’ occur on an almost nightly basis.

Sicily’s Climate

Sicily’s climate is most definitely Mediterranean – no surprises there. Its southerly location means that you can expect higher temperatures than most of the rest of Italy, with plenty of sunshine from April to October and toasty sea temperatures right through September and October. And, as if to prove its proximity to Africa, some of the higher temperatures that sweep across the island are the result of the African sirocco wind blowing in from the Sahara.

Even more surprising perhaps is the fact that, despite the heat, you can ski in Sicily! Mount Etna is often topped with snow, and has ski resorts, and there is also occasional snowfall in the Madonie and Nebrodi mountain ranges.

Standout Sicilian Wine

If you thought that most Italian wine came from the northern Italian regions of Tuscany and Piedmont, think again. Winemaking on Sicily dates back to the Greeks and in terms of volume, the island is now one of Italy’s biggest wine-producing regions. Of course, this is partly due to the wonderful sunny, dry climate but the rich volcanic terroir also plays a part in yielding some standout Sicilian wines such as Nero d’Avola and Etna Bianco.

Ice Cream in Sicily

Yes, people really do eat ice cream for breakfast! The mere sight of gelato oozing out of a doughy brioche bun is temptation enough but one bite, accompanied by a strong espresso, and you’ll be hooked!

Classic flavours include pistachio, almond, lemon and mulberry. In fact, Sicilian gelato dates right back to the 9th century and is just one of the indicators of Arab influence on the island. The Arabs introduced sugarcane and citrus to the island, making what was known as ‘sherbet’ from snow stored in mountain caves. In time, fruit syrups were mixed with the snow, eventually evolving into sorbets and then gelato.

Sicilian Honey

Another legacy of the ancient Greeks and Arab was beekeeping. Wild thyme honey was greatly valued by the Greeks for its rare fragrance and therapeutic qualities. Today, the aromatic honey is still produced in the Iblei Mountains in eastern Sicily alongside other specialist honey created from the nectar of thistle flowers, wild carob trees, chestnut and orange blossom.

If you’re interested in beekeeping and honey production, stay on the slopes of Mount Etna and visit the town of Zafferana Etnea which is well known for its strong connection to the honey trade, with guided tours and honey tastings available.

Do Sicilians Eat Pizza?

Pizza is as popular in Sicily as elsewhere in Italy, but traditional Sicilian pizza is known as ‘sfincione’. Thicker and fluffier than the classic Neapolitan version, ‘sfincione’ is cut in a rectangular shape and more closely resembles focaccia. Other Sicilian dishes such as caponata, arancini, and cannoli have also become familiar sights around the world.

Why Are There So Many Greek Ruins in Sicily?

Sicily was known by the Greeks as Magna Graecia. The island was one of the principal centres of Greek culture outside of Greece, and cities such as Agrigento and Syracuse became as wealthy and powerful as mainland Greek cities. This explains the current presence of some of the best-preserved Greek temples. Myths around Greek gods also still exist – my favourite is the Greek belief that defeated giants and monsters were imprisoned in Mount Etna!

Sicily Is Home to Italy’s Largest Opera House

Anyone with an interest in opera will have heard of La Scala in Milan but you may be less familiar with the Teatro Massimo Vittorio Emmanuele, the Palermo Opera House. In fact, this is Italy’s largest opera house and, with a capacity of around 1300 seats, one of the largest in Europe.

The imposing neoclassical building was built after Italian unification, between 1875 and 1897, complete with grand Corinthian columns and a monumental staircase which was where the dramatic final scenes of The Godfather, Part III were filmed.

Over 80% of Sicily’s Landscape Is Made of Hills and Mountains

Encased by a dramatic coastline, much of Sicily is hilly or mountainous. Dramatic mountain ranges include the Madonie, the Nebrodi and Peloritani ranges and the east of the island, of course, is dominated by Mount Etna. As a result, large numbers of defensive towns and villages are perched on hilltops and cliffs: one of the most spectacular is the town of Ragusa Ibla which appears to almost tumble down the hillside.

Of course, this landscape also means that there are wonderful opportunities for hiking and for exploring off the beaten track villages where time seems to have stopped still.

Let’s Explore:

Have you ever been to Sicily? Which was your favourite place? Would you recommend staying in one place or touring round the island?

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Originally posted at: Emily Simpson’s Green Puff Sleeve Top