Author: Admin01

Look around the next time you’re in a waiting room or airport gate. Nearly everyone is hunched over a phone, scrolling in silence.

I used to be one of them.

A popular adage is “The only two sure things in life are death and taxes.” I’d add waiting to the list.

Waiting to check out.

Waiting to board a plane.

Waiting to see the doctor.

How Do You Pass the Time?

Most of us pull out our phones, plug in our buds and watch videos, listen to podcasts or scroll mindlessly through Instagram or TikTok.

I’m not basing this on verified data, just casual observation. Next time you’re waiting, scan the room. I guarantee the number of people lost in their phones will be near 100%.

If this makes you happy, by all means, go for it.

A Simple Way to Reduce Screen Time

But I’ve committed to reducing my passive screen minutes, opting to spend my time engaged and active instead. And I’ve found a trick to help me avoid reaching for my phone while I’m waiting for my name to be called.

I keep a paperback with me.

I’m an avid reader and have my parents to thank. My dad had a 3-hour daily roundtrip bus commute, and needed fresh material for the week. So we’d load into the family station wagon on Saturday mornings and head to our local library. I worked my way around the children’s room shelves, graduating to the adult section in middle school.

Back then, reading wasn’t something we had to remind ourselves to do – it was simply how we filled quiet moments. I’d fallen out of the habit. But I found that carrying a paperback has become my quiet act of resistance. It’s a super easy way to reclaim those in-between moments.

You Are What You Read

Mind you, I’m not carrying deep-thinking reads with me. My books for waiting are light reads, both in content and size. I’m not pulling out a 1500-page biography of Teddy Roosevelt at the dentist.

And I’m not bringing along a weeper. O’Hare and Atlanta Hartsfield airports make me cry normally. I don’t need literary inspiration to induce the tears.

I’ve found contemporary mysteries like the Thursday Murder Club series make excellent waiting room reads. So do celebrity book club recommendations. I’m particularly fond of Reese Witherspoon’s recommendations. One of my favorite recent reads came from her list, Ann Patchett’s Tom Lake.

Borrow, Don’t Buy

I don’t buy my bag books. I borrow them – from my dad’s assisted living library, from the “take me” table at our local library, from friends’ coffee tables (with permission)! When borrowing a book, I make sure the owner knows: 1. I dogear pages and break spines and 2. I might lose it. Most are okay with it. But some are horrified about my book abuse.

My current bag book is one I lifted, with permission, from the library of our Florida beach rental. It’s not only an entertaining read, but a reminder of a recent, wonderful vacation.

I carry books that fit easily in my crossbody bag. And I pack a few extras to make my reading experience pleasant, whatever the environment.

What I Keep in My Bag for Screen-Free Moments

• Drugstore reading glasses – because eyes get tired by late afternoon.
• Small notebook and pen – for favorite lines or ideas to revisit.
• Neck light – a game-changer for dim planes and waiting rooms.

If you’re not a reader, there are other things you can pack in your day bag to occupy your time without resorting to a screen.

Many of my friends can concentrate on knitting while they’re waiting in public.

Another great way to pass waiting time is to carry a few notecards with you with stamped envelopes. Write a short letter to a dear friend and mail it on your way home. There are few things in life as wonderful as receiving a handwritten “thinking of you” card.

The next time you’re waiting, before reaching for your phone, pull out your paperback instead. Changing this simple habit has made me calmer and more present.

Let’s Chat:

Do you immediately grab your phone when waiting? Does scrolling through social media make you feel happy? Anxious? Jealous? Is reducing your phone screen time a personal goal?

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For much of our lives, we are taught to think of reinvention as something dramatic: a bold pivot, a fresh start, a single defining moment when everything changes.

But in my experience, that is rarely how life really works.

More often, change comes in seasons. We reassess, adapt, let go of what no longer fits, and step into something new, even if we do not yet have all the answers. Then, before long, life asks us to do it again.

That is what I call repetitive reinvention. It is not a crisis, and it is not a failure. It is a lifelong practice of reassessing, realigning, and renewing as life evolves. Now, in my 80th year, I can see this pattern more clearly than ever.

Looking Back, I See the Steps

When I look at my life, I do not see a straight line. I see a staircase.

I began as a farmgirl and student. Then I became a public school teacher, a university professor, a nonprofit development executive, and later a financial advisor. After that came an encore career focused on speaking, writing, research, and mentoring.

And now? I describe this season of life as reFirement.

That is different from retirement as many people imagine it. Retirement is often pictured as stepping away from work, slowing down, or living more quietly. ReFirement, at least for me, means something else. It means staying engaged with purpose while reshaping how that purpose is expressed. It means continuing, but differently. Not vintage retirement. New fire.

Each chapter of my life required change, but none of those transitions happened all at once. Each one asked something of me: honesty, courage, reflection, practical planning, faith, and a willingness to release an old identity before the next one was fully formed. That is why I do not think of reinvention as a single grand event. I think of it as a repeating rhythm.

Reinvention Does Not Mean Erasing Yourself

One of the biggest misunderstandings about reinvention is the idea that we must become a completely different person. I do not believe that.

True reinvention is not about throwing away who you are. It is about carrying your wisdom forward into a new form.

The skills I used as a teacher stayed with me when I became a professor. My listening skills and heart for service mattered in nonprofit work. My capacity to guide, educate, and encourage became essential in financial planning and later in my writing and speaking. The outer roles changed, but the inner threads remained.

That is important for women over 60 to remember.

At this stage of life, many of us are navigating loss, caregiving, changing health, retirement, relocation, widowhood, or the quiet realization that the life we built is shifting under our feet. That can feel disorienting. But reinvention does not ask us to discard our past. It invites us to reinterpret it.

We are not starting from scratch. We are starting from experience.

Why This Matters More as We Age

When we are younger, change often comes with built-in structure. School leads to work. Family responsibilities define many of our choices. Society tends to hand us a script.

Later in life, the script grows less clear. That can feel unsettling, but it can also be freeing. As we age, we gain something powerful: permission to ask deeper questions.

What matters now? What still fits? What have I outgrown? What wants to emerge next?

These are not selfish questions. They are wise ones.

Repetitive reinvention gives us a compassionate way to answer them. It reminds us that pausing to reevaluate is not falling behind. It is paying attention. It helps us stay present to our own lives.

And sometimes, the next chapter begins not because we chose it, but because life chose it for us. A loss, a diagnosis, a move, a strained relationship, an unexpected opportunity, or a growing restlessness we can no longer ignore may push us toward change. Even then, we still have agency. We may not control every circumstance, but we can choose how we respond.

The Quiet Power of Reassessment

In my own life, every meaningful reinvention began with reassessment. Before any outer change came an inner pause.

I had to ask myself what was true emotionally, financially, physically, and spiritually. I had to reconsider assumptions I had been carrying for years. I had to rebalance commitments, redesign routines, and realign with what mattered most. Only then could renewal follow.

That process is not flashy. It rarely looks impressive from the outside. But it is where real change begins.

Many women think they need a perfect plan before they can move forward. I would suggest something gentler: begin with honest questions. What is draining me? What is calling to me? What do I need more of? What am I ready to release? What strengths have I not fully used yet?

Those questions can open doors.

You Do Not Need One Big Reinvention

Perhaps the most comforting part of repetitive reinvention is this: it does not require one giant leap.

Sometimes a new chapter begins with something very small: a class, a volunteer role, a conversation, a fresh routine, a creative project, a change in how you spend your mornings, a decision to stop saying yes when you mean no, or a decision to try even before you feel fully ready.

Over time, these small shifts accumulate. They create momentum, restore energy, and help us remember that life is still asking something of us. Not in a burdensome way, but in an invitational way.

Beginning Again, with Compassion

If there is one thing I have learned, it is this: reinvention is not about perfection. It is about presence.

It is about staying engaged with life, curious about possibility, grounded in purpose, and willing to begin again, not because we failed before, but because life keeps unfolding.

In our later years, that may be one of our greatest freedoms. We do not have to stay frozen in old roles that no longer fit. We do not have to apologize for changing. We do not have to become smaller with age.

We can continue to grow, to contribute, to realign, and to renew, again and again. That is the beauty of repetitive reinvention. Not a single transformation, but a lifelong practice.

And perhaps that is what aging well really looks like: not clinging to who we once were, but courageously becoming who we are now.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

What part of your life may be asking for reinvention now? How many reinventions can you count in your life? Which skills or passions transferred from one reinvention to the next?

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With the 24/7 news cycle, it’s hard to avoid breaking news headlines and checking your account balance. The truth is, I hear versions of this all the time: “I made the mistake of checking my account after listening to the news. And now I’m worried.”

This anxiety can even occur when your finances are actually OK. You might have a healthy nest egg, Social Security, and a traditional pension. Many signs may suggest you’re “on track.”

And yet a down week in the market can change how you feel.

Many people don’t need another spreadsheet. Instead, it’s a plan that answers the following:

“What do I do when the market goes up or down?”

If you know the answer ahead of time, you can tune out the daily market noise, which should help steady your mood.

Why Your Brain Keeps Asking “What About This?”

Our brain is still playing catch-up. For much of human existence, it made sense to ask: “Will I have enough food for next season?”

Today’s retirement, however, requires our brain to consider something that sounded impossible: I have enough for the next 20 to 30 years.

But our more primitive part of the brain still sees the market dip not as a temporary fluctuation, but as uncertainty. And that uncertainty can feel like danger.

Instead, take a breath and respond with your process.

The “Sleep-at-Night” Baseline Check

Is the worry a real issue or just a loud alarm?

Ask yourself:

Are My Essentials Covered by Reliable Income?

If Social Security, a pension, and/or an annuity cover most of your essentials, then the market mostly impacts your “wants.”

Do I Have a Cash Buffer?

A cash buffer protects near-term spending from market fluctuations and allows for better sleep.

How Flexible Is My Spending, Really?

If you have the ability to delay an expense, like a big trip or home project during a market downturn, then you are probably more resilient.

Is My Plan Dated?

If you haven’t reviewed your assumptions about inflation, taxes, or healthcare costs in some time, your brain likely won’t trust the numbers.

If this exercise results in a real strain, that is valuable information that you can act on.

But for many people, it is their fear that is bigger than the actual risk. If that’s the case, it can help to say out loud: “I hear your concern, but our updated plan states we have enough to ride out the ups and downs.”

Why “Probability of Success” Often Doesn’t Feel Reassuring

Even for retirees whose plan says they are likely to be fine, it might not answer: what do I do when the market drops?

Without a plan that incorporates action, any movement in your portfolio can feel like a new decision. The market is up; can I spend more? The market is down; do we need to cut spending?

The Retirement Tune-Up: Your “If/Then” Plan

Here’s the solution: create a plan that includes if/then decisions.

Using “guardrails,” you decide these rules in advance so that you don’t overreact in either direction.

1. The “Raise” Rule (When Markets Are Strong)

For some retirees, even if they can afford to spend more, they don’t. But a “raise” rule allows you to enjoy the upside: If your portfolio increases above a predetermined line, then your spending may increase.

2. The “Yellow Line” Rule (When Markets Drop)

Before the panic starts, decide ahead of time what action you’ll take if markets drop. If the market drops you into a caution zone, you may temporarily pause some discretionary spending or cut back on some travel.

But the important part is it’s “specific” and it’s “temporary.” Instead of saying “we will never spend again,” phrase it as “we are tightening up our spending and then reassessing.”

3. The “Red Line” Rule (If Things Get Serious)

If the market drops below a critical line, you may decide larger actions are necessary, including withdrawing less, adjusting spending priorities, and ensuring your investments are not impacting your sleep.

Try a Market Noise Diet

You control when and how often you review your accounts. Instead, decide if you will check your accounts monthly, quarterly, or semi-annually.

If your anxiety increases between reviews, try reviewing your If/Then plan before you check your account balance.

A Final Thought

You can’t control the markets, but you can build confidence in how you respond.

With the 24/7 news cycle, headlines will be dramatic, and markets will move. But by checking your baseline and having an if/then plan, you can take a step back and know this usually isn’t an emergency because you have a plan.

By creating your plan in advance, you can stay in control of what really matters… actually living the life you’ve built.

A Few Questions to Think About

Are your essential expenses covered by reliable income? Is your cash buffer large enough to avoid selling stocks in a down market? If there is a significant market drop, do you have guardrails to tell you how much to trim? If markets are doing well, are you comfortable enough to enjoy it (within reason)? Do you have a plan that you will stick to rather than react to the news?