My good friend, Danielle (Dani) Nelson (www.lifeunconstrained.com), posted this pic on Facebook recently. Instant inspiration! Did you notice in the pic that she’s barefoot? Love dancing barefoot! I was a dancer for 15 years…and when I’m at home, you will almost always find me barefoot. My youngest always asks me, “Mommy, why do you always walk on your toes?”. Yes, I am still a dancer…my career may have ended because of a knee injury but, I will always be a dancer in my heart.
I got to thinking about ‘the dance’, the process of creating, and retirement planning. I was trained that in order to retire successfully, you must have a “number”… the amount of capital you need to save in order to generate the income you want. Once you have your number you can plan your steps to get there. Intellectually, makes sense, right? However, I have found that most people haven’t fully ‘bought’ into their retirement plan because they aren’t emotionally connected. In fact, most individuals aren’t clear about what they want in retirement, they lack vision. You may have a beautifully choreographed dance routine but, without the music, without the rhythm, without the stage, your plan will fall short of expectations.
I believe the process of creating a fulfilling life, a prosperous business, or an abundant retirement is backwards! When I reflect on my years as a dancer, I remember that the steps didn’t come first. What came first was the overall vision of the show…the message, the feeling, the stage, and the music. Then the dance steps. The dance steps move with the music, across the stage, always supporting the intention and feeling of the production.
So, how are you “dancing down your path” to retirement? Have you set the stage, did you pick out the music and the costumes? Get past the numbers because it’s not about the numbers. Picture in your mind how you want your retirement days to look like. Perhaps a beautiful home on the lake, grand-kids spending their day with you swimming, laughing your butt off as you tell them embarrassing stories about their parents! Are you beginning to feel it? Fun, isn’t it?
“I enjoy saving my money and watching my investment grow because it makes me feel abundant NOW…I like the idea of being comfortable and having fun NOW; I want to be comfortable in retirement. I want to have fun and laugh in retirement. I save money for the feeling of ease.”
Whether you ‘grand jete’ or ‘step-ball-change’, the action steps for your retirement plan should boost your sense of Well-Being, causing you to feel good. When you flip the creative process around, paying attention first to what you want and how you feel, your comfort and confidence will increase because your financial decisions will be in sync with your desires.
“Get into the Vortex, and then…” ~Abraham-Hicks
That Money Girl 
Christine –
So true – Retirement is definitely a “vision” and the “visions”
must continue even in retirement – all about joy and being
very thankful for all your blessings!!!!!
Everyone should dance down their own path!!!!!!!
Well said Sue! Yes, we have a vision…AND we keep adding to that vision with additional desires. That’s the best part…we get to keep creating all the time, that is as long as we choose to. And why wouldn’t we? It’s FUN!!
Oh, Chris – I have WAY too much to do to ever retire! I have a vision replete with dreams, intentions and plans! I have a purpose and to that end, a business and goals! I have places to go and see and experience before the end (whenever and wherever that comes), but nowhere in my future do I see stopping and not fulfilling my purpose – which could be the only thing that could happen in “retirement.”
Agreed, my purpose might change and require new plans and goals. But, that too, isn’t retirement!
The universe may have other plans for me, and if that happens, hopefully, the net will appear. But until then, I will keep building my vision and work on building my comfort with my financial life, so that the abundance that fuels my dream will be matched with the abundance that can turn that dream into reality.
Jeanne I LOVE your first sentence! “I have WAY too much to do to ever retire!” And ofcourse you do…you are one of the ‘lucky’ ones that has found her purpose in life with your work…so WHY would you even want to retire? “Retirement” isn’t what it was years ago…there are no rules anymore when it comes to creating retirement…truthfully, who says we have to label our years between age 55-90+ as “retirement”?? Your life, regardless of your age or stage, will unfold according to your desires…and yes, your desires may change and with that will come new goals, new action steps…and MORE FUN!!
Think of it this way…if you are loving your work, creating income/revenue, travelling, enjoying time with family and friends…why would that have to change when you are 55, 60, 65, 70, or 80? Look at Warren Buffet!! The man loves life, loves his work…he is in the flow! That man will NEVER “retire”!
What I appreciate most about you Jeanne is your free spirit…your willingness to dream and want BIG! That will always serve you well…let the rest fall into place…and it will!!
Give me a call sometime…would love to chat and catch up more! 🙂