New Freedoms
Opportunity to do "bucket list"
Ability to Release your curiosity
Experience the joy of being alive
Big Changes in the Sixth Adventure
Changing Bodies (slowerness, pains, etc.)
Changing Worlds (world seems to become smaller)
Changing Minds (not as sharp as they used to be)
7 Possible Losses/The Dark Valleys of the Sixth Adventure
1. Strength, 2. Health, 3. Peer Group, 4. Consultative Authority, 5. Loss of Identity, 6. Loss of Physical Space (Smaller living quarters, living with family members), 7. Loss of Financial Independence
Retirees Need to Avoid "Narrative Foreclosure"
Feeling that "My life's story has ended"
Feeling that "It's too late to live meaningfully
Important Work for Those in Their Mid 60s and Beyond
Putting My House in Order, Physically, Psychologically and Emotionally
Retrieving Our Memories, Feast on memories, wisdom, people, times and places that have restored our soul over the years.
Retrieving our regrets and seeking forgiveness,
Completing Big Projects if you have any
Making/Implementing Plan for Will, Trust Bequests and Donations etc.
Creating Powers of attorney for legal and healthcare
Creating a Legacy Workbook
Why? to maintain our health and well being as we age
Excercise 1. Alphabet of memories: Go through the alphabet and take time with each letter and write down a memorable enjoyable thing/experience beginning with the letter.
Excercise 2. Giving away memories: Of the memories above and other lifetime memories decide what memories you want to give to whom? be specific ....example, give memory of living as a young Catholic to great nieces.
Excercise 3. Letters of Appreciation: Write a letter of appreciation to someone who impacted your life and write it down on a note for them.
Excercise 4. The Difficult Legacy: Who do I need to apologize and ask forgiveness. You can do this in person or in writing. You can do this even if the person is deceased or you will not send the note. Why? this activity produces healing.
Excercise 5: Write/Audio/Video Record an ethical will.
Who did I value most in my life? (be specific). When did this feeling/person first become apparent to you? Why did you value this person/these people at different times or throughout your life?
What obligations have I sought to fulfill in my life? what imperatives have guided my life? what virtues guided my life? To whom (one or more) do I want to bestow the knowledge of these reflections on my life?