Does freedom 55, 60, 70 … exist?

Are you looking at your bank account and investments bobbing up and down, and wondering if freedom anything will ever exist? You’re not alone! Well Virginia, I’m here to say, yes, freedom is in your grasp, just like Santa Claus it does exist.

The challenge is, it is all in how you look at it, and how you define it. Yes, I know, we all need money to live in our society. I also know from working with clients and shaping my own freedom, it is not an either/or proposition. There is an ‘and’ solution and it starts with how you think.

When it comes to planning your “freedom years’, a.k.a. retirement (we definitely need a new word), most people make a crucial mistake.

Instead of embracing the opportunities to create a new work and play model, they get stuck on a formula and a checklist and what they believe they will have to give up. It’s not always about leaving work, it may be about transforming your relationship with work. If you are feeling burnt out and trapped, it is likely affecting every aspect of your life and it’s hard to see the possibilities from that place. Releasing the feeling of being chained, is a crucial first step.

If you want to join the freedom set, you need to transform your relationship with yourself. This means getting clear on how you want to be in your life, what you value, what you want to be known for, and, what you want to experience from the inside and outwardly.

Here’s a way to get started:

1. Describe how you want to feel in your ideal work day. This isn’t about the tasks this is about the energy, attitude, and perspective that you bring to the day, the type of

experience. Use all your senses to visualize what this would be like.

2. Describe your ideal non-work time. What kinds of things are you doing? How do you feel when you are doing these things?

3. Looking at your descriptions, what’s important about being this way? What values are you honouring in yourself? What is possible for you when you are embracing this way of being? What are you learning about yourself? What do you need to let go of to embrace this way of living?

Transitioning to freedom is both a mindset and work. Starting to get clear on how you want to feel and experience life is a great starting point.

If this article has you interested and you’d like to hear more, follow along at

www.dianerennie.ca/blog  or apply for a complimentary strategy session at 

https://drbooking.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php

What’s one attitude or way of being you can bring to your work and, personal life that will pave your way to freedom?

To living your way.

Creating Luck!

Ready to create some luck?

Here are Six Steps to boost your chances of being lucky in 2019.

What makes people lucky? And, how do you get some of that?

We all know someone who is lucky. They get that hard to find product or ticket, they get the best deal, new jobs and promotions come their way, they make money when they sell their home, on and on… What makes them lucky?

“Luck is preparation meeting opportunity” a paraphrase from Oprah.

I heard this sentiment recently and thought it was brilliant. We’ve all had moments when we thought someone we know seems to have a lot of luck. On our down days, our gremlins may even creep in with, “when is it my turn”. I know I can look back and see times when opportunity was knocking but I didn’t even realize it and sometimes I didn’t answer the call. So, how do we cultivate luck and opportunity. Here are actions I’ve found that work.

Diane's Boost Your Luck Action List:

• Set an intention. This may sound flaky to some but clearly stating the intention to yourself, and putting it out there in the universe does work. When it’s top of mind for you and your network, you will see the opportunities.

• Be curious. Life is a process, it’s dynamic, generative and always evolving. Be open to opportunities.

• Try something. Take a class, volunteer, ask if you can shadow someone, just try something. If something peaks your interest, follow up, try it out. Designers do this all the time. They have an idea, they build a prototype, model or sketch an image. They don’t all work, but they do learn something and build from there.

• Go for the experience, not perfection. Have the courage to jump in. You might fail, you may not like it – great you can cross that one of your list. You might love it, or it might trigger an even more exciting opportunity – either way you will learn and move forward.

• Act like you want to be. What would happen if you started adopting the mindset you imagine you would have in your ideal life? What opportunities would open up? What would you start doing? Why not start today?

• Be flexible. We can’t possibly know all the amazing situations, activities, organizations, etc. there are out there, so listen and watch with an open mind. If it sounds or looks interesting, take a closer look. Ask yourself if this opportunity ticks one or more of your boxes: resonates with your values, is something you are curious about, you always thought it would be fun to try…even though it wasn’t top of mind.

Are you Ready to create some luck?

Diane Rennie is a Coach & Communication Strategist who has a knack for working with the 50+ crowd who want to shape the next chapter of their journey, so they experience the joy, meaning work and satisfaction they are seeking.

Interested in exploring what working with Diane could do for your journey? Apply for your complimentary exploration session

Tick Tock – How to Make Your 2019 Efforts Count

"No one else is going to build the life you want, for you – this is your game. Make a commitment to be in it with yourself.” Adapted from Anya Romanova

Want to know my little secret to making the new year better than ever?

When it comes to the end of the year, how many of us feel like our goals got away on us? Are you one of the many who don’t even bother to make resolutions?

What if you could finish up next year having made significant strides forward in life? It is possible, with just a little shift in thinking.

I’m glad to say I enjoyed a year I was proud of in 2018. I achieved personal and professional goals that were meaningful to me. Do you want to know what exactly enabled me to take action on my intentions? Here’s what I’ve learned and come to know.

Building a Roadmap Based on Your Values

When you focus on actions that are truly meaningful for you, not just a check mark on a career list or a should-do list, great things happen.

For example, my own experience of two parents who lived with dementia made me want to see a change in the way we support those impacted by dementia. I lived out this value by helping create an event called Dementia Reimagined to change the way we see dementia and how we interact with those impacted by dementia.

I have seen firsthand how precious time is. As a result, I want to make sure I have fun and learn something new, now in the present. I wanted to feel inspired and help others feel the power of inspiration as well. These things fit with who I am, my values and the world I want to live in.

While we can’t technically make more time, we CAN make our time count! It starts with getting connected to who you are and where you are now. I like to think of it like a roadmap or charting a sailing journey – you need to know where you are now, in order to know where you’re going. Here’s one way to get clear on where you are now.

Journalling Questions for a Values-Based New Year

1. Where are you now? Write a couple of sentences for different areas of your life – health, financial, work, fun, love/relationships. Describe where you are now in three or four sentences for each area. Thinking of your description of where you are now, describe where you would like to be by the end of 2019.

2. What would will it feel like when you do/achieve what you have just described?

3. What values are you honouring in yourself?

4. How does it fit with who you are, what you care about?

5. What inspires you about it?

6. What would make it fun?

7. What support do you need for this journey? Who can help you?

8. What one step can you take today that will start and inform your journey?

9. What would it be like if you created a future that reflected all of the above? What would it feel like, look like, need to include?

10. How will you celebrate movement forward – both small and large?

Forming intentions and goals from this place is a powerful way to plot your journey. claim your time and your life.

No one else is going to build the life you want, for you – this is your game. Make a commitment to be in it with yourself.

Are you Ready to make 2019 Your Best Year Ever?

Over the next two months I’ll be exploring these steps and more to support building the life you want.

Diane Rennie is a Coach & Communication Strategist who has a knack for working with the 50+ crowd who want to shape the next chapter of their journey, so they experience the joy, meaning work and satisfaction they are seeking.

Interested in exploring what working with Diane could do for your journey?

Apply for your complimentary exploration session.