Time is a double-edged sword, because, as we
have said, when given opportunity, we may discover that what we have always
lacked was never opportunity, but will and discipline.
Those That Can Help
You don’t know everything and sometimes maintaining the various areas of life can
feel a little like spinning plates; neglect one for even a moment, and it may
fall, even bringing others along with it.
You cannot be a master of all trades;
Let’s say you have a dripping tap. You have two
options:
1. learn
the craft of plumbing,
2. look up a plumber in the
yellow pages.
Now, perhaps you’re quite a hands-on type of
individual, and enjoy the challenge and autonomy of fixing your own problems. Cut out the middleman, you think.
But good
middlemen save you time. They know what they’re doing, and have a stake in
your continued success. If you find advantage in the hands-on attitude, we
salute you - but to others that need to stay focused, we might need some hired
help.
Do I need...?
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Rationale
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An accountant?
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A personal trainer?
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A life coach?
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Case
Study: Rosie
Rosie spent all most of her life
in England before emigrating to Hong Kong along with her husband (once an
athlete, he is now a competition judge) and three children.
She has found that she gets on
well with the mentality of the island; the slightly chaotic hippie vibe is
relaxing to her, and the expat population, much like her, enjoy creating things
by hand to sell at flea markets which are held weekly on the island.
The island itself provides plenty
of interesting materials - leaves that can be pressed and hardened into new
forms, plentiful papaya growing and falling into her garden and even pieces of
wood discarded by the workmen can be chiselled into new shapes. As Rosie says:
The art is already somewhere inside them waiting to get out.
This lifestyle, Rosie says, is
not without its drawbacks. The workmanship of the housing, compared to the UK
is poor, and the Pound doesn’t have the same power it once did. There are
problems on the island, but she takes some enjoyment in becoming the centre of
gossip.
She hasn’t been able to quit
smoking quite yet, but it hasn’t slowed her down: she makes the best jam on the
island; the kids are all off having their own adventures, and she can always go
to the beach with Jane Austen if things get too hectic.
The
Question:
Rosie’s life isn’t
perfect, but does Rosie actually benefit from the things that she grumbles
about? We all like to have a moan, and to gossip in our own ways.
How much imperfection
do we need?
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This is the continuation of a serialization of this new ebook on active retirement, by a Ugandan, Petero Wamala, and an American, Douglas Winslow Cooper, Ph.D., which ebook is available through amazon.com for $0.99:
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