LONGEVITY vs RETIREMENT

Evolution Lizzie by Judita Paz 2025
Dreaming Lizard turns into a bird.

Transitions Are Important

. Every end is a new beginning. If I am fixated on what I’m losing, I may miss the new beginning.

 . Make your life or it will be made for you … urgency can take over. 

 . There are developmental challenges over a life span … they are not preventable.     

 . In facing these adaptive challenges, there are no experts. Only you yourself can take them on and to do that you must look inside.

Nigerian Goddess of Life by Catherine Marsh 2025
Goddesses of Tea series - Water is the elixir of life.

Eight Areas to Consider 

When Planning Your Long Life

SPIRIT / Purpose & Meaning
What is going to get you out of bed in the morning? Look at big questions like living with compassion and contributing to society. Reassess your purpose: Will you Re-affirm what you did before retiring? Renew it in some way? Reinvent yourself?

BODY / Having the Energy to Do What You Want to Do
Look at genetic factors. Address nutrition: Eat well but with no extremes. (Mediterranean diet seems to work.) Get Medical Care. Think about your Lifestyle. Consider your environment: Pets? Plants? Bar in the bathroom? Good Sleep Patterns Are Essential.

HEART / Self Observation
Live with Optimism. See Hope & Possibility. Be adaptable. Develop Resilience: Be able to Survive & Thrive. Practice Reflection.

Angel by Monique Mulbry 2025
Nature is the ultimate provider.

CONNECTIONS / Relationships Count

Develop new friendships. Deepen existing relationships. Prepare to say goodbye to those who are/will be departing.

MIND / Challenge Yourself 

Think broadly and solve problems. Join or create elder social innovations such as The Third Act, Encore, and Raging Grannies. Two keys to good mental health: Setting a routine helps you meet difficulties as they arise. Engaging in creativity builds cognitive reserve (make art or music, learn woodworking, knitting …)

WORK / Contribute to Society

Your participation in society matters. Give your talents away through one form or another. 

Hawk by Share DuBois 2025
Be observant. Life is sending you signals.

PLACE / What Do You Want to Belong To?
Ask: Is there a community that will support and challenge me? Will you stay where you are but make changes to your home? Consider moving to your ideal place? In either case, within 3 years people leave because they don’t feel that they belong or fit in. Where will you have a sense of Being Home?

MONEY / What am I saving for?
Live within your means. Plan now for the future because financial acuity is one of first capacities to go. You will need a lifetime stream of income. 

Butterfly Spirit by LiDoña Wagner 2025
Where are you in the cycle of self-transformation?

The Sauce Is in the Details 

Part of TIAA’s research included a survey of the results from two 80-year studies of persons who lived long lives, one on creative people and another on male graduates of a major university. The long-life creative people said, ‘You must be conscientious – mindful of time.’ Long-life male graduates said, ‘Relationships were most important and must be nurtured.’

One of the long-life researchers was asked, “If you could live your life over, what would you do differently?”  He replied, “I wish I had paused and explored my options more often”.

This is a summary of a TIAA Research Institute webinar presented by Head Surya Kollari &  Managing Director, Strategic Leadership Mark Saine. 

Voice of the People 5

Instead of joining the (at least) 75,000 who rallied in the Loop, we walked up to be with our neighbors of at least 250 to vote for No Kings. 

This event was organized by the residents of the Breakers senior independent living high rise.   Jim T.  

DJT IS A LIAR

SENOIRS FOR TRUTH

THE RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH

RIGHT TO FAIR TRIAL

I WILL BE HEARD!

NEVER FORGET!

VOICE OF THE PEOPLE #4

 

PEOPLE POWER

AGAINST FASCISM

SERVICES AT STAKE

WAKE UP

MAKE A DIFFERENCE NOW

VOICE OF THE PEOPLE #3

ICE OUT

NEWSOM: NO PROBLEM

NEIGHBORS

FREE PALESTINIANS

DEPORT TRUMP

VOICE OF THE PEOPLE #2

 

REMOVE 

IMPEACH

JAIL

SELL

RIDICULE

VOICE OF THE PEOPLE

In over 2000 popular NO KINGS demonstrations on Saturday June 14 in all 50 states The People Expressed their Voice.

For the next five days I will share photos I took during the event in Eugene, Oregon. Each day will highlight photos of a theme I witnessed:

1.        The Stakes are High

2.        Remove DJT

3.        Resist ICE

4.        Protect Democracy

5.        All Generations

Participants from all walks of life carrying their chosen messages demonstrated the awesome reality of our nation’s commitment to multi-culturalism. 

THE STAKES ARE HIGH

MOBILIZE 

Christy Walton's ad in the New York Times & local newspapers

SPEAK UP

People and Themes of the Day 

BE HONEST

Current Administration Does Not Reflect My Values 

                                          

RESIST NOW

We are NOT a nation of woman haters

 

CORRUPTION, CHAOS, CRUELTY

With the clarity that the Trump Republican regime is deadset on TAX CUTS for the wealthy and HEALTH-CARE CUTS for the many, a recent editorial by Rahm Emanuel in the Washington Post hit the nail on the head: his Democratic slogan for 2026 is Republicans are about CORRUPTION, CHAOS, AND CRUELTY.

Wise Woman, Founder and Chair Emerita of Emily’s List, Ellen R. Malcolm, put it this way: Trump is Extreme. Craven. Chaotic. Destructive. Morally Bankrupt.

In April, Pramila Jayapal  - Washington state representative to the US House - recognized this reality and began holding online resistance training for those who want to learn how to combat this assault on our democracy. 

Two images from this training spoke to me. The first one shows that to create a movement for a new society, one needs only nudge a friend, colleague, family member, contact over a tiny bit from being in the Active Opposition to being in the Passive Opposition or from being a Passive Ally to becoming an Active Ally. 

In the 2024 election Trump Republicans moved urban males from neutral or passive DJT allies to active allies. Democrats moved rural passive allies or neutral voters to active allies for a free society for all people. 

While Democrats didn’t move enough rural people into active voters to offset the (temporary) gains of Republicans, they moved enough neutral and passive allies that the Resistance to the Trump Republican regime TRIPLED in 2025 following the election over that in 2017.

The second image comes from Michael Beer, Co-Director of Nonviolence International. His picture of the Pillars of Power reveals the warfare DJT and GOP government / DOGE is waging against all other pillars of power in our society. 

At the same time, the take down of Tesla (Musk) by active consumers waging a resistance movement, shows that the mobilization of ordinary people can stop even the seemingly most powerful in their tracks.

Resistance movements have shown that 3.5% of a population needs to be mobilized to prevent the takeover of autocrats.  We are not there yet, but ... 

• The April election of Susan Crawford to the Wisconsin Supreme Court proved the power of grassroots people to overcome that of Musk’s millions, ensuring that Wisconsin will have clean bias-free electoral maps.
• Likewise, the recent Nebraska election of Democrat John Ewing, Jr to be the first Black mayor of Omaha, reveals that grassroots localized campaigns can build on decades of forming coalitions and credibility as a public servant.
• 51% of voters disapprove of what morally corrupt DJT (and his GOP supporters) are doing. 

So, there is more work to do. But, if we each get out there and nudge someone we know to wake up just a little bit, our efforts locally will have a big impact on preserving our democracy.  We can move beyond corruption, chaos, and cruelty. 

YES WE CAN!