I’ve lived in four states because of corporate transfers. My background is college teaching/administration, and for each relocation, I found a new job, house, and social groups. This is what retirement is about, the opportunity to learn, re-invent, re-define yourself, and pursue new opportunities and passions. My biology/psychology/relocation background prepared me to address the non-financial aspects of retirement, and I know CPAs/CFPs willing to share their financial expertise. I’ve authored five retirement books, I’m the “Healthy Living” columnist for a magazine, and I’ve been speaking/writing about retirement for the past 22 years. I have a B.S., an M.Ed., and I’m ABD for my doctorate. I can also speak backwards fluently!
I wrote...
The New Retirement: The Ultimate Guide to the Rest of Your Life, 3rd edition
By
Jan Cullinane
What is my book about?
“Big-box” retailers like Target, Walmart, Costco, and Amazon thrive because so many people want one-stop shopping. The New Retirement: The Ultimate Guide to the Rest of Your Life, 3rd edition, provides the same type of service to you, the reader. This book is for those who want to create more than just a financial plan – it’s for those looking to create a life plan.
The chapter titles give a good indication of the content: "What Makes Retirement Successful?"; "168 Hours a Week"; "Working in Retirement: It’s not an Oxymoron"; "What and Where is Home?"; "Locations, Locations, Locations"; "Forever Young"; "Dollars and Sense"; "The Taxman Cometh"; "Money Saving Tricks and Tips"; "The Final Chapter".
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The Books I Picked & Why
What the Happiest Retirees Know: 10 Habits for a Healthy, Secure, and Joyful Life
By
Wes Moss
Why this book?
This gem of a book translates the results of Wes Moss’s survey of more than 2,000 happy retirees into ten actionable habits that help you achieve your best “second act.” I love the author’s easy, breezy writing style. Find out how many “core pursuits” are needed to make you a happier retiree!
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Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions
By
Dan Ariely
Why this book?
Although not a retirement book, this book will change the way you think and make your retirement richer and more meaningful. You’ll become a much better decision-maker and learn, for example, how to fight status quo bias, deal with choice overload, avoid “anchoring,” and recognize how important “hedonic adaptation” is in retirement.
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What Retirees Want: A Holistic View of Life's Third Age
By
Ken Dychtwald
Why this book?
I like authors who back up statements with research. Ken Dychtwald, CEO of Age Wave, has been studying the Boomer generation for more than three decades, and uses his research to not only demonstrate how this generation has transformed retirement, but also provides important insights for those who work with, sell to, or are Boomers themselves. Virtually every page has a nugget of useful and applicable information.
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Your Erroneous Zones: Step-By-Step Advice for Escaping the Trap of Negative Thinking and Taking Control of Your Life
By
Wayne W. Dyer
Why this book?
This book was originally published in 1976. It was the first time I internalized the concept that we may not be able to control what happens to us, but we can control how we react to things. This simple thought was – and is – transformational. It’s something that guides my actions to this day. Dyer provides readers with the tools to identify faulty thinking and to change our behavior to become happier and more successful.
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Jane Eyre
By
Charlotte Brontë
Why this book?
Jane Eyre epitomizes the struggles we all face – in our daily lives, our relationships, in dashed hopes, and in persevering even in difficult times. I like the story, the mystery of Mr. Rochester, Jane’s pluckiness, and her tenacity. I love that Jane is an independent woman who is a survivor, and won’t compromise her ideals.
I read this book in fifth grade, and Jane’s strong character made a big impact on me. It reminded me of the Nancy Drew books, with another capable female heroine and role model.