Time to Slow Down & Retire? Making Hard Decisions As A Woman Alone

Should I quit YouTube? Should I Slow Down & Retire? Making Hard Decisions...is my life over? Can I still have dreams? Come share my week with me...I went to the Country fair with Hal, thrift shopping, and had a ball! I ponder retirement after meeting a man in his 80s who told me retiring at 70 was the worst mistake he ever made. I took it to heart and I think we need to talk.

What do we have to consider when we make a hard decision?
1. Will It Enrich our physical and mental health?
2. Will it Help Us find meaning in our life?
3. Will It Help Us Open Up To Find Joy & Happiness?
Let's really talk!
And an update on Maggie!!!!

I saw a great video by Jayne Nicolette -
The Evolution Of My Life Through 10 Moves
If you have time, watch this amazing video about one woman's journey through her life. It also shows what a woman can do when she tells her story through film.

See you all next week!
Love to you and yours always!
YOU ARE THE BEST!!!
Susan & Desi
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" The best way to find true happiness is to help someone else find theirs..."
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THIS VIDEO IS NOT SPONSORED.

Sunnydaze Traditional Wooden Hanging Porch Swing - 2-Person Bench - 58.5-Inch
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✔ I N S T A G R A M - / littlepoet7
My last record can be viewed here and listened to in its entirety:
“ Mr. Crazy & Other Tales”
Take a listen to my songs if you have time.
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Desi and I think you are amazing!

[texasmimi]

10 seconds in, I LOL, for real, at Hal's comment..."Dork". We love Hal!

[SharrellKline]

I'm baffled by people who can't settle into retirement. I'm 64 and my husband is 66. We retired and moved overseas almost four years ago now and life has been nothing but adventure. We're living just our social security, yet we've traveled more than we ever have, and we're pretty well traveled. I read books, watch great TV shows, play card games, go to the pool, it's the best time ever. We're at our lowest weights since high school and take no RX drugs. When we retired, we were morbidly obese, and my husband had just gone through prostate cancer. Getting the stress of our old lives into our rearview mirror was the key. Every day is a blessing.

[kateg]

Susan, there really are angels. I had skin cancer surgery on my nose and basically had it rebuilt. I had a scar from between my eyebrows down to my top lip. It wasn't fun looking for a long time. One day I was feeling really unlovely and walked into my grocery store with a baseball hat pulled down low. A little old man with bright white hair and the most beautiful blue eyes was demonstrating dipping strawberries in chocolate shell. I didn't return his smile and rushed past him even though I heard him say "Miss!". Well, guilt killed me and I turned back around. He said "I was sent to tell you that the scars will fade and you are still beautiful". Well, that opened the floodgates and I lost it for a second. When I looked up, there was no little old man. There was no food demo and no strawberries. Just poofed out of existence. I searched the store. He was right though. The scars did fade. I hope that you have a WONDERFUL week Susan. All my love to you and Desi! xx

[bettyloumilstead]

I retired January 7, 2022 and it was probably the best day of my life. I had worked at high stress jobs for the last 25 years and was exhausted- physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. I woke up one day in March 2021 and, sitting on the side of my bed, said “I can’t do this anymore and I don’t want to. I’m done.” The day I turned 66 years and 3 months I applied for social security and notified my employer I was retiring. My first day of retirement I played solitaire all day, just because I could. LOL. No one telling me what I needed to be doing and when. I have never regretted the decision and for the first time in my life I can say I’m truly happy. If I start to think about what purpose do I have now, I just go into gratitude and tell myself this is my reward for working almost 50 years. Also, since retiring I’ve been able to stop taking blood pressure medication that I had been on since I was in my 30’s. Life is good now.

[mmcs]

If all the women who thought the face looking back was old and not worth seeing, what role models would exist for the women coming up behind us. Age is SUCH a privilege, and as a cancer survivor, I live in gratitude, every day. For the changing seasons, sunlight on water, sun on my face, autumn leaves under my feet, all of it ☘️

[anngosda]

I quit at 63 yrs old. I have been retired for a year now.I haven’t heard from anyone at work and I don’t miss it at all. I only make the minimum wage social security but I make it work.

[dorisdaylight]

I would feel like I had lost my very best friend in the world if you stopped doing videos. You have been a lifeline to me. I mean that. You have kept me going when the going was so rough that I couldn't bring myself to even breathe. Words cannot say enough Susan. I could never send you enough hugs, love, joy or blessings for what you continue to do for me.
😘😘😘💖🌹

[catmama]

I definitely believe that angels exist, and often they come with four paws🐾

[teddic]

Very simply said, “Susan, you make a difference. That’s why we all love you so much.”

[Ann-pnor]

I put in 32 years of my life into a narcissistic, abusive man, who made good money, kept a nice roof over my head and paid for vacations for us and our daughter. Now my youth is gone, my house is being sold, my daughter takes after her dad, and I have nothing to live for. Ladies, get out early if you are not happy. It's only gonna get worse.

[marycanfield]

My story this week revolves around my husband, 74 years old. On Monday, he ended up in the hospital with a TIA. The hospital admitted him and gave him many tests for his heart. He had to have an angiogram and there was blockage in 3 arteries, so they inserted two stents, the idea being he'd have the third stent 2 days later. As they wheeled him back to recovery, he had a heart attack. They rushed him back to surgery and were able to remove the blood clots that had formed around the stents, blocking the arteries completely. It was terrifying. I thought for sure I would lose him. He survived and was able to have the third stent without any problem. We came home yesterday, and things are different. We both realize how very blessed we are. Time to make positive changes to diet and exercise. It's a second chance and we're going to take full advantage of it.

[Mphscat]

This video was just for me!!! When Covid shut down the U.S. in 2020, I was 58 and a bartender for events working 6 days per week and on my feet and lifting heavy things right along with the men. After being blessed with a rest due to the pandemic I decided not to return to that job. It was just too physically demanding and damaging to my body. I retired at 62 with peace and joy and gratefulness for living long enough to be able to do it. Having lost three best friends who died before enjoying their retirement, I am going to enjoy every day of it even if that is just staying home and resting. So enjoy retirement Susan but please continue to come visit with us and bring Desi and Hal as we all love them too!

[virgierutledge]

I was planning on retiring in June 2014 from 30 yrs of teaching. It was my dream to teach and I did but as the years went by the stress was not worth staying. My husband met me at the door one of many very late evenings from work and said "You don't have to do this anymore." I said really? He said figures do not lie and we had planned ahead. I put my two week notice the next day. I really did not know how exhausted I was. I think it took me 6 months to get rested. I missed teaching children but not the rat race. I have been home now for 10 years. I do not use an alarm. He retired about 4 yrs. later. We do what we want and when we want. I do tutor several of my grandchildren but if something interesting comes up I call my DIL and she is fine with me not doing it. Sometimes she does the same. My health is so much better being retired. God bless.

[umfhfbk]

We retired early and never regretted it. Our time is our own. We enjoy the little things like sleeping in or staying up late if we want. We thrift shop or meet up with friends for lunch. We get to stay in during bad weather. We do a lot of walking and talking. This is the life!

[jeanettec]

I was hit by a dwi man, wanting to kill everyone in his car, and said he was going to hit the next car. That was me. He had a huge Cadillac, and I was in a cavalier. I went off a embankment in deep snow. I tried to get out of the car, when I came too, and the door wouldnt open. I thought oh the window is down but it was broke out. I tried to get out of the window while saying help me. But I passed out upside down.I woke up laying in the snow in a ball. I tried to get up and couldnt, I looked over at my car and was hearing help is coming so I thought then I will just sleep because Im so tired. There was a man with dark hair that was shoulder length, all dressed in white standing in front of me and I said is this a hit and run? He said Im so sorry. I tried to see his face but no matter how much I blinked my eyes I couldnt get the blur out. He said I have to go. Im so sorry. I said please dont leave me! He said Im sorry I have to go. I was so sleepy I fell asleep, until I heard ambulance and said to myself they are here! I opened my eyes and in a distance I could see what looked like soldiers because there was so many, and they were trying to get down the embankment where it was less snow. I will never forget how I was so thankful for them. I must of smiled. I was stripped of my clothing in the snow so they could see the injuries and put me on the stretcher. I didnt feel cold. But remember telling them darn I just bought these jeans that they were using scissors on. I said please dont cut off my coat. I dont think I had it on. I dont know. I told them about the man and they never in all the times they questioned me or talked to my family did they say it was the persons who hit me from the other car. They were picked up miles from the scene by dogs. They couldnt of done that and came down that embankment. I believe I was talking to my guardian angel. I will never forget him. I had five broken ribs, punctured lung, bruised kidneys and liver, bruised pancreas, and spleen with severe internal bleeding. Those paramedics stayed at the hospital until they knew I was ok! That was amazing! Everyone was telling me they didnt and wouldnt leave. Yes the word of God says we have guardian angels matthew 18:10. Mine kept me safe, he watched over me and left when ambulance was there. It was a accident that was intentional of someone driving 85 in a 35 mile an hour road. I was going 35. It was snowing heavily. Jesus is always watching, always knows everything.

[trinarenae]

Some of us will likely never have the “opportunity” to retire… and barring a miracle that will be me. At 61 years old I’m 1 year in to building a new business; a business that MUST succeed because I’ve got nothing to fall back on. I’m not whining, it’s just my REALITY. So I’m giving it 110% and I know God is with me❣️🏃🏻‍♀️

[rwqmjcq]

Susan, I was walking down the sidewalk in town this morning, looking at older ladies around my age (66) and above. I can't help but see myself as a young, vibrant, attractive woman. But I'm not. And they weren't. And it made me sad. But after listening to todays video, I realized that I/we can't judge ourselves against the young women. I/We need to not judge at all. But what I/we should do is support each other and acknowledge what our years have gone through. There's so much! Older people are forgotten. But WE can remember each other, and respect and love each other! This is our time! The young have their day coming. It seems to happen all too fast. So, keep doing the videos if that's what you're heart wants to do. I, for one, look forward every week to see what you, a beautiful senior woman, has to share. You are a delight!

[pegsanders]

In some ways, I feel like I gave up on some important things a long time ago, but after spending a horrible week in the hospital fighting sepsis, I came home with a resolution to get rid of the things I no longer need in my life--physical, mental, and spiritual clutter--so I can renew my connection to the things that matter.

[juliekulczak]

Please don’t leave Susan..what you do here each week is very meaningful to so many. Change for many is difficult, but we all have to have a reason to get up each day and to keep going. Love your videos, your poetry and the many subjects you’ve broached each week. Keep doing what you’re doing..you and Desi.💕

[heidibee]

I retired when my husband died. I lost him, my tenant, and my job in one hot July. In the same month my daughter's nanny moved out of Province. So l took the nanny's place. Monday/Friday l lived with my daughter and took care of my grandkids. On weekends l was at home with my cats and one grandkid. The nanny came back and l stayed home prepping my house for sale. My life has been living itself for years and I'm just trying to keep up.