This is your Life...Make it what you want!

My husband and I were sitting outside a coffee shop this morning as we do many mornings after a workout at the YMCA and Brett made an interesting observation. The table next to ours was surrounded by several older, retired women chatting and laughing over their own cups of coffee and soaking up the lovely morning sun here in Madison, WI.

Brett wondered if we, too, were retired since we often hang out with so many other retired folks at Victor Allen's, our favorite coffee shop. It just so happens that we seem to have a semi-retired lifestyle that earns enough money to pay our mortgage, health insurance and support our household.

How do we do it? We are both doing what we love! We are helping others through my life coaching business and Brett's environmental consulting; we are tending to our mutual need for flexibility and freedom in our lives; and we can arrange our work around our life rather than having to arrange our life around our work. If this is retirement, I want to be in this forever!! (And actually, we might have to be, given the state of our investments!)

My challenge-Figure out what is really important to you, then think of ways to include those things in your life. It may not match the mainstream, it may not make you a million dollars, get you the grandest house or car, but it will be serving you and your values.......and you can't put a dollar amount on that!!

We all need to be honoring our values and our contribution to the world. And your contribution is as unique as you. Good luck and remember, This is your life.....make it what you want!!