Nobody Talks About This Part
Thereβs a part of caregiving that almost nobody talks about. Itβs not the paperwork, appointments, or even the financial stress. Itβs the
loneliness .
You're not necessarily physically alone. Rather, you're carrying thoughts, worries, and decisions that few people can appreciate. You respond to, "How are you doing?" with a smile.
You tell people you're fine. You keep moving, because stopping feels irresponsible. But underneath that strength is a reality many women quietly live with:
that you're carrying everyone else while nobody is helping to carry you.
The irony is that the women most likely to experience loneliness are often the women surrounded by people:
A spouse
Children.
Parents
Friends
Coworkers
Yet somehow, the burden still feels lonely because proximity is not necessarily support.
Real support comes from people who understand what you're facing because they've faced it too. That's why community matters. Not to solve every problem. Rather, it reminds you that you're not the only one carrying them.
Start here:
Let go of assuming you have to be the strong one every moment
Share what you're actually experiencing
Connect with people who understand the realities of caregiving and planning
Glean and share wisdom
One woman shared:
"I wasn't looking for answers anymore. I just wanted someone to understand."
Sometimes that's where healing begins.
Loneliness grows in silence
Shared experiences reduce emotional weight
Community reminds you you're not alone
Still waiting for the "right time"?
HOMESCHOOLING: Haven or Havoc?
Your child's school years are precious and fleeting.
Now could be your best time to step up where your school is letting your child down. Let this series of myth-busting short chapters encourage you.
2 Major Mistakes
Which one will you make?
Which of these 2 retirement mistakes are you making right now? It's impossible to entirely avoid both mistakes.
You won't know for sure which mistake will work out better for you until it's too late.
How to choose?
Finding the Will
(Part 1)
Part 1: Have the will to arrange for a smooth transition when youβre no longer around to answer questions
Have the will to arrange for a smooth transition when youβre no longer around to answer questions (Part 1)
Ensuring your children or other Loved Ones can readily access your important papers when you die entails a sound process versus one or two conversations. You must overcome aversion to the subject of death, procrastination of anything that is long-term, and the tendency to assume things will be fine. Family dynamics can be sweet, spicy, or dicey.
Finding the Will
(Part 2)
Part 2: Getting Organized
While the internet permits convenient access to accounts, policies, and stored documents, it presents a plethora of password management problems. which too many people avoid by succumbing to password laziness, such as:
- re-using passwords for multiple logins, or
- use simple, easy to remember passwords, or
- writing them on sticky notes placed on their monitor or under their keyboard, or
- keeping them in a spreadsheet on their computer, or
- letting their browser remember passwords for them
Embrace Your Clarence
Is Clarence your future?
Golden insight from a golden retriever.
Post-Pandemic W.E.L.L.ness
Working, Earning, Learning, and Launching to Thrive
Where life drastically changed forever two years ago, everyone adjusted to the best of their abilities.
Here are a few of the key adjustments--"pandemic pivots"--that sustained some and prospered others.
Prenuptial Adulting
Equip Them for Happily Ever Afterο»Ώ
βMom, Dad, weβre getting married!"
βWonderful, congratulations! Hereβs what you both need to do first.β
Equipping newlyweds with essentials of responsibility leaves plenty of life yet to be discovered on their own. Adults understand that love isnβt oogly feelings; itβs a hard choice. Itβs putting your commitments and your money where your mouth is.
Many of the following steps also apply to oneβs turning 18 years old. Becoming engaged adds urgency and a deadline.
Rethinking Competing Funds for College and Retirement
We live in a time of skyrocketing inflation topping decades of unbridled higher education costs.
Is the tension between funding your retirement and funding (at least partially) your childrenβs college education keeping you up at night?
Youβre not alone.
Married? Is Your Endgame 100% or Just 50%?
Are you single? That other 50% could be whoever is most important to you.
Multiple unforgiving players factor into your retirement and estate plans (collectively your βendgameβ). Household names include the Internal Revenue Service, the Social Security Administration, and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Key decisions with these players are nearly impossible to reverse. Plus, if you qualify for a pension, how you activate it is another irreversible decision.
Are you more of a planner than your spouse? Itβs all too common for one spouse to blindly trust the planning spouse. Countless endgame βplansβ were created by 50% of a couple:
