accomplish! coaching with Loretta Saff
  • Get Started
    • You + Coaching
    • Coaching Areas >
      • Retirement
      • Executive Coaching
      • Personal Empowerment
      • Parents & Students
    • Book Sessions
  • About
    • About Loretta
    • Emotional Freedom Technique - a Healing Tool
  • Blog
  • Handbooks
  • Inspiration
    • Create Your Own Retirement Adventure
    • Make Happy a Habit
    • Daily Support for Make Happy a Habit
  • Videos
  • Contact

GUARD YOUR RETIREMENT - Avoid the Dark Side!

7/12/2022

0 Comments

 
Retirement
While traveling recently, I was introduced to someone from Brazil. When I told him I was a Life Coach with a specialty in Retirement, he was intrigued.  The conversation went something like this:
He: Interesting. I recently watched a documentary about retirement in the U.S. If you don’t mind, I have a question.

Me: Sure, go ahead and ask.

He: Well, one thing really surprised me. Is it true when a person retires in the U.S., they are assigned a LEGAL GUARDIAN?

A Legal Guardian at Retirement? No!

Needless to say, I was surprised. Perhaps the film dealt with financial planning or offered other suggestions for protecting one’s assets during retirement. Somehow, he had come away with a very strange conclusion. 
Note: Many people in the U.S. take legal steps to assign Power of Attorney to a family member or trusted friend as part of their Estate Planning. This gives that person the legal authority to care for the personal and property interests of someone who has become physically or mentally impaired.
A legal guardian is similar in nature, but the guardian is assigned through an extensive court proceeding rather than through the wishes of the individual. Obviously, neither is an automatic factor of retirement.

Guard Against the Dark Side

Picture
What I did not share with him - and what I really don’t like to linger on here because our focus in these pages is the power of positivity – is the fact that after retiring some people do experience the dark side of retirement. Simply put, the dark side of retirement has to do with feeling lost, useless, depressed, and simply without validation. Sitting in the house all day with little to do is very boring and lonely; the spiraling down can even lead to exploring the liquor cabinet.  
For some, the lack of purpose that comes with retirement is very hard and finding the positive can be difficult and they can no longer handle their own affairs. If you or anyone you know is experiencing depression or having trouble shifting a negative mindset, I encourage reaching out to a good therapist or consulting with your primary care physician. ​There is help!

Focus on the Bright Side

Picture

Happily, what most people can look forward to is the bright side of retirement!

And, indeed, there is a bright side – time to do the things you really ​enjoy, opportunities for creative and exciting adventures, satisfaction of embracing the new and nurturing the tried and true. It involves PLANNING, and there are a few simple things you can do now to make YOUR future look bright.

Step One: PHYSICAL

Picture
Start now to build an exercise routine. This does not require a gym membership or a Lulu Lemon outfit. If you are new at it, start with 10 minutes and watch yourself build up to 30.

Step Two: MENTAL

​Set your mind to being more positive every day. Make things happen. What are you are really good at and enjoy doing? Spend a little time starting up again. (Photography? Learning a language? Volunteer?) 
Picture

Step Three: SOCIAL

Make sure your friends and social connections are not all associated with your work. You’ll have new friends thanks to step two! And…, get rid of negativity. If relationships are hard to break, try to interact less often.
Picture

Step Four: SPIRITUAL

This is not an edict for religion. Instead find time to bring significance to your daily routine. How can you contribute? How can you feel satisfied? Oh yes, and perform a random act of kindness every day.
Picture
That’s it. I’ve tried to make it short and sweet. Whether you are following these suggestions yourself or if you are a Power of Attorney or a Legal Guardian trying to help the person in your care, working through these four steps is bound to lead to ​​positive and impactful benefits in the years ahead.
 
Loretta
0 Comments

VICTORY! We did it! We’ve completed our 30-day Challenge!

4/1/2021

1 Comment

 
Picture
I have been feeling great joy in offering this campaign again to all of us. Now that spring has finally arrived and we are allowing ourselves more freedom to mix and mingle again, I believe that having a positive attitude is one of the most important steps to finding peace and fulfillment.
 
When I remind myself of these five steps to making happy a habit, I gain personal strength and the resilience to deal with ‘stuff’ that life sends my way. That half-full glass allows me to be more creative and to realize that if I’m blocked in one direction, there are many ways to reach my personal goals. For example, ​this is a blog I wrote when in lockdown from Covid.
I believe that having a positive attitude is one of the most important steps to finding peace and fulfillment.
Now is a good time to take a few minutes to look over those journal entries and notice what you wrote for the ‘best thing that happened in the last 24 hours.’ Those are events that I hope you can make happen again. In fact, next time you may even put them on the ‘grateful’ list. 
 
I’m pretty sure that exercise has become part of your daily routine, and I’ll even bet that your thoughts offered a brief ‘thank you’ after you took the 5-7 minutes a day to give them a rest. And that daily random act of kindness? It probably has become more of a reflex than something you have to think about.
 
I hope you have made happy a habit. Please share with me any stories about the challenge that you have, and please remember the words of Wayne Dyer: “If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”
Picture
Here is a little quiz to remind you of our time together. Try it - I’ll bet you’ll know the answers!
 
(HINT) the answers are in the 5 steps to MAKE HAPPY A HABIT.
  1. What should you write down every night before you go to sleep?
  2. How should you greet the morning when you wake up?
  3. When is a good time to meditate/sit quietly for 10 minutes/walk barefoot in the grass?
  4. Who do you need when you decide it’s time to exercise 20 min a day?
  5. Where can you perform a random act of kindness?
Wishing you happily ever after,

Loretta
Picture
1 Comment

Make Happy a Habit in 2021

2/27/2021

1 Comment

 
Picture
2020 was undeniably hard. Like, really really unimaginably difficult and sad and trying for so many people. A lot of folks have just been hanging on and getting through. Practicing happy habits has understandably not been at the top or even the middle of  the priority list. But finally there is a little light at the end of the tunnel. Self-care can start to be something that you prioritize in 2021. And now, more than ever, self-care and finding your way to happiness is important for your health and well-being and for those around you.

There is real science behind the emotions of happiness and love. Dr. Barbara Frederickson, Psychologist and Neuroscience Professor at UNC, Chapel Hill said, “The ways that we feel happiness and well-being are actually showing up in the cells of our immune system and supporting our health.”

I did a 30-day Make Happy a Habit challenge back in 2016 and now I'm ready for a refresher 2021-style!

I'll be starting my 2021 challenge on March 1. Follow along with my progress and hopefully you'll find some inspiration from my journey for your own. I'd love for you to join me ... Share your progress … Post some pictures of what you are grateful for and what makes you happy. I want to know how your random acts of kindness and writing about your positive experiences made you feel. Tell me about your time in meditation. And be sure to tell me when you start feeling like HAPPY is becoming a habit.

I'll be posting all month long at:


Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/makehappyahabit/​
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/makehappyahabit​
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ACCOMPLISHCOACH/​
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACCOMPLISHCOACH/​
Hope you join me!

Loretta
1 Comment

POSITIVE Attitude Can Make All the Difference

2/17/2021

7 Comments

 
Picture

"Most folks are about as happy 
​
as they make up their minds to be."
-Abraham Lincoln

I remember when my 60th birthday was getting closer. I checked twice to make sure I had done the math correctly, and when the numbers added up, the first thing I thought was, “But hey, I’m not OLD!”
         
60 is a big number. It’s full of heavy words like "Social Security" and "Medicare", "Osteoporosis", and "Senior Moments." I was turning 60, but I didn’t FEEL 60. 

I looked in the mirror and said out loud, “Why not think about 60 with more positive words like, “Wiser”, “Sassier”, and “Bring it on!” That’s when I decided to have some fun. Carrie Underwood had just recorded her hit song, “Before He Cheats.” The music was great; it was country, and we had recently moved to Nashville! Why not write some new lyrics for it, expressing exactly how I felt about turning 60! 

I was turning 60, but I didn’t FEEL 60. 

Picture
And so I did:
Title: SHE’S NOT OLD
(to be sung to the tune of “Before He Cheats” by Carrie Underwood)

      spoken: "I just turned 60, and here’s what I think about it.”
        
Right now, you’re probably just thinkin’
It’ll be hard work when I’m blowing out the candles
Right now, you’re probably just thinkin’
I should buy a house dress and some Dr. Scholl’s sandals
 
Right now, you’re probably just feelin’
I should nap to get ready for a big game of BINGO
What you don’t know

 
chorus:
I threw the pieces all over the yard
It was my A A R P membership card
Picture
I got Botox in each and every fold
 
No early bird special or senior day,
I joined a gym and I know the way 
​So, don’t you dare call me OLD


Right now you’re probably just thinkin’
​
I should sit up on the porch and discuss my constipation
Picture
Right now, you’re probably just guessin’
That I’d like a bus tour for my summertime vacation
 
Right now, you’re probably just thinkin’
That I’m sassy cause my hormones are low
But you don’t know

 
Repeat Chorus
I threw the pieces all over the yard
It was my A A R P membership card
I got Botox in each and every fold
 
No early bird special or senior day
I joined a gym and I know the way
So, don’t you dare call me OLD
 

Just tryin’ to save a little trouble for the next girl
So the next time you hear 60,
Don’t call her OLD!


​Of course, not wanting to be called ‘Old” at 60 is not much different from the other stages in life that when we decide we want to be a different age:      
Age 2-3: WE WANT TO BE OLDER
“Can I go to school?” “I want a backpack!”

Age 6-9: WE WANT TO BE YOUNGER
“Watch me! Say I’m doing good, too - like you do when you watch my little brother!”

Age 10-12: WE WANT TO BE OLDER 
“Why can’t I wear makeup?"

Age 30-50: WE WANT TO BE YOUNGER
“Yeah, I just got a facelift and dyed my hair, so what?” 

As a retirement coach, I hear musings from clients about reaching their 60s and 70s. 
“What does it all mean?"

"Will I be treated differently?”
 
​
And, really, “How will I find happiness?”
Regardless of how old you are, having a POSITIVE ATTITUDE can make all the
difference. Try it when dealing with words like
              “SOCIAL SECURITY” - “
Wow! This extra money is awesome!” Or,
                 “MEDICARE” - “
Fantastic! It really does pay my medical bills!”

​
Positive thinking means making the most of the situation you are in. When I turned 60, I didn’t mope. I wrote new lyrics to Carrie Underwood’s song, and then I went out and bought a hat and some fancy cowboy boots. 

Don’t let getting older lead you down a path of scary words that you think mean negative things.  Be more optimistic and positive.  According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, here’s a list of some of what you will get in return:
  • Better stress management and coping skills
  • Enhanced psychological health
  • Greater resistance to the Common Cold
  • Increased physical well-being
  • Longer life span
  • Lower rates of depression
  • Reduced risk of cardiovascular disease-related death​

And who doesn’t want all that?
Life is Full of Choices.
I Choose Happiness.
What’s your choice?

Loretta 
7 Comments

Make Happy a Habit!

4/23/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
Because “things turn out best for the people who make the best of how things turn out”, I have decided to repost one of my previous blogs. In today’s uncertain and scary times, when many of us:
  • Feel trapped at home
  • Are overeating and over-streaming
  • Are wondering if we will be able to go back to work
  • Are wondering if our kids/grandkids will go back to school in the fall

I share with you this simple exercise. If done every day for 30 days, it
can help change your outlook. I resend this blog with my wishes that
you stay safe and healthy.

I'll give you the steps so you become empowered to look at the world differently and feel the joy and contentment you deserve!

Picture
​
There is real science behind the emotions of happiness and love. Dr. Barbara Frederickson, Psychologist and Neuroscience Professor at UNC, Chapel Hill said, “The ways that we feel happiness and well-being are actually showing up in the cells of our immune system and supporting our health.” What a great testimonial!  Why wouldn’t we want to Make Happy a Habit? 
My challenge to you is based on the work of psychologist and happiness researcher, Shawn Achor. Surprising as it sounds, he says that it is possible to re-wire your brain to be happier.

You don’t have to wear a smiley-face hat or tell funny jokes. Simply doing the following five activities daily can rewire your brain towards happiness. (I include my order to just give you some idea of fitting it into your day. You can organize it however it is convenient for you).
1. THINK OF THREE THINGS YOU’RE GRATEFUL FOR
I like to do this – out loud – in the morning when I get up. I encourage those around me to join in.  It’s a good family tradition.

2. WRITE ABOUT A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE FROM THE PAST 24 HOURS
I do this in the evening. I keep a notebook on my nightstand. This simple activity has the amazing power of changing your entire mindset. You will comb through the day, tossing aside the negative and focusing on the positive.  Guaranteed to make you smile.

 3. EXERCISE (AT LEAST 20 MIN)
I am a morning person, so I make time before breakfast to get in my exercise. Whether it is a brisk walk, time at the gym or climbing stairs, give yourself 20 minutes and increase your activity.  I’m including  four short videos of easy five-minute exercises on my website. Do all four in a day and you’ll have your 20 minutes!

 4. MEDITATE (5-7 MIN)
I find that meditating mid-afternoon works for me.  No need to think mantras or posing cross-legged on the carpet. The simplest meditation can be sitting quietly listening to soothing music  (no words) – and focusing on either the music, your breathing or a body scan from head-to-toe. If you want some guidance, I like the free app HEADSPACE, which you can use with your earphones while sitting at your desk.  Meditation calms and centers, helping you focus and better handle whatever comes your way.

 5. PERFORM ONE RANDOM ACT OF KINDNESS
All day every day is a good time for a random act of kindness. Performing a selfless act that helps, compliments or encourages someone has an amazing effect on all involved.  You’ll enjoy every minute.  To help get you started, I’ll post a list of suggestions on my website.

Encourage everyone around you to get involved

Picture
Please leave a note on one of the platforms below or comment on this blog post to let me know how you are doing.

Post some pictures of what you are grateful for and what makes you happy. I want to know how your random acts of kindness and writing about your positive experiences made you feel. Tell me about your time in meditation. And be sure to tell me when you start feeling like HAPPY is becoming a habit.

Good luck! And get your camera ready – you’ll be finding yourself smiling a lot more.

SHARE YOUR PROGRESS BY:
  1. Instagram – FOLLOW @MAKEHAPPYAHABIT for inspiration and share your own pictures of what makes you happy
  2. Facebook – LIKE /MAKEHAPPYAHABIT and post an update about how the challenge is changing your outlook
  3. Twitter – FOLLOW @ACCOMPLISHCOACH and tweet your own progress
  4. Pinterest – FOLLOW /ACCOMPLISHCOACH and start a Happiness board

​Don’t forget to include #makehappyahabit in your posts


Loretta
0 Comments

Making Happy a Habit with Your Kids

3/20/2018

1 Comment

 
Picture
Are you getting your family involved in the MAKE HAPPY A HABIT campaign? Start now and enjoy facing the challenge together, supporting each other, and sharing the good feelings that are guaranteed.

If you’ve been hesitating to start your 30 days, let me remind you that as a parent, you are a role model. Whenever you are with your kids, they are watching and often copying everything you do.

So… set an example, and start practicing every day to Make Happy A Habit. You’ll really enjoy it when you find yourself surrounded by people who are more positive, more optimistic and a lot more resilient.

Here are the Five Simple Tasks to Do Every Day and How to Include Your Kids in the Process:
SAY (OUT LOUD) THREE THINGS FOR WHICH YOU ARE GRATEFUL
Do this in the morning when everyone wakes up, over breakfast, or when you take the kids to school.  It puts all involved in a good mindset to face the day.

WRITE DOWN ONE GOOD THING THAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE LAST 24 HOURS
This is especially good to do before going to sleep. It helps to have them think positive thoughts as they say good night.

It is important to WRITE down the thoughts. Have the younger kids tell you about it so you can help them write simple words and even draw a picture. For the older ones, they can write just one sentence or and entire paragraph.
Picture
EXERCISE 20 MINUTES A DAY
You can best plan how this fits into your family’s day. Many kids will have a time on the playground or during PE at school. If at home, whoever is in charge should make exercise happen.  If it’s raining, dance or do cheers in the family room.

For you parents who are ‘too busy’ at work, you can divide it up into two 10-minute sessions. Walk up and down the stairs or jog around the parking lot at lunchtime. Be sure to tell the kids when you get home.

MEDITATE AT LEAST 5 MINUTES A DAY
Here is your ticket to relaxation and focus.  Turn off your electronics, and turn on some wordless music. Focus on your breathing or the music.  Or simply do a body scan.
For very young kids you can merely sit in silence. Many experts recommend one minute of silence per year of age (up to 8) for kids.  Just make time for quiet time.

(You’re welcome…)

PERFORM A RANDOM ACT OF KINDNESS
Simply be kind. Encourage the kids to help a neighbor, hold a door for someone, or even share their cookies. This kindness is especially satisfying because being considerate towards others inspires them to be kind to someone else.

See – not too hard!  Get your family involved, be a role model, and Make Happy a Habit!

Loretta

Photo credits: Celebelle, © Can Stock Photo Inc. / Nelosa; 4774344sean; secheltgirl, NCVO London
1 Comment
    Picture

    Author

    Loretta Saff, M.A., CPC, CPRC
    As an active writer, both nationally and internationally, Loretta Saff's humor columns, blog, and lifestyle articles reflect an insight in dealing with situations that helps people get to their core issues and encourage confidence, trust and support.

    Archives

    May 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    October 2020
    September 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    April 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    October 2019
    July 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    September 2018
    August 2018
    March 2018
    February 2016

    Categories

    All
    Children
    Couples
    Decision Making
    Grandparenting
    Holiday Tips
    Life Strategies
    Make Happy A Habit
    Parenting
    Personal Empowerment
    Resources For A Modern Retirement
    Retirement
    Social Distancing
    Technology
    Videos
    Zoom

    RSS Feed

    SUBSCRIBE

Email or call to set up a FREE 15-minute introductory phone session!


Telephone

615-500-2643

Email

loretta@coachingwithloretta.com
Code of Ethics & Core Values
Subscribe to Blog
Click to Pay
Picture
  • Get Started
    • You + Coaching
    • Coaching Areas >
      • Retirement
      • Executive Coaching
      • Personal Empowerment
      • Parents & Students
    • Book Sessions
  • About
    • About Loretta
    • Emotional Freedom Technique - a Healing Tool
  • Blog
  • Handbooks
  • Inspiration
    • Create Your Own Retirement Adventure
    • Make Happy a Habit
    • Daily Support for Make Happy a Habit
  • Videos
  • Contact