Have You Been Paying Attention?

The reason I’m offering you a small crossword puzzle this month is that
 the tag line for my website at www.coachingwithloretta.com is:

"Life’s a puzzle and sometimes you just need
 a little help putting the pieces together."

 This crossword will help you find the path to a successful transition in retirement!

Across                                                        
2. What you will need to get you up every morning.  
4. It’s not just about the money.
5. Seeing the glass half full shows you are full of this.
6. Make new ones and keep the old.

Down
1. When you have this, you have everything.
2. This puts you on your path to success.
3. Asking what? Who? Why? - Describes this important trait.

So, grab a pen and get to work! If you have been paying attention to my columns, you will find the puzzle easy and full of the secrets to a successful transition. If you haven’t, you can just make some good guesses for the seven hints. Good luck! (Don’t worry – the answers are at the bottom.)

P.S. This column was originally written for The Observer, but I have created a PDF version of the crossword puzzle that you can print out. You can download it here.

Download Crossword Puzzle

Meanwhile, as long as you have your pens handy, let’s talk about journaling. Journaling simply means keeping a record of your personal thoughts, feelings and insights. It is different from a diary in that a diary is used to record daily activities.

Don’t go into “but I’m not a good writer,” or “I just don’t enjoy writing.” Those are answers for a class or a test or an evaluation. This is a relationship between you and yourself.

Journaling has been shown to calm anxiety, reduce stress, enhance memory and help with prioritizing concerns. It is inexpensive - requiring no Lululemon outfit or Nike shoes - and it can be accomplished anywhere.
 
There is no right or wrong way to do it. There is no required length. You can jot down, draw pictures, create paragraphs, poems, or even lyrics reflecting your thoughts and feelings. (Think Taylor Swift!) The only strong suggestion is that research has shown writing daily (or almost every day) offers much greater results.

For the purpose of any life transition – and especially relating to retirement -journaling is extremely beneficial because it:

• can help you set and accomplish goals.
• is a place to express gratitude.
• puts you in the present instead of the past.
• allows you to express your true thoughts and feelings.

Find a notebook, choose a quiet secluded place, and begin journaling. Many people like to write in the morning when they first wake up. But you do you. Once you start, you will find the where and when that are just right.
 
By the way, no one else reads it. It’s yours to keep and reread if you like or to simply embrace the time as private minutes between you and your thoughts and feelings.

Happy Journaling!

Now, let’s check out the answers for that crossword. By the way, I may have given her the words and hints, but that beautiful crossword grid was created by my nine-year old granddaughter, Zoe Saff Sager. Thanks, Zoe!

Across
2. purpose
4. retirement
5. positivity
6. friends

Down
1. health
2. plan
​3. curious

Loretta
[email protected]