A few years ago, while I was still a newlywed, I really started looking towards the future. Specifically, I started having visions of the kind of retirement that I want to enjoy with my husband, my soulmate. My outlook on life had started to dramatically change once I realized that I now have a partner that wants to share with me all that life has to offer. Suddenly, I felt free to explore my own suppressed interests.
That’s when I discovered holistic health and wellness coaching. All the years of studying nutrition and alternative therapies on my own could be applied along with the official training for health coaching, and I could really help people to transform their health and their life. Starting my own company was something I had never even considered before, and I certainly never thought that I could have such a major impact on other people’s lives.
Building a thriving business takes time, and a lot of effort (a lot more than I figured of either one). But I love what I do, and I want to keep doing it as long as possible. I really want to be coaching fulltime, but I can’t quit/retire from my other job until I get some bills paid off. I need to stick it out another 3 years so I will have my 30 years there.
I may seem too young to be thinking about retirement, but it is constantly on my mind. Not only do I want more time to spend on health coaching, but I also would like to be home with my mother, who turns 87 next month. Where she is concerned, 3 more years seems like an eternity to wait. And yet, if I’m not paying attention, the time could just fly by; just like the last 3 years did.
Three years is a good time frame to plan for major life changes. I have recently realized that I need to step up my efforts to be financially ready to retire from being an electronics technician. That is going to require that I get out of my comfort zone. I am a fairly shy person and am not used to “marketing” myself. I am better suited to helping those who have sought me out than prospecting my own clients. I have more training lined up to take, which will just make me able to help people even more. Health coaching is becoming more and more popular with healthcare professionals and health insurance companies. I believe that, soon, we will occupy a regular space in the healthcare community. I am excited about the future.
So when I talk about retirement, I am referring to both retiring from electronics in 3 years, and 15 years from now. But really, in my mind’s eye, retirement will start as soon as I can stay home to run my business; I guess I could call it pre-retirement. Nevertheless, I need to focus and commit more to being financially ready to retire from electronics in 3 years. It is going to cause me to push out the walls of my comfort zone.
This year I will complete the training and become certified in the use of essential oils, Aromatherapy. I am really looking forward to this. We already use essential oils at home, so this will benefit my family as much as everyone else. It brings me great joy to see others thrive.
You can call it my New Year’s resolution if you want to, but it is intended to be a new kind of life skill to plan and go after something as big as being ready for retirement. My family depends on me. It is time to step up to the plate. Wish me luck.
Proverbs 14:23 Work brings profit, but mere talk leads to poverty!
