Cool Retired Women's Club

My guest today is an active participant in the Cool Retired Women’s Club private Facebook group! She is from Canada and currently lives in California with her husband, Daniel. Linda Green Dupre has created an active and involved life since retiring…she wrote a book titled A Rescued Journey, has hosted a radio show, and now works with her husband in an after-school program for young kids called Chess King. An intro to her book identifies her mindset.  She wrote: Let's face it, in this life, each and every one of us, you included, will suffer hardships. However, hardships do not define you. It's how you deal with them when you are going through them, how you recover, and how you can move past them and help others that's important.  I wholeheartedly agree with that assessment …our attitude is our choice.  We each face hardships and our choice is to build a condo in victimhood, or choose to find the Good in the experience and move forward in a happy, joyful life! During this interview, Linda exclaimed, “RETIRED?!?!? That’s not me!” I think you’ll agree, she is much too young-minded, active, enthusiastic and motivated to accept any old-fashioned idea of retirement.  This woman is re-fired! Reach Linda on Facebook HERE or HERE For more information about the Cool Retired Women’s Club private Facebook group, click here Cool Retired Women’s Club private Facebook group  or Cool Retired Women’s Club

Each of us has created a unique belief system and reality.  It’s how we choose to live our lives. The speed and direction of your journey are determined by…Y.O.U.  No one else.  Nobody else’s footsteps lead exactly where you are going.   Most of us, especially we women over 50, find ourselves having re-lived patterns that were not our own true choices. Suddenly, it seems, our careers, lifestyles and life choices no longer support who we are at our core. This retirement thing is different than anything we’ve experienced before.   Life happens, doesn’t it?  Five years turns into twenty; toddlers become successful adults with toddlers of their own; 30th and 50th High School class reunions are being attended.  All of a sudden, we realize we have more years behind than ahead of us. Then the 2X4 hits our cerebrum:  “This is MY life, too”. Now you’re retired.  Guess what?  This time can be chosen, identified and lived as YOURS.  Your time.  Finally. Hey! Does that make you feel guilty?  Selfish?  For many of us, taking control of our very own time, needs, desires, wishes…that has been taught to us that it’s NOT OK!  We’ve been trained that as a Good Mom, a faithful and dedicated wife, it’s our job to make sure our kids and our spouse are happy, that their lives low smoothly forward, that they are successful.  Many of us have been conditioned that it’s our job, our responsibility to make sure everyone is taken care of…despite negative ramifications to ourselves Guess what?  Now, for the most part, our children are grown.  Our spouses' careers have ended.  We are at a time when we are able to focus on us  …. I’ve said in my mind a million times “YEA!!  This is MY life, too!!” How do we even begin to figure out what we want to keep and what to discard…I’m talking about thoughts, mindset, actions… This is a very exciting time in life…re-firement.  I think it is as much fun as being a new High School student, or our first year of college and graduation!  Remember the excitement of your first real job??!  How bout the joy of accomplishment of buying your own car for the first time…or your own home?  Remember the joy of the birth of your children, watching them grow into cool responsible adults?  All of those experiences equal the amazing phase we are in now…retirement, re-firement, choosing this time as OUR TIME.  It’s not really the end of anything, except for what you choose to release. This retirement phase of Life is choosing to take the fork in the road….forging our own path as ourselves…following our own footsteps! How much fun is this???   Nothin like it!! Learn more about the Cool Retired Women’s Club at www.CoolRetiredWomensClub.com.  Join our private Facebook group by clicking here:  http://bit.ly/2kmBNIy

Did you know you have the power to change your attitude and response, rather than react to things that happen around you and to you? Even when we are 50 60, 70, or 80 years old, we are still reacting to negative actions, words, and emotions the same way we have most of our lives.  Are we allowing those re-actions to control us? Or, can we change our reaction? In his book Man’s Search for Meaning, Dr. Viktor Frankl teaches:  Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom. In our response lies our growth and our freedom! When someone pushes your buttons, what happens?  Most often, you re-act, right? You say or do the same thing…over, and over, and over.  You have the same arguments with your spouse. Your children hurt your feelings and you cry or lash out with the same words. Your friends “take advantage” of you, but you never say NO. Choosing a different response requires being aware that our buttons have been pushed, and taking time (A Moment) to choose a new way to answer to the stimulus.  Learn how to respond by creating A Moment; in the Moment is our power to choose our response.  In our response lies our growth and our freedom.

Come on a short journey into the past with me:  Imagine sitting in meditation, calm, relaxed, listening; it was about five in the morning, my quiet time.  It was also about two years after leaving my marriage, and I was working on discovering Me.  At this point I was 55 years old. My primary focus in life, at that time, was to figure out who I was. Sounds silly and unbelievable that, at 55 years of age, I didn’t know that.  I was working on discovering Me, and had been for about two years. So, there I was sitting in meditation. I’ve always said prayer is when I talk with God. Meditation is when God talks with me. On this day, God spoke!  I was told that I had changed my life and embarked on a strong, solid path.  I was told that choosing my own name would be a very good thing.  Not my maiden name.  Not my married name.  My very own name! I know.  It sounds crazy.   This story is about how I learned to proudly exclaim, “I Am Mickie Zada.” For more information about Cool Retired Women’s Club go to our web site www.CoolRetiredWomensClub.com To join Cool Retired Women’s Club Facebook group http://bit.ly/2kmBNIy

 My guest is a member of the Cool Retired Women’s Club Facebook community … She is actually one of the very first Cool Women to join the Club!

 As a little background, this amazing woman taught elementary school for 4 years, then married and stayed at home with her two children … while completing her Master’s degree in social work!

 She left her marriage after 23 years, worked as a college counselor, professor, and administrator for 20 years.

 That’s a pretty full life right? 

Well, Barbara Green Cardinal didn’t stop there!

 Her then partner, now husband, and she both wanted a west coast experience, so at age 61 she retired from fulltime work, they chose to move to California, she worked for a college part-time and they lived in an RV for a year! In that time, they visited 25 National Parks! Cool, huh?
 But that’s not the end of the story!

 After about a year, Barbara realized that she still wanted to work and decided to pursue training as a hypnotist. She became a licensed hypnotherapist AND became a licensed independent social worker in the state of South Carolina!

 Thank you for listening to this fascinating conversation.

 For more information about joining the Cool Retired Women’s Club on Facebook and all that is offered through the Club, go to www.CoolRetiredWomensClub.com

. To contact Barbara Green Cardinal, go to www.intouchcounselingandhypnotherapy.com.

Because of life choices, lack of confidence in myself, and a poor grasp of the parameters of healthy relationships, at the age of 53, I discovered I did not know who I was. Suddenly, I discovered that I could not say what I liked, what I wanted in life, what I thought, which opinions were mine and which were those of others. I was shocked and frustrated, and angry, and my foundation felt like quicksand.  Suddenly, I panicked…I wondered if I was crazy, if I’d lost my self forever. I was 53!!  I was 53 and felt like a child…a lost child. A frightened child. I began reading personal growth books, I hired a counselor and a coach. I took classes online and in real life, joined women’s groups online and in real life.   Eventually, everything fell back into place.  Within a few months, I was feeling better, stronger, more like myself. Eventually, I started recognizing ME again. I embraced letting go of a lot of negativity and frustration. Along the way, no matter what is going on, I learned that I am in control.  No one can take advantage of me without my permission.  No one can control me without me having some responsibility in the process. At 53 I discovered that new beginnings are wonderful things! One of my coaches suggested doing one new thing a week…something I had never done before.  Some of the things were easy like wearing toe rings and trying thong underwear.  Some were hard and required budgeting, like fly fishing lessons and writing a book. Want to know more?  Listen to this episode of Cool Retired Women’s Club Podcast! Learn more about Mickie Zada and the Cool Retired Women’s Club at www.CoolRetiredWomensClub.com.  Join the private Facebook group at www.facebook.com/coolretiredwomen

Instead, I Focused on What to Do Next Some people seem to be on a Path the moment they are born: They Know what they’re here for and they focus on that reality. Others, like me, had no clue “what I’ll be when I grow up” … until I was pretty much grown-up!  I was almost considered a senior citizen before I discovered what I’ll be when I grow up!  I was 53!! Slow learner? Maybe! I prefer to view my life as flowing into my true destiny.  At 53 I gathered all my previous memories, experiences, beliefs and knowledge and used them to create a life I love. I created my True Destiny: the life I wanted to live. It was then that I discovered the joy of not dwelling on what went wrong. Instead, I focused on what to do next. My energies were spent on moving forward toward finding the answer to Who I am as a result of my previous life experience. No matter your age, the decision to live life is your choice! Visit the Cool Retired Women’s Club website www.CoolRetiredWomensClub Become a member of the Cool Retired Women’s Club private Facebook page at www.facebook.com/coolretiredwomen

This 36-Year-Old Designs Cool Clothes for Old Ladies “I had always wanted to impress my Grandmother”, my guest told me.  “And, I am excited to be 60…I’ll be a criminal and I’ll get away with it because I’m old and cute!” This spunky young woman designs cool clothes for Old Ladies.  She comes from the south west of France and spent part of her childhood in London.  Her accent is delightful! My guest is well-known fashion designer Fanny Karst. She graduated from Central Saint Martins in 2007 and trained at the Tailors Chittleborough & Morgan in Savile Row London. So why is a 36-year-old featured on the Cool Retired Women’s Club podcast?  Because she designs clothes we Cool Retired Women will wear!  Her final year thesis at college was “Can You Be 80 and Still Be Cool?” Listen to our conversation.  I bet you are impressed with this young woman’s concept of aging, and her respect for us Cool Retired Women. Learn more about Fanny Karst and her designs at www.FannyKarst.com Learn more about Cool Retired Women’s Club at www.CoolRetiredWomen’sClub.com 

When I was 53 and newly divorce, I was prone to get up out of bed at 2 a.m., get dressed, grab my car keys and drive to the nearest 24-hour store (4 miles away) to get a donut!   Once, I received a huge box of Ghirardelli chocolates as a holiday gift from a co-worker.  I immediately decided to re-gift the beautifully Christmas decorated box of blood-sugar-skyrocketing lusciousness.  Instead, I ended up opening the box and eating a few. Realizing I was on a roll, I locked the box of chocolates inside my car and locked the door to the garage, to keep from eating more of the melt in your mouth, stress-reducing, goodness. A neighbor used to bake 36 beautiful, soft and delicious chocolate chip cookies (3 dozen!) and only eat one!  She had no inclination to eat more than one…she gave the rest to a neighbor family’s six kids.  Me?  At times, I’d have eaten all 36 cookies before you could say “neighbor family’s six kids”!” I don’t always lack willpower. I’m not overweight. My personality and self-control are not always that of a grizzly bear.  Just sometimes. Learn more about the Cool Retired Women’s Club at www.CoolRetiredWomen’sClub.com   Join our private Facebook group at www.Facebook.com/CoolRetiredWomen 

Often, because we are retired, we think we’ve exhausted our usefulness.  We think we’ve provided all we can, that we have nothing more of importance to offer. Wrong! In this episode, Mickie discusses using her new-found passion and love for coaching and creating community…new found since her sixtieth birthday! Going to coaching school and becoming a life-success coach, creating podcasts, writing a book and self-publishing: these are things she didn’t know she could do and discovered she loves! Steve Jobs said the only way to do great work is to do what you love to do.  This podcast episode encourages you to do just that!  You are a Cool Retired Woman…release your passion and let your Light shine!! Check out our Facebook group at www.facebook.com/CoolRetiredWomen Thanks!

Prior to retirement, my guest was a school teacher and counselor.  When near retirement age, her father passed away and her mother was diagnosed with cancer.   With her husband’s support, her decision was to retire, at age 48, to spend time with and support her mother.  She said “I knew where I didn’t want to be anymore.”  The decision was made.  It seemed like a good one. Suddenly, though, her Life was spiraling. She was no longer a teacher, a role she loved, and with the loss of her mother she became an orphan.  Her previously solid foundation crumbled … her reality was foggy and the future unclear. Jan Janke shares with us how she maneuvered the murky reality of her early retirement years.  She opened her mind and heart to embrace new friends and experiences she had never before considered. She embraced life as a Cool Retired Woman!  Jan is now a public speaker, successful life coach, and hosts a faith based weekly 15 minute telephone group. Learn more about Jan Janke on her Facebook page Splashes of Spirit.  Join her upbeat and inspiring Monday morning Splash Call at 7:30 Eastern time by dialing 605-475-3215, access code 726853   Call in a few minutes before 7:30, announce yourself and then just listen…Jan begins with a prayer followed by an inspiring message.  A solid way to begin each week! 

We’ve all laughed at jokes about old ladies walking along, completely misunderstanding each other, carrying on what seems from the outside to be a disconnected, yet ludicrously funny, conversation.  In cartoons, the ladies are wearing big hats (probably red), baggy stockings, and mismatched clothes, right? Welcome to my life! My husband recently suggested that I have my hearing checked; he says I frequently ask him to repeat himself, and to increase the television volume!  My golf swing has become pitifully slow.  Sitting in easy pose is uncomfortable and lotus pose is impossible.  People on the NYC subway offer me their seat! While listening to a podcast the other day, I heard a joke about an old couple who misunderstood each other…it made me mad.   Why? Because it struck too close to home! Life is an amazing Journey. That’s what this podcast episode is about:  My life has become a joke!  Welcome to the Cool Retired Women’s Club podcast!

Re-tire-ment.  I left my business career two years ago. It was with great joy and some trepidation that I stopped “working”.  Isn’t that interesting?  When we leave a career for retirement, it’s said that we stopped working. Society apparently assumes that we have accomplished our life goals, that we slow down, that we are re-tired. Not me.  I’m not tired.  I bet you’re not either! This is a time when we choose to re-fire into being more of ourselves. Meister Eckhart said “Suddenly you know: it’s time to start something new and trust the magic of beginnings.” I am now a Cool Retired Woman!  I haven’t been cool in a long time.  Now I podcast, wrote a book, and married my Soul Mate when I was 65!! We are not re-tired.  We are re-fired!!

Somehow the hustle and bustle of life and in dealing with household and health situations, “other-ness” takes over.  Especially as women our age, we often fell into roles of meeting external expectations … over the years, who we are got lost. We are much more than who we have been in our former career, pre-retirement years.  From the time we were very young, society, our parents, teachers, and other influential adults told us who we are. We are in a new phase of life now.  We are cool retired women and we have the time and drive to discover who we are beyond a wife, Mom, and business woman.

Time is an illusion.  When we retire, we are catapulted into that reality.   Somehow, suddenly, we became O.L.D.  Not in our minds, but in the mirror…and in the faces of young people.  When we retire we are forced to admit this fact: we have more years behind us than ahead.  The age of 18 “feels like” it was twenty years ago…time is an illusion. We get to “that certain age” when we choose, or it’s chosen for us, to leave our career: to retire.  Many of us are choosing to re-fire, not re-tire!  We are using this phase of life to finally do what we want to do.  We are cool retired women! Aging is reality for each of us. The question is, how do we choose to evolve?   I recently realized that there are millions of us dealing with this potentially unnerving time: retirement.   The Cool Retired Women’s Club is created for us to come together in community, to share ideas, realities, fears, joys, suggestions and insights.   Life flies by.  We are in this together. Welcome to the Cool Retired Women’s Club podcast.