How I view the Future
I was doing an assessment today and one of the questions asked was if I am optimistic about the future. Such a profound question!
Sister, who is a pessimist, describes me as pessimistic. As one might observe, being optimistic is not natural for me, though I do give credit to myself to do lots of self talk and try to see light out of any situation. I still do my best most of the time. Though the most recent incident I did not do my best was when I was trying to figure out Wordle of the day and no applicable words came to my mind even though I already knew it starts with ARO. (The answer was AROMA. #facepalm)
Anyway, I thought it is a good time to wonder, and perhaps manifest a bit, how I envision my future to be.
Given that I am already approaching 40, “future” is really not too far away. Hence I would wonder a bit how my life would be in 10 years and then in 20 years.
While I have always wished that I will be a mum, seemingly it might be a dream that I need to force myself let go of, given various circumstance considerations. Realistically, this year will be the last year I will ever hope of becoming a mum. Even though it hurts me so badly to punch these words out from my keyboard, I have to be realistic and practical. Reality is that even though we want something so very bad, if it is not meant to be, it is not meant to be. Life doesn’t stop there, we have to move on. Perhaps, we are meant for other things and there are other plans for us.
Retirement
I envision that I will retire at around 60 years old, financially independent and able to survive without working. By then, I have a health amount of savings, investment and alternative income streams to finance my retirement life. I regularly take up courses in Community Centres, such as line dance, sewing and painting. I cook for the family and friends periodically, with them coming over for dinner. I bring Mum to go around exploring different hawker centre food and sometimes for hi-tea. Husband tags along occasionally. I have a car to make travelling easier. I explore my interest in gardening and be more proactive in community gardens. I am also able to continue as a freelance facilitator, preparing and giving lessons. I keep myself healthy with morning walks, completing the routine with good breakfast with Husband or a good friend. If travelling is allowed by then, I would regularly travel. I would not need to buy too many things back, just to go abroad to enjoy myself. I am also a freelance coach, to help people develop themselves. In my free time I might also initiate certain workshops to help people. I would also want to start going for yoga and meditation classes. I continue light resistance training.
If there are younger people involved in my life then, I might explore recipes to cook/ bake something nice for them. I will have to remind myself that I cannot own their lives, as times have changed and they have their own thoughts and way of living.
50s
At 50s, I have achieved what I want at work. I am good at what I am doing and I am already being asked by people to conduct workshops/ sessions on a freelance basis. My savings and investments are healthy and growing. I am still developing streams of income. I am able to create content and learning materials that help people. Though mature, I continue to develop myself as a coach and facilitator. I am given opportunities to partner with like-minded people from other countries, expanding my base and touch. I continue to influence and develop younger people. I write my own books and come up with new models and frameworks for productivity. I give talks to inspire. People come to me for advice. I lead a rewarding life touching different people and different lives. I started yoga and meditation classes. I am also taking regular walks and jogs. I continue resistance training to avoid losing muscle mass. I am going for regular facial sessions to relax myself. I regularly meet up my friends for catch up sessions and hi-tea. I grow herbs in my little garden (balcony maybe) #fromfarmtotable. I travel occasionally abroad to experience different culture and cooling weather. I volunteer with communities I believe in, like for autistic children and adults. I donate regularly to animal associations. If I have my own business, I employ people with disabilities to help them integrate with the society. I might adopt a dog as well.
For the next 10 years
This blog made me google “how to lead a meaningful retired life”. It is also scary that I realised that it is not long till retirement for me and that I am no longer in my prime. Admittedly I feel old and wasted. I cannot turn back time. I have to work with what I have and make the best of time from now onwards. If my life has been “regular” like others, for the next 20 years, I would just be worrying about my children, perhaps without much thought for the well-being of myself as well. I might not even have time to even consider how 10, 20 years later I would be like. There is always 2 sides to a coin. Children are happy problems. For now, I will just have to be contented that they are others’ problem to deal with.
On a more proactive and positive front, I have things I want to do within the next 10 years.
I want to do more strength training to be healthier to build my muscle mass. While weight loss is a never ending battle, I still want to lose weight to be healthier and to be a more confident Joycelyn. I want to regularly go for facial to slow down aging and not look too cui. In the next 10 years I want to indulge in finer things in life, whereby quality take precedence over cost, because they can last longer – better for me and less wastage. I will continue saving and investing to sow seeds to financial freedom. I will continue learning and developing myself – perhaps this 10 years will be kind of my last cheong-ing lap. This is also the last layer of my foundation before things are more or less fixed and settled in place when I am in my 50s. I need to already start sowing seeds for my 50 year old self. Writing a book, coming up with productivity framework and stuffs seems too far a goal. But what the hack, put in some ideas and see how they go. I don’t have an idea now does not mean I will not have a good idea 10 years later. It might not even be about productivity, maybe it is a cookbook. Who knows? It is also now that I should learn more about content creation. I will save up and start my journey to be an accredited coach. I will probably also look at adopting a dog in the next 10 years too.
Not bad, I think this is a good entry that triggered some thought process in myself.
Thank you Joycelyn. And remember to love yourself! ♥
