Get happy - work from home!

Let's face it - there is a lot of uncertainly about at the moment, isn't there? We have just experienced and are still feeling the pain of the current global financial crisis. Many may have lost their jobs or had to postpone their retirement plans.

This blog is dedicated to the over 50's, the baby boomers who have been saying all their lives: "This is not the world we wanted, so we are going to change it! " But how?

My blog is dedicated to those who want to have a great home life, work from or near their home, and possibly never will retire in the normal sense of the word. In other words, our passions and interests are going to sustain us and give us the income we need to continue to enjoy life well into our old age.

Let's explore the options we have, step by step and make some great plans to see us through! Life doesn't have to doom and gloom and we can actively plan and create a great life for ourselves and those close to us for now and in the future.

TODAY'S ACTION PLAN

THE FACTS

Take a pen and paper (or keyboard) and make a quick SWOT analysis of your life at the present moment. SWOT stands for: strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats. Mine reads something like this - yours will be different. Try it - the first act of doing something will make you feel much better and it is the first act of gaining control.

STRENGTHS

reasonably fit and I have good health

great relationship with my partner

kids off our hands now

we own 80% of our house (unfortunately the bank owns the roof, still)

I've got some great craft skills

we used to run a business so we have useful knowledge there

free time - partner has left the workforce somewhat prematurely

I've been working at my "hobby business" for a few years now

WEAKNESSES

had to cash in half our super to reduce debt

insufficient super funds to retire well

ten years off eligible age for pension

little working capital for business venture

too old to re-enter paid workforce - don't want to, either!

OPPORTUNITIES

living in good location to offer service to local community

home based business allowed here

great skills

good existing equipment

know people already - good contacts

learning new skills - eg. Internet selling

THREATS

uncertain times

living costs could outstrip earnings

fear of failure

good health could change

could be more people competing for business

need for our product could decline

Now - look over your list. You will find that by putting some of your worst fears down, they don't seem quite as scary. Don't forget that your greatest resource is not money in the bank, or bricks and mortar - it's YOU! Examine your skills and experience - your head contains a huge amount and you only gained this knowledge from years of living. No one can take that away from you and this resource will remain your greatest asset over the coming years. So, start feeling great about yourself. You deserve to!

BLISS TODAY
Make a list of ten things that make you feel good that you can do today! They don't have to cost anything and you don't have to even leave your home to do them. Here's my list. (I left out a couple of things for privacy reasons.)

Listen to music

Do my craft work

Eat a home grown ripe tomato

Feed the birds in my garden

Pull a few weeds in the garden

Play scrabble with my partner and let him win

Do the crossword

Watch a movie on TV

Rearrange something in the houseStart planning next year's holiday

Now - off you go and do a few of those things - see you tomorrow!