NEXT CHAPTER RESOURCE CENTER OPENING! AN EXCITING NEW RESOURCE FOR PEOPLE 50+

The Madison Public Library and RSVP of Dane County

have combined their efforts to create a

Next Chapter Resource Center

for people 50+ in Dane County.

It will be located at the Alicia Ashman Library.

It will be a one-stop shop where you can find much that you need to take charge of your future and create a life you love living.

WHAT IS A NEXT CHAPTER? AND WHAT WILL YOU FIND THERE?

RESOURCES

They have worked to compile all the books, articles, magazines and information one needs to thrive in a midlife transition and take charge of their future.

CRITICAL INFORMATION AND EDUCATION

The Next Chapter will be sponsoring a series of programs on important topics about this “Next Chapter of Your Life” including programs on challenges of “retirement” financial planning and the benefits of Volunteering.

PEER SUPPORT

A change to meet others who want more out of life and are looking to find ways to contribute and leave a legacy.

COME AND CELEBRATE THE OPENING

January 26, 2008 at 10 AM at the Alicia Ashman Branch Library

733 North High Point Road.

Jan Fulwiler, PhD,

Psychologist and Retirement coach will present a program

“Refocusing and Rebalancing for Your Bonus Years"

WAA Offers Programs for Everyone, So If You Want to Be a Badger, then Come Along with Me.

WAA and the Osher Life Long Learning Institute

Offer Programs of Interest to People 50+...

or As the Song Goes?

"So If You Want to Be a Badger Then Come Along With Me"

Anyone can join the Osher Life Long Learning Instititue or even the Wisconsin Alumni Association. The Wisconsin Alumni Association (WAA) is open to all alumni, students, and friends of the university. So if you enjoy Badger games, or just wish to enjoy all the benefits and opportunities for:

• learning all kinds of classess, field trips, workshops!
• Growing- great people to travel with and travel experiences.
• Social events and opportunities to meet new people
• Sporting Events
• Access to UW Libraries

To join online go to www.uwalumni.com and sign up. It costs $45.00 for a joint membership for a year, $80.00 for two years.

Or you can join the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UW-Madison (UW-OLLI) which focuses on learning for the joy of it and is aimed at all adults age 50-plus in south-central Wisconsin.

Members take part in lectures, field trips, cultural and arts events throughout the year. UW OLLI is an extension of the WAA and Continuing Studies partnership that supports Wisconsin Alumni Lifelong Learning.

There are more than 90 other OLLIs at institutions across the country

Here are examples of the programs they offer:

http://www.uwalumni.com/wednitelab
Every Wednesday7:00 to 8:15 p.m.1360 Biotechnology Building 425 Henry Mall Explore a variety of science topics through lectures and hands-on activities, presented by expert faculty and outreachers. From genetics and microbes to nutrition and campus culture, see for yourself how UW research on life, earth, and social science is relevant to you.

Made in Wisconsin
Experience the dynamic relationship between UW-Madison and the state's industries on these field trips to various Wisconsin companies. Hear from UW faculty and staff as well as alumni company employees as you enjoy a tour and lunch. Transporation is provided. Trek Bicycle - May 18, 2007

Senior Lecture Series: History of Madison
Eight lectures were from October, 2006 to May, 2007. Lectures were free to UW OLLI and PLATO members, and there was an optional luncheon preceding each month's lecture. The Senior Lecture series will resume in September, 2007.The Senior Lecture Series is offered in partnership with PLATO (Participatory Learning And Teaching Organization).

UW OLLI Eligibility and Membership
A number of UW-Madison Osher Lifelong Learning Institute classes and events are open to the public; however, a UW OLLI membership will provide added benefits and access to members-only opportunities.

Anyone may join UW OLLI at an annual rate of $50. Through a special partnership, current members of the Wisconsin Alumni Association and PLATO (Participatory Learning And Teaching Organization) are eligible to join at a special rate of $30 annually.

Benefits of membership include:

• Information about UW OLLI and other lifelong learning events
• Program discounts
• Free coach bus transportation to select events
• Members-only social events.
  
  For more information about UW OLLI events or membership, contact Sarah Schutt at (608) 262-5699 or SarahSchutt@uwalumni.com.

A Personal Mission Statement? What Is It? How Will It Help Me? Tools to Build One.

A PERSONAL MISSION STATEMENT? WHAT IS IT?

It is a brief description of who you are and what you wish to accomplish including what actions you will take and the time frame you will do it all in.

There are many ways to write them and many versions, but basically they consist of two parts:

1. What do I want to accomplish?
2. What strenths and talents do I have that I want to use and build on?
   

Stephen Covey describes a personal mission statement as, "an adventure of self-discovery" a chance to " connect with your own unique purpose and the profound satisfaction in fulfilling it".

It is a statement that can guide how you live your life and is deeply rooted in your values and signature strengths.

HOW WILL IT HELP ME?

• Writing one helps you focus on what matters most to you in your life.
• Research shows that just the act of sitting down and writing out your thoughts leads to greater accomplishment.
• Awareness of your values and strengths gives you the opportunity to make more satisfying life choices.
• Living your mission will increase your effectiveness in life because you will use your strengths and talents and seek out ways to express them.
  

As Earl Nightengale says, "People with goals succeed because they know where they are going. It is as simple as that."

GREAT TOOLS ON THE INTENET TO HELP YOU WRITE ONE:

There are two very helpful websites that have tools to help you write your own personal mission statements: www.franklincovey.com and www.nightengale.com

Both have tools where you answer a series of questions that lead you to identifying core values, choosing actions that express those values, and setting goals. They also have products they want you to learn about, but the mission statement process is free and very helpful.

USEFUL BOOKS: If you prefer to read and use a book to help you accomplish this, here are two classics to get you going:

• Covey, Stephe R. Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Free Press First Edition, 1989.


• Jones, Laurie Beth, The Path: Creating YOur Mission Statement for Work and for Life
  Hyperion, 1998.

MSCR (Madison Community Recreation Department) Not Just For Kids!

The Madison Community Recreation Department (MSCR) www.mscr.org is a great place for people 50+ to expand your world, make friends and learn new skills, all at a reasonable cost.

The programs and classes are open to everyone,
(If you live outside the Madison Metropolitan School District the course are available at a slightly increased cost.)

MSCR offers a whole smorgasbord of fitness classes in the Goodman 50+ Stay Active and Alive Program, ranging from pilates and tai chi to belly dancing; golf, tennis, stretching, nature walks, bird walks, history walks --all kinds of fitness classes to help you incorportate more activity into your life.

Research shows that one of the best ways to retain mental abilities is to do some form of physical activity for a half hour 3 times a week. These programs help you achieve that goal, and meet interesting people too.


Team Sports? For those who enjoy team sports they sponsor adult vollyball, baseball, softball, golf and tennis leagues.

Artistic? Always wanted to learn to draw? Paint? Digital photography? Throw pots?

They offer all those classes, and for pottery there is a chance to fire your pots in a wood fired kiln, where you join others in keeping a woodfire kiln going for 14 hours to create the magic that makes art.

Love plays? They have bus trips where you can join others traveling to theatres in the surrounding area to see great shows like the Lion King.

Grandkids? Want to learn with your grandchildren? They offer intergenerational classes.

Give back? Volunteer? They also have many opportunities if you want to get involved and become a Friend of MSCR- You can learn to drive a pontoon boat, help a child with a disability exercise, tutor a middle school child, or get involved in helping to offer all these great programs.

You can even enroll online, just go to their online catalog www.mscr.org

Classes for spring and summer are enrolling now.

It is always better to sign up early so that there are enough participants for a class to be held.

Voluntary Simplicity, an Antidote to Worry about "The Number"

The press is filled these days with stories that focus on just how much one needs to have accumulated to "retire" successfully. There is even a book titled "The Number" that talks about how people are very focused on just how large this nest egg must be to sustain their lifestyle. We are bombarded these days with messages in the media urging us to plan ahead, invest and attend to accumulating more and investing more and obtaining more and never really ask...

What for? To what end? Is this what will make me truly happy?

There is fascinating new research in the positive psychology movement that shows truly that after basic needs are met that more money does not mean more happiness. Research shows that that accumulating is not the path to fulfillment.

So what does make people happy?

Research done by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, the author of Finding Flow shows that being engaged in meaningful activities that use your skills and abilities leads to greater life satisfaction. Richard Johnson, PhD who has studied life satisfaction in "retirement" has found that having a life purpose and giving back, contributing to others, are key elements in life satisfaction. Cornell University conducted a study and it found what people miss most in retirement is purposeful activities with others.

So chasing the Number won't get you where you want to go.... what will?

An exciting alternative you might wish to check out is the Voluntary Simplicity Movement.

Wikipedia defines "Simple living (or voluntary simplicity) is a lifestyle individuals may pursue for a variety of motivations, such as spirituality, health, or ecology. "

People choose to live simply for reasons of social justice, personal taste, fairness or economy. It is also referred to as downshifting. An example of this, is moving to a smaller home after the kids are raised because you just don't need all that space. Shopping the resale shops to buy the clothes you need, recycling, basically focusing on experiences and relationships rather than accumulating things.

The movement has been around since the 1980's, Duane Elgin's book, Voluntary Simplicity is the book that started it all. But now with attention to global warming and people concerned about their carbon footprints and sustainability there are increasing opportunities to learn about it, and explore this lifestyle choice.

Here in Madison, Sustain Dane sponsors classes teaching ways to live simply.

There are classes starting this month!

Voluntary Simplicity Course forming - call Ann at 819-0689 if interested

Dates: TBD (sometime in April)

Location: TBD - west side of Madison, also Willy St. Co-op possible locations

Sponsors: Sustain Dane

Contact: Ann Scheerer 608.819.0689 Email: Sustain Dane
Web site: http://www.sustaindane.org


Course description:
This 9-session discussion course explores the meaning of voluntary simplicity, explores the material and psychology distractions that prevent us from caring for the earth, consider how life might be enriched through the practice of simplicity. Contact www.sustaindane.org for more information.

Always Wanted to Volunteer Somewhere? But Don't Know Where to Start?

RSVP of Dane County is celebrating their 35th anniversary this year, yet it is one of the best kept secrets in our area. Who are they? What do they do?

RSVP is your answer
for responding to our community's invitation to care and contribute.

What is RSVP?

• A community of committed people who are choosing to respond to the needs of our county.
• One of the largest volunteer placement agencies in the country
• Experts who can guide you in making the best use of your talents
  

With RSVP’s expertise and guidance over 2000 people in Dane County are choosing to use their skills, stay engaged and give back to the children, families, and older people in our local world

RSVP has relationships with 90 non-profit groups in the area and runs many different programs here is just a small sampling of what they have available:

Always wanted to work with kids? They sponsor a variety of opportunities including:

• New program working with teens and computers!
• Foster Grandparents in the schools
• Tutoring and mentoring
• Virtual volunteering -be an email pen pal

How about working with adults? Again they have a wealth of opportunities just waiting for you.

• Literacy tutoring
• Environmental programs
• Habitat for Humanity
• Food shelters
• Folk art fairs

Maybe you think you would be most effective working with with older people- they can show you how.

• Drive someone to an appointment
• In home safety
• Senior Centers
• Nutrition Programs
• Deliver Meals

Are you a people person who likes to work in a group, have a craft ?

• Knitting circles
• Sewing circles
• Other crafts

They have long term, short term, and even one day projects to match your needs and time you want to devote to volunteering.

They offer insurance coverage for all volunteers and reimbursement for mileage.

So if you have always wanted to volunteer but not sure where or how--RSVP will translate your desire to contribute into effective action and offers opportunities for significant service and satisfaction.

How do they do it?

• Make an appointment and meet with Jan Karst for individualized volunteer placement which is similar to job placement
• She gathers information about your needs, interests, abilities talents and what you hope to achieve
• Choose a couple of opportunities to explore
• She will accompany you to the agency and introduce you to the people you are working with- you don't have to walk into the room alone!
• And if you have a special talent or interest she will work with the over 90 non-profit agencies and create a customized experience for you!

RSVP helps you find your volunteer niche, where you will do the most good and derive the maximum amount of satisfaction from your volunteer experience.

Research shows that those who give back and stay engaged and involved live happier longer lives. The best way to keep your brain cells growing is learning new things and taking on new experiences and challenges. Use your talents and skills. Make new friends while making a difference.

So another secret about volunteering is that it is as good for you as it is for the people you are helping.

So what are you waiting for?

Dane County is calling, call RSVP and find your way to respond!

For more information check out http://www.rsvpdane.org/ or call: 608.238.7787

What is Lifestyle Planning and Why Would Anyone Do It?

Did You Know....

The average person spends more time planning their next 2 week vacation

than they do their lifestyle in "retirement?"

Yet with our bonus years of longer life and better health a person's time in "retirement" can last as long as their core career.

Lifestyle Planning Works!

Research shows that those who plan reach their goals and are more satisfied. don't leave your life up to chance.

What is Lifestyle Planning and Why Would Anyone do it?

Lifestyle planning as provided by 2Young2RetireMadison is a guided process where you identify your values, signature strengths, and life purpose to use a criteria for creating a balanced portfolio of life activities.

Getting to know yourself again and what really matters to you, helps you make choices among all the possibilities.

Have a partner? We help people create life plans that take into account individual and joint needs. Partners need to plan together so they don't grow apart, yet need space to grow as individuals too.

We help people look at all the different areas of their lives and set priorities and goals, all in light of their life purpose.

Research on authentic happiness and life satisfaction in retirement shows that people who have a sense of purpose; a defined life meaning and are involved in something greater than themselves are happier and healthier than those who do not.

So why would you engage in a lifestyle planning process?

As a psychologist, I know that the more clearly one envisions a goal the more likely your are to reach it. This is the essence of strategic planning in business, the heart and soul of sports psychology, and the secret of "The Secret". A strategic planner is asked to write down the details of an ideal day in the life of their company 6months from now, every detail of what will be happening after the change. A sports psychologist working with a baseball player in a funk, will have that player imagine a perfect swing that connects with the ball for a home run. The secret has you imagine the outcome so clearly that you can feel the experience.

We help people go through a process to imagine their ideal life in "retirement"...(I put "retirement" in quotes because we really need a new word for this phase of life, so many of us will work and stay engaged with the world). Doing this maximizes their odds of achieving those goals.

If you want more information try one of our teleseminars or classes- check out http://www.2young2retiremadison.com/ for more information.

I will be offering information in the blog on resources, agencies, programs, class all kinds of ideas for enriching your life.

Stay tuned and develop a life you love living.

Jan

2Young2Retire from life and always will be