Understanding Living Longer

Tag Archives: life planning

The final ‘downsize’

A life skill for many people over 50 is being able, both physically and emotionally, to contain their ‘stuff’. Wartime austerity nurtured a caution against parting with anything ‘just in case’ which then extended into and beyond the ‘throwaway’ society of the 60s and 70s. Is there anyone over 70 who doesn’t have at least […]

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Founding a ‘dynasty’

A recent article in the financial press highlighted the perils of ‘gifts with reservations’ citing the Inland Revenue guidance on what constitutes a reservation. The rule that made me smile was borrowing more than three books a month from a ‘gifted personal library’- I remember driving around every charity shop in the county trying g […]

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Decisions – decisions

Decisions – decisions Increasingly, I am aware of a difference between the ‘very wealthy’ and the rest of us. When it comes to possessions, they know exactly what they want, and don’t hold on to anything else. Growing up in a household familiar with post war austerity I was indoctrinated with the full set of […]

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The lesson learnt by billionaires…

My first coaching client took a little time get the EML ‘message’, but, since then it is incorporated in everything he does. He sees the time between now and the moment he is ‘no longer around’ as a countdown clock and looks carefully at everything he is does and how he is spending his money. […]

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Focus and drive.

During our coaching programme I will ask the client what they want from various aspects of life. Many find the exercise challenging, not because they don’t know, but because their list is too long – it is an impossible ‘wish-list’. Capturing their thoughts without interrupting the ‘flow’ has made me a fast scribbler! I ask […]

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A suitable incentive….

Not everyone referred to EML is ready to face the reality of their changing prospects for later life. While fees are sometimes cited as being the issue, they are nothing more than a convenient excuse along with, ‘I’m too young’, ‘I’m too busy’ etc etc. The real message is ‘I don’t want to acknowledge my […]

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Maintaining relationships

One simple tool for maintaining relationships is your address book. In addition to contact information I try to include a birthday (if known) or better a date of birth (the latter containing a year – useful for those special birthdays). Birthdays show in my calendar and, for a few quid annually, I subscribe to an […]

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All change

This morning I woke up to a world full of promise. For the last three years I have held public office – a demanding role that kept me busy 24/7 – and I loved it! Yesterday I handed the reigns to my successor, sent out my final emails and closed a chapter. Today new adventures […]

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