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12 Days of Holiday Experts - Goizueta Business School Sources for the Season
It's that time of the year again! And as Americans get ready for another journey into the festive season, there are always opportunities for stories to be told about shopping, travelling, buying, returning, and making sure you don't get ripped off or scammed during all the hustle and bustle, Here's a stocking full of topics and expert sources who are here to help with your coverage this holiday! Gifts, Giving, and all the Costs That Come With It Economics of the Holiday Season A successful Q4 makes the difference between annual profitability and loss for many businesses. Professor Tom Smith is available to discuss seasonal hiring, retail expectations, the impact of tariffs, and the importance of the holiday season to retailers. View his profile here Black Friday & Using AI to find the Perfect Gift Professor Doug Bowman expects to see more Shoppers (esp. Gen Z) experimenting with GenAI for personalization, inspiration, product discovery, summarizing reviews, generating lists, and finding deals. Results may be mixed, depending on the data the AI was trained on. He also expects more purposeful and complex shopping, with fewer impulse purchases and more searching (both online and in brick-and-mortar stores), due to lower inventory levels/assortments at some retailers. View his profile here Food and Travel Pricing Professor Saloni Firasta Vastani can discuss the cost of this year’s holiday dinners. What’s gone up and what’s gone down? She can also discuss the cost of travel this holiday season and offer tips on how consumers can secure a better deal. View her profile here Avoiding Holiday Overspend Professor Usha Rackliffe can discuss how holiday shopping can expose consumers to credit products, such as store credit cards, that offer various incentives and often result in overspending. She can discuss the pros and cons of the buy now, pay later offers and how interest rates will play into this year’s holiday shopping and spending. View her profile here Gift Giving Professor Ira Bedzow says there are three ways gift-giving can promote both personal growth and professional development. View his profile here Gifts Express Relationship, Not Reciprocity. Contracts and transactions are about keeping score—I give, you give back. Gifts are about connection. A thoughtful gift doesn’t close a deal; it opens a door. Personally, it reframes love and friendship as ongoing commitments rather than conditional exchanges. Professionally, treating interactions as opportunities to build trust creates loyalty, sparks creativity, and builds a culture no contract can guarantee. The Art of Perspective-Taking in Choosing Gifts: The best gifts come from stepping outside yourself and asking: What would this person really want? This act of empathy is a skill worth practicing. Personally, it pulls us beyond ego; professionally, it sharpens our ability to anticipate needs, see through others’ eyes, and make decisions aligned with their values—a foundation for real leadership. Gifts as Lessons in Friendship and Human Connection: True friendship isn’t built on ideology, convenience, or self-interest. It’s rooted in caring for someone simply for who they are. Gift-giving is a rehearsal for that kind of connection. Personally, it reminds us that what we truly want typically comes through relationships, not rivalry. Professionally, it shows that lasting success rests less on shared advantage and more on genuine respect and human connection. Shopping for Sustainability Consumers are increasingly seeking eco-friendly products, and brands that emphasize sustainability are likely to see higher sales. Nearly 69% of shoppers prefer to buy from companies committed to ethical practices, such as those that use carbon-neutral shipping and offer recyclable packaging. Professor Dionne Nickerson focuses on how companies can integrate sustainability in their products and why it matters to consumers. View her profile here Pressure Purchasing As the days inch closer to the holidays, shoppers feel the pressure to find a gift. Professor Max Gaerth can discuss how stress, scarcity, and time pressure shape purchasing decisions. View his profile here Online Shopping and Influencing AI Changing How We Shop Professor David Schweidel examines how new AI tools are transforming the shopping experience and the ways brands utilize AI to engage with prospective customers and personalize product recommendations. He can also discuss OpenAI’s Atlas and how it puts ChatGPT directly into your browser. View his profile here Influencers Influencing Our Purchases How are creators impacting the economy, and are influencers impacting our purchasing decisions? Professor Marina Cooley looks at the creator economy and how TikTok and Instagram are impacting our holiday wish lists, and what it takes for a product to go from unknown to trending. She can also discuss TikTok Shop (something Instagram has struggled to execute). View her profile here How to Attract Customers to the Store this Holiday: Shopping looks different, and it is up to retailers to stand out not just in the brick-and-mortar world but also online. The success of a business can balance on the customer experience. Professor Reshma Shah can discuss the policies that brick-and-mortar retailers need to have in place to successfully merge online shopping and the in-person shopping experience. View her profile here Holiday Scams Tis The Season for Scams Bad actors are using AI to scam consumers. From phone calls to emails, Professor Tucker Balch can tell us how to spot a scam and what we can do to protect ourselves. View his profile here Holiday Returns Product Returns Professor Doug Bowman can discuss the retail strategy and the impact of holiday gift returns, comparing online returns to those in brick-and-mortar stores. View his profile here He can also weigh in on: Why are returns so expensive for retailers? Online returns vs. brick and mortar returns Predicting online returns - helping retailers understand how likely it is that a product will be returned. As well: Are retailers still offering free returns? What’s this costing them? Is this likely to continue? What will they do differently? If you’re a journalist covering the holiday season, our experts can help shape your story. Use the “Connect” button on any expert’s profile to send an inquiry — all inquiries are monitored by our media team to ensure a quick, timely response.
Avoiding the Reverse Mortgage Reflex
Every once in a while, an industry article really hits the mark. Recently, one did just that—Canadian Mortgage Trends' "Who Uses Mortgage Brokers Today and Why? (Part 2)" gave seniors their own category, not as an afterthought, but as a client segment worthy of attention. Bravo. It's about time someone acknowledged that older Canadians aren't just "another niche." But then… came the reverse mortgage section. Don't get me wrong—it's refreshing to see financial professionals finally acknowledge that Canada's aging population presents both opportunities and complexities. But suggesting that "helping seniors" automatically means "offering a reverse mortgage" is like telling everyone who's thirsty to drink espresso. Some will love it. Others will lie awake at 3 a.m. with regrets. Let's call it what it is: type-casting seniors into a product. The Reverse Mortgage Reflex There's a curious habit in our industry. Mention the word "senior" and watch what happens: eyes light up, marketing decks shuffle, and—as if on cue—the term "reverse mortgage" materializes like a pop-up ad from 2007. It's as if the entire profession has agreed that every retiree with a pulse and property must be yearning to re-mortgage their home. Except… most aren't. Most seniors spent decades teaching their kids to avoid debt and pay off mortgages as quickly as possible CBC Radio. Suggesting they should now joyfully jump back into one to "solve retirement" isn't just unappealing—it's borderline insulting. Here's the truth: no one dreams of retiring into debt. And the numbers bear this out. Debt Levels: While only about a quarter of people over 65 had debt in the late 1990s, that figure has climbed to more than 40% today (Source: CBC News). Anxiety Levels: Nearly 50% of retirees now worry about their debt, according to the Credit Counselling Society. Reverse mortgages can absolutely be valuable tools. The reverse mortgage market has exploded, with over $8.2 billion in outstanding debt as of June 2024—an 18.3% increase from the previous year (Source: MoneySense). But offering one before understanding the client's full picture isn't being a trusted advisor—it's running on sales autopilot. Brokers, You're Better Than This Brokers pride themselves on being client advocates—the ones who shop the market, decode fine print, and find creative solutions when banks can't. The very definition of a broker is someone who matches the right solution to the customer's needs. So why, when it comes to seniors, do many skip the most important part—the needs assessment—and leap straight to the product? It's backwards. While it may seem very simple, a proper financial conversation starts with identifying the problem, then illustrating a solution, and finally defining the intended outcome. • Why does this person need to access equity? • What problem are they really solving? • How do they define "financial comfort" The first step of solution selling isn't talking—it's listening. Start With the Need, Not the Product Before reaching for any rate sheet, it's critical to understand the client's true priorities. According to research from HomeEquity Bank, 9 in 10 Canadians want to age in place and live out their retirement years in the comfort of their home (Source: Canadian Mortgage Trends). But their financial needs are as diverse as their travel insurance policies. The reality is stark: A 2024 survey by the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP) found that 39% of Canadians aged 55-64 have less than $5,000 in savings, and 73% have $100,000 or less. More than half of Canadians over 60 who remain in the workforce do so out of financial necessity, not choice (Source: CBC Radio). Ask the right questions: • Do they need to eliminate high-interest debt? • Do they need cash flow to cover rising expenses? • Are they struggling to afford in-home care or medical support? • Do they want income stability—that pension-like feeling—rather than a lump sum? • Do they want to downsize, relocate, or age in place with dignity? Only after understanding the full financial picture can you propose the best, most robust solution. That's not just good practice. That's respectful advising. Solution Selling: Connecting the Dots Here's a classic example: A client walks in with a paid-off home and a stack of monthly bills that feel heavier than the Sunday paper. They're anxious about cash flow but debt-averse. The reflex answer? "Reverse mortgage!" Not so fast. Solution sellers focus on understanding customers' challenges and delivering ideas that address their daily needs, rather than pushing products. When clients can see exactly what they're getting, they make better decisions and advisors earn lasting trust through transparency, not sales pressure. Maybe downsizing to a more manageable property makes sense. Perhaps a small secured line of credit covers the gap without interest compounding as quickly. Maybe an annuity provides steady income with less long-term cost. Or maybe—just maybe—they don't need a mortgage at all. Consider that a $100,000 reverse mortgage balance can grow to $150,000 in just 5 years at current rates, with interest compounding annually. When you solve the real problem (not just the balance sheet), you build lasting trust and genuine loyalty. The Psychology of the Senior Client It's not just about the math; it's about the mindset. Here's where most brokers stumble: they treat all seniors as if they're cut from the same cloth. They're not. Let's get real: seniors aren't a monolithic group. A 55-year-old and an 85-year-old? They're separated by 30+ years of life experience, different communication styles, varying financial literacy, and completely different emotional triggers around money. Cookie-cutter advice doesn't cut it. The best advisors listen first. They ask questions. They assess each client's actual financial situation—not what they assume it is—and then deliver advice that fits that person's life, not some generic "senior strategy." Respect Is the Real Differentiator Understanding a client's lifestyle, fears, and goals isn't just good ethics—it's good business. Seniors have finely tuned radar for sincerity. They can smell a sales pitch faster than a Labrador finds bacon. Want to stand out? Lead with curiosity, not a contract A holistic, solution-based approach positions you as a trusted advisor—not a product pusher. Once you earn that trust, referrals flow like coffee at a church social. From Product Pushing to Purpose Selling Here's the shift our industry needs: Stop viewing seniors as a market. Start viewing them as individuals with layered needs. Solution selling isn't anti-reverse mortgage—it's anti-assumption. It ensures the whole problem gets solved, not just the one that fits your product lineup. Yes, over 25% of Canadians aged 55 and older are considering a reverse mortgage (Source: Canadian Mortgage Trends), and it might eliminate a monthly payment—but if it doesn't solve for cash flow, health costs, or income stability, you've only done half the job. The real opportunity? Elevate the conversation from product placement to purpose-driven advising. Advisors, Reset Your Lens Seniors don't need to be sold. They need to be understood. Give them the dignity of choice, the respect of time, and the power of informed decision-making. When advisors show prospective clients detailed solutions, it allows clients to properly assess the quality of advice and make fully informed decisions, supporting healthy long-term relationships The best brokers—the ones shaping the next chapter of this industry—don't just sell mortgages. They sell confidence, clarity, and control. And that, my friends, is how you truly help Canadians retire hip, fit, and financially free. Want to become an expert on serving the senior demographic? Just message me to be notified about the next opportunity to become a "Certified Equity Advocate" — mastering solution-based advising that transforms how you work with Canada's fastest-growing client segment.
The Case for Out-of-Court Winddowns
Boards of directors facing insolvency should consider an out-of-court winddown as a viable alternative to bankruptcy or court-appointed receivership. This approach offers greater discretion and control, helping to safeguard their reputation and maintain constructive relationships with lenders and sponsors. A recent article by J.S. Held's Michael Jacoby, titled "The Case for Out-of-Court Winddowns," provides step-by-step guidance on the out-of-court winddown process and explains why it’s gaining popularity by comparing the pros and cons to more traditional business closure paths. Michael Jacoby, Senior Managing Director and Strategic Advisory Practice Lead of J.S. Held, is a skilled executive with extensive operating, turnaround, restructuring, and M&A experience. Michael has served in advisory capacities as well as an independent director, Chief Restructuring Officer (CRO), investment banker, and interim manager for more than 400 clients in various industries. View his profile here. Why this matters: As financial pressures mount — rising interest rates, tighter credit, private-equity portfolio stress — the flexibility and control of out-of-court winddowns make them a timely alternative. Boards, lenders, and private equity sponsors who recognize this can act faster, protect reputation, and maximize value for stakeholders. Looking to know more? Connect with Michael Jacoby today by clicking on his icon below.
Op-Ed: Stablecoin 'rewards' are a risk to financial stability
Congress has long recognized that stablecoins should not function as unregulated bank deposits. The intent of the recently enacted GENIUS Act is clear: to prohibit stablecoin issuers from paying interest or yield to holders, maintaining a distinction between payment instruments and bank deposits which are not only used for payment purposes but also as a store value. Yet loopholes have already emerged. Some crypto exchanges and affiliated platforms now offer “rewards” to stablecoin holders that work much like interest, potentially undermining the stability of the traditional banking system and constraining credit in local communities. Terminology matters. Credit card rewards are funded by interchange fees and paid to encourage spending — you earn points for using your card. Stablecoin “rewards” are different. They’re funded by investing the reserves backing stablecoins, typically in Treasury bills or money market funds, and passing that interest income to holders. You earn returns for holding the stablecoin, not for using it. Economically, this is indistinguishable from a bank deposit paying interest. When a platform advertises “5% rewards” on stablecoin holdings, it’s generally backing those tokens with Treasuries yielding about 4.5%, then passing that yield to users. Whether labeled rewards, yield or dividends, the function is the same: interest on deposits. Banks perform a similar activity — taking deposits, investing in loans and paying depositors a return — but face far higher costs, including FDIC insurance, capital requirements and compliance obligations that stablecoin issuers largely avoid. This dynamic has a precedent. In the 1970s and early 1980s, Regulation Q capped bank deposit rates at 5.25% while inflation and Treasury yields soared above 15%. Money market funds filled the gap, offering market rates directly to consumers. Deposits fled smaller banks, which lost their funding base, while large money-center institutions gained reserves. The result was widespread disintermediation, the collapse of the savings and loan industry and the farm-credit crisis of the 1980s. Stablecoin “rewards” risk repeating that history. Just as money market funds exploited the gap between regulated deposit rates and market rates, stablecoin platforms exploit the difference between what banks can profitably pay and what lightly regulated issuers can offer by passing through Treasury yields with minimal overhead. Some ask why banks can’t just raise deposit rates. The answer lies in structure. Banks operate under a fundamentally different business model and cost framework. They pay FDIC premiums, maintain capital reserves and comply with extensive supervision — costs most stablecoin issuers don’t bear. Banks also use deposits to make loans, which requires holding capital against potential losses. Stablecoin issuers simply hold reserves in ultra-safe assets, allowing them to pass through nearly all the yield they earn. To match 5% “rewards,” banks would need to earn 6% to 7% on their loan portfolios — an unrealistic target in today’s environment, especially for smaller community banks. The consequence is not fair competition, but a structural disadvantage for regulated depository institutions. The Consumer Bankers Association warns this loophole could trigger a massive shift of deposits from community banks to global custodians. Citing Treasury Department estimates, the Association notes that as much as $6.6 trillion in deposits could migrate into stablecoins if yield programs remain permissible. Because the GENIUS Act’s prohibition applies narrowly to issuers, exchanges and intermediaries may still offer financial returns under alternate terminology. This opens the door to affiliate arrangements that replicate the essence of interest payments without legal accountability. Those reserves don’t stay in local economies. The largest stablecoin issuers hold funds at global custodians such as Bank of New York Mellon, in money market funds managed by firms like BlackRock or — if permitted — directly with the Federal Reserve. When a community-bank depositor moves $100,000 into stablecoins, that capital exits the local bank and concentrates at systemically important institutions. The community bank loses lending capacity; the megabank or the Fed gains reserves. The result is disintermediation with a concentrated risk profile reminiscent of the money-market fund crisis. The Progressive Policy Institute estimates that community banks — responsible for roughly 60% of small-business loans and 80% of agricultural lending nationwide — could be among the most affected. In Louisiana, where local banks finance small businesses and family farms, that risk is especially relevant. If deposits migrate to unregulated digital assets, community-bank lending could tighten, particularly in rural parishes and underserved communities. Research from the Brookings Institution reinforces the need for regulatory parity. The label “rewards” doesn’t change the fact that these payments are economically interest. Allowing intermediaries to generate yield without deposit insurance or prudential oversight could recreate vulnerabilities similar to those seen during the 2008 money market fund crisis. To preserve financial stability, policymakers should move to close the stablecoin-interest loophole. Clarifying that the prohibition on interest applies to all entities— not just issuers — would uphold Congress’ intent. Regulators such as the Securities and Exchange Commission, Commodities Futures Trading Commission and federal banking agencies could also treat “reward” programs as equivalent to deposit interest for supervisory purposes. Stablecoins offer genuine efficiencies in payments, but unchecked yield features risk turning them into unregulated banks. History shows what happens when regulatory arbitrage allows competitors to offer deposit-like products without oversight: deposit flight, institutional instability and capital flowing away from community lenders. Acting now could help sustain stability, protect depositors and preserve the credit channels that support community lending — especially in states like Louisiana, where community banks remain the backbone of Main Street.
Beyond the Repo Headlines: What the Liquidity Signals are Really Saying
In late October and early November 2025, usage of the Federal Reserve's Standing Repo Facility (SRF) reached elevated levels exceeding $50 billion at month-end -- the highest utilization since March 2020. Simultaneously, the Overnight Reverse Repo (ON RRP) facility has collapsed to approximately $24 billion, down from peak levels exceeding $2 trillion in 2023. This combination signals structural stress in U.S. money markets extending beyond seasonal factors. These two facilities serve opposite functions in the Fed's monetary policy framework. The SRF is an emergency lending facility where banks can borrow reserves overnight by pledging Treasury or agency securities as collateral, paying the SRF rate (currently 4.50%). It acts as a ceiling on overnight rates. The ON RRP works in reverse: money market funds and other institutions lend cash to the Fed overnight, earning the ON RRP rate (currently 4.30%). It provides a floor on rates. The depletion of ON RRP removes a critical shock absorber. When the facility held trillions in 2021-2023, it functioned as a deployable liquidity reservoir. During stress events, as repo rates in private markets rose above the ON RRP rate, money market funds would withdraw their cash from the Fed and deploy it into higher-yielding private repo markets. This automatic flow of liquidity would stabilize rates without Fed intervention. With ON RRP now depleted to $24 billion, this reservoir is empty. When liquidity shocks occur, there is no pool of cash to flow into stressed markets. Instead, all pressure falls directly on bank reserves, currently at approximately $2.8 trillion. The elevated SRF usage indicates that despite aggregate reserves appearing adequate, banks are unable to efficiently reallocate liquidity across the system. The core problem is that banks with surplus reserves face prohibitive costs to intermediating due to post-2008 regulations, particularly the Supplementary Leverage Ratio (SLR) and G-SIB capital surcharges. The SLR requires capital against all balance sheet assets, including reserves. For a large bank to lend $1 billion overnight, it expands its balance sheet by that amount, increasing SLR denominators and potentially triggering higher surcharge brackets. The capital costs of holding additional assets on the balance sheet often exceed repo market spreads, rendering arbitrage unviable. Banks with surplus reserves therefore park them at the Fed rather than lending to institutions that need them. Current conditions reveal that while dealer behavior around period-ends follows established patterns, the magnitude of rate effects has grown substantially. Recent Federal Reserve research documents that SOFR rose as much as 25 basis points above the ON RRP rate at recent quarter-ends, far exceeding the 5-10 basis point moves typical in 2017. The Fed's analysis attributes this to "growing tightness in the repo market and a diminishing elasticity of supply and demand" as reserves decline. Critically, the research shows that dealer quarter-end behavior -- reducing triparty borrowing and shifting to central clearing -- has remained "remarkably stable," yet rate impacts have intensified. This indicates the problem is not changing behavior but deteriorating underlying conditions. The pattern mirrors 2018-2019, when similar dynamics preceded the September 2019 crisis. Academic work from that episode documented that foreign banks reached minimum reserve levels while domestic G-SIBs maintained surpluses but declined to intermediate due to balance sheet constraints.¹ November 2025 differs critically from September 2019: the ON RRP buffer is now depleted. In 2021-2023, that buffer absorbed surpluses and prevented repo rate collapse. Its near-zero level means the system lacks this stabilizer precisely when QT has reduced reserves and Treasury issuance remains elevated. Additional liquidity pressure falls directly on reserves, leaving repo markets vulnerable to quarter-end dynamics, tax payments, or Treasury settlement volatility. Chairman Powell announced that QT will slow dramatically, with Treasury runoff ending while mortgage-backed securities continue maturing. However, this addresses only aggregate levels, not the structural issues driving period-end stress. The question remains whether current reserve levels are sufficient given elevated post-pandemic deposits, outstanding credit line commitments, tighter balance sheet constraints, and the expired Bank Term Funding Program. What do these signals indicate? Three interpretations emerge. The most likely is that quarterend and month-end rate effects will continue intensifying as reserves decline further, with the spread between SOFR and ON RRP at period-ends serving as a barometer of underlying tightness. Federal Reserve research suggests that as Treasury issuance continues and reserves decline, "the repo market is likely to tighten further and the effects of quarter- or month-ends on repo rates may grow, providing another potential indicator that reserves are becoming less abundant." This would manifest as larger SRF usage at period-ends and persistent elevated Fed facility usage, though system functioning would remain generally stable between these events. A more adverse interpretation sees a triggering event during an already-stressed period-end causing broader repo market seizure, forcing the Fed to resume asset purchases and confirming that meaningful balance sheet normalization is impossible under current structures. An optimistic interpretation requires regulatory reform -- SLR exemptions for reserves or changes to quarter-end reporting requirements -- to reduce incentives for balance sheet window dressing, though this appears politically unlikely. For banks, the implication is that reserve buffers need to be higher than pre-2019 benchmarks, and the ratio of demandable claims to liquid assets requires closer monitoring. For investors, continued volatility in short-term interest rates should be expected, particularly around periodends. The Fed's weekly H.4.1 release tracking SRF and ON RRP levels provides leading indicators. Money market fund flows have outsized impact as their allocation decisions directly affect system liquidity buffers. The transformation underway represents a fundamental shift from bank-intermediated to partially Fed-intermediated money markets. Post-2008 regulations strengthened individual bank resilience but broke private intermediation chains. The central bank now serves as both lender and borrower of last resort, with private markets unable to efficiently connect flows. September 2019, March 2020, March 2023, and November 2025 episodes demonstrate a pattern: reserves appear adequate until buffers thin, after which modest events trigger outsized disruptions. 1. Bostrom, E., Bowman, D., Rose, A., and Xia, A. (2025), "What Happens on Quarter-Ends in the Repo Market," FEDS Notes, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System; Copeland, A., Duffie, D., and Yang, Y. (2021), "Reserves Were Not So Ample After All," Federal Reserve Bank of New York. 2. Du, W. (2022), "Bank Balance Sheet Constraints at the Center of Liquidity Problems," Jackson Hole Economic Symposium.
20 Days Into the Government Shutdown: What’s the Impact on Your Wallet?
"Government shutdowns create a cascading financial impact that begins with federal workers but quickly spreads throughout the economy, with effects intensifying the longer the shutdown persists. Approximately 2 million federal civilian employees face direct financial disruption during shutdowns. Essential personnel in national security and public safety continue working without immediate pay, while non-essential workers are furloughed entirely. Although Congress typically authorizes back pay after shutdowns end, families must navigate weeks or months without regular income, forcing them to drain savings, incur debt, or miss critical payments like mortgages and utilities. Federal contractors face even greater uncertainty, as they often receive no compensation for shutdown periods, creating immediate cash flow crises for businesses of all sizes that depend on government work. The financial impact extends well beyond federal employees through several key transmission mechanisms. Reduced consumer spending from affected workers hits local businesses particularly hard, especially in areas with high concentrations of federal employment like Washington D.C. and military communities. Small businesses face additional challenges through delayed government contract payments and suspended access to Small Business Administration (SBA) loan processing. Critical financial services experience significant disruptions. Federal Housing Administration (FHA) and Veterans Affairs (VA) mortgage approvals slow or halt entirely, delaying home closings and affecting real estate markets. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) may delay tax refunds and income verification services, further constraining household cash flow and complicating loan applications. Financial markets typically experience increased volatility during shutdown periods, as uncertainty about government stability affects investor confidence. Consumer confidence also tends to decline, particularly during prolonged shutdowns, leading to reduced spending that can amplify economic impacts. Credit rating agencies have historically warned that extended shutdowns could threaten the nation's credit rating, potentially raising borrowing costs across the economy. For most Americans whose income doesn't flow through federal channels, immediate wallet impact remains modest initially. However, the longer shutdowns persist, the more likely average citizens will experience effects through delayed services, financing complications, reduced economic confidence, and broader market softness. The cumulative impact grows exponentially with duration, making swift resolution critical for maintaining economic stability."
Inside the Classroom: LSU Psychologist Shares Insight on Student Attention Spans
What large changes have schools seen over the past few years regarding attention spans? "Being distracted by something in nature when trying to do a task may have been the first type of distraction, along with internal distractions, such as thinking about something else when you are trying to complete a task. Thus, distraction is not new. What’s new today is that the types of distractions are more complex and can even be individually tailored to capture someone’s attention, which can lead to more temptations to shift our attention off of one task and over to something else." What are innocuous ways students can harm their attention spans? What effect do phones have on retention ability? "One way I think that students can harm their own task progress is to believe that they can truly multitask or do more than one thing at one time. If you are completing a homework assignment and you are tempted to check your social media feed, you are causing a switch of your attentional focus. It may seem quick and somewhat harmless, but numerous studies have indicated that trying to switch back and forth between two tasks results in more errors and has the overall effect of taking longer to complete the main task. Thus, put simply, do not multitask. Set aside a time limit, say 20 or 30 minutes, to solely focus on one assignment or one study guide. Then take a break." How can a depleted attention span affect general physical and mental health in children? "Mental effort can be as tiring as physical efforts. As a field, we now understand the importance of sleep and overall health for our cognitive systems. To support the efforts of sustained attention, it is important to recognize that learning takes time and it takes energy. In terms of young children, the many processes involved in the development of the body and the mind require more sleep than older children and adults. How may fixing a memory deficit look different in a teen versus a child? "Younger children need more breaks than older children, as well as needing more sleep. However, younger children are able to maintain their focus of attention. They may need more guidance and something we call “scaffolding." This term is used to indicate that the older learners may already have a framework to use to build their knowledge, whereas younger learners are starting from scratch. Providing extra support that is relative to their age and ability helps children to perform at their maximum level." Are schools set up to most efficiently stimulate students' minds? "When I think about the classrooms of early childhood settings, such as pre-K and lower elementary schools, the classrooms are set up to encourage learning. There are brightly colored pictures and words on the walls; there are reading nooks that are comfortable and easy to reach for smaller learners; there are spaces to move the desks around the room to allow for different configurations of the space; and so forth. As children get older, the classroom spaces start to reflect these changes and allow for different interactions between the students and the material. I think about a high school science lab with tables and equipment, as compared to a history classroom with classical book titles and historical figures displayed on the walls. I believe the physical spaces of many classrooms are well-suited to match the skills and capabilities of the children as they grow, because they are designed to meet the children where they are." What tools would you recommend teachers use to help students strengthen their learning skills? "As I mentioned earlier, learning new material takes time and effort. It is important for children and adults to realize this and to allow time and space for learning. Sometimes adults can forget what it was like to learn something new for the first time, because they already have a foundation for their knowledge. Children are acquiring new information, new skills, and making new connections in their neural networks every day. We learn by associating information with things we already know, and also by making new connections. I mean this in a figurative sense, such as thinking about how one vocabulary word may relate to another one, as well as in a literal neural sense. Our brains work by making connections between neurons to create neural networks." Does knowing what kind of learner you are (audio, visual, or descriptive) help you improve your memory? "In terms of learning styles, this has been a pervasive but misleading concept. I believe it has stuck around because it is also intuitive. People have preferences. We know this, and it is very apparent in almost all aspects of life (our fashion, our food choices, etc). However, having a preference is not the same thing as being limited to learning in only one modality. In fact, research has shown that teaching new information in more than one modality is the most effective way." What has been the most surprising result from your research? "Children are incredibly capable of vast amounts of learning. I do not think we give children enough credit for the acquisition of so many skills in a relatively short amount of time. As just one example, if an adult learner has ever tried to become proficient in a second language, they will realize that it is a difficult task. However, young children can pick up a second language in a manner that seems almost effortless. This is just one example of the fantastic capabilities and flexibilities of the young mind."
Who Decided 50 Means Beige Pants?
Recently, I was invited to my friend Paul's 80th birthday party. To his credit, he did it up right. We all dressed in an '80s theme, danced to '80s music, and he even hired a Michael Jackson impersonator. It was a blast—and it got me thinking. Why do we treat milestone birthdays as such big moments? And what flashes in your head when you read "80th birthday"? A rocking dance floor—or a rocking chair? The Big Deal About Big Birthday Numbers Somewhere along the way, we decided that birthdays ending in zero were cosmic mile-markers. Turn 50? Buy beige pants. Turn 70? Slow down. Turn 80? Put away your passport. Really? Who wrote this memo—and why weren't we asked to edit it? Here's the truth: age is a marker, not a mandate. You don't "have to" start coasting at 50. You might actually be hitting your stride. At 70, maybe you're still climbing mountains (literal or metaphorical). At 80, maybe it's not about stopping travel but upgrading to business class—because you've earned the legroom. The Year Before: A Release Valve Melissa Kirsch recently pointed out something fascinating in her recent New York Times article, "Banner Year: The Year Before a Milestone (39, 59, 79) Often Carries More Anticipation and Anxiety Than the Milestone Itself. You're approaching the summit," full of pent-up energy and maybe even dread. And then you get there—and it's oddly a relief. You've crested the hill. The anticipation is gone. You're not nearing 70 anymore—you are 70. Sometimes naming the number feels like releasing a pressure valve. The Psychology of Birthday Milestones Humans love structure. We love mental reset buttons—New Year's Day, Mondays, and yes, milestone birthdays. Psychologists refer to it as the "fresh start effect." It's why we so often decide to start new habits after birthdays or holidays. But here's where it gets tricky: we often judge our progress against societal norms we've internalized without question. Be married by 30. Have kids by 40—career set by 50. Start winding work down by 60. Head to the bleachers by 70—health issues by 80. You get the point. These invisible benchmarks can make milestone birthdays feel less like celebrations and more like report cards. Instead of asking "What awed me this decade?" we ask "Why haven't I achieved X by now?" UC Berkley, Psychologist Dacher Keltner, in his book titled Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder, reminds us that awe is a muscle we can develop through experiences such as music, nature, crowds, or small acts of gratitude. What if we countered our harsh self-judgments with awe instead? What if milestone birthdays became moments to marvel at what we've experienced rather than tally what we haven't accomplished? Instead of seeing milestones as end points, why not use them as launchpads? At 50, instead of coasting, maybe you finally train for that half-marathon—or half-marathon Netflix binge—both count. At 70, you don't have to slow down—you might adjust the pace. Hike the mountain, but pack the good snacks. At 80, don't stop travelling—travel better. Upgrade your flight, book the tour guide, or better yet, let your grandkids carry the luggage. Milestones are invitations, not limitations. The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy of Age What we whisper to ourselves about aging matters. A lot! Psychologist Robert Merton coined the now infamous term "self-fulfilling prophecy": hold an expectation, behave as though it's true, and—voilà—it becomes true. Becca Levy's Stereotype Embodiment Theory at Yale demonstrates how cultural age stereotypes become internalized, ultimately affecting our physical, cognitive, and psychological well-being. Decades of research confirm it: people who view aging positively live 7.5 years longer on average than those who don't. Your expectations are literally a health factor. So when we tell ourselves "70 means slowing down," guess what? We often slow down. But if we say, "70 means redirecting my energy," the body and mind rise to meet it. Real-Life Icons Who Didn't Get the Memo Need proof? Could you just look around? Barbara Walters retired at 84 and lived to 93. Andy Rooney continued to share his witty commentaries on 60 Minutes until the age of 92. Grandma Moses began painting in her 70s and built an entire art career. Laura Ingalls Wilder published her first Little House book in her 60s. Benjamin Franklin produced much of his most famous work after the age of 50. These aren't exceptions. They're reminders that energy, purpose, and influence aren't tied to the number of candles. Beyond Decades: Other Ways of Marking Time Why are we so obsessed with zero-ending birthdays? Some ancient Greek philosophers suggested dividing life into seven-year stages. Other traditions slice life into "seasons" or chapters. Victor Hugo famously quipped: "Forty is the old age of youth; fifty the youth of old age." I'd add: "Seventy is the mischievous middle age of wisdom, and eighty the encore tour." We may need to stop seeing decades as finish lines and start seeing them as chapters. The real story isn't the number—it's how you're writing the next page. Routines, Rituals, Traditions As I reflected on Paul's 80th birthday, I realized that birthdays are part of a bigger theme: how we structure our lives. We often use "routine," "ritual," and "tradition" interchangeably—but they aren't the same. Routines ground us—morning coffee, workouts, journaling. They stabilize our health and cater to every age group. These predictable patterns provide comfort, calmness, and a sense of direction. They're the scaffolding that holds our days together, especially during times of uncertainty or transition. And here's something beautiful: the best way to support someone older in your life is to make connection a routine. Tuesdays on the telephone with Toonie. Jeopardy on Wednesday with Gram. Sunday brunch with Dad. These aren't just nice gestures—they're anchors. They say "you matter" in the most reliable way possible: showing up, predictably, with love. Rituals connect us to meaning—lighting a candle, walking at dusk. They remind us of our values and create moments of intention in our lives. Rituals transform ordinary acts into sacred pauses. Traditions connect us to community—holiday dinners, family reunions. But some age as well as polyester leisure suits—time to remix them. Traditions connect us to community—holiday dinners, family reunions. But some age as well as polyester leisure suits—time to remix them. The key is to keep what serves us: comfort, connection, and a sense of continuity. However, we should abandon the "I should have accomplished X by now" narrative and replace it with one of celebration and gratitude. Ask not "Am I where society says I should be?" but rather "Am I building a life that feels meaningful to me?" One of my favourite traditions comes from Denmark: on birthdays, the Danish flag is placed at the celebrant's place setting. It's a small gesture, but it turns an ordinary meal into a moment of honour. Sometimes it's the little flags, not the giant balloons, that matter most. Practical Tips (With a Wink) Write Your Own Script: Stop asking, "What should I be doing at this age?" Ask instead, "What do I want to be doing?" Shrink the Feast, Keep the Fun: Big productions can be scaled down into smaller, more frequent micro-celebrations. Take a page from Frank Sinatra and do it "my way." Invest in Memories, Not More Stuff: Hot-air balloon ride VS another knick-knack. Say Yes First, Edit Later: Pickleball at 75? Say yes. Forget your shoes later. Celebrate in Advance: Start the party a month early. Stretch the milestone like an all-inclusive buffet. Here's a thought: the older we get—whether it's 80, 90, or more—the more we should celebrate. Why restrict joy to just one day? Turn it into a birthday week. Or even better, a birthday month. We've earned it. A Toast to Us Milestone birthdays aren't warnings to slow down; they're reminders to cherish the present. They're reminders to double down. They're invitations to rewrite rituals, remix goals, and re-ignite purpose. If younger generations can say "live your best life," then let's steal that line and run with it (but don't break a hip). At every age, every stage, we can choose growth over decline, curiosity over fear, and why over why not. So the next time you're invited to an 80th birthday, picture the dance floor, not the rocking chair. Paul sure did. When I asked what's next, he smiled and said: "Finding ways to make it to 90!" Raise a glass and repeat after me: "If not now…when?" Because we're not over the hill—we're still building trails on it, with snacks. Sue Don't Retire... ReWire!
Some interesting areas that I’ve seen in the press: "Consumer Sentiment was measured at the 7th lowest point (55.1) since its inception in 1952, yet we’re not seeing a huge decrease in spending (CNN). Part of the argument is the spending is an average measure and really wealthy consumers are not feeling the pinch and spending like normal or moreso, while less financially-well-off-individuals are pulling back their spending (Spectrum Local News). Presumably, the shutdown doesn’t help that figure. In terms of consumer groups affected, let’s look at government workers first. An article by the BBC claimed roughly 750,000 “non-essential” federal workers could be furloughed without pay. This means that many to most of those are going to struggle with paying for the necessities and this becomes more and more of a strain the longer the shutdown wears on. Furloughed Workers: Most furloughed workers are required to be paid back pay when the shutdown is over by law. That could in some ways create more purchases in the future if they can’t be bought currently, but could also lead to things like more credit card debt as people can put charges on a credit card to pay back later. While from a consumer psychology standpoint that might make sense, but it’s a very risky practical strategy. Gov’t contractors don’t get the same guarantee. Businesses that rely heavily on such groups (e.g., in a town where many fall into those segments) might suffer or shutter. This means other consumers that frequent those establishments have their routines disrupted , and force them to find other providers. Essential Workers: Then we have the group of “essential” workers that must go to work and still not be paid, Air Traffic Controllers, The military, TSA Agents, certain law enforcement groups, etc. that all might draw back spending with no immediate income. That can cause major issues for retailers and producers, which could lead to more layoffs in the private sector, putting more consumers into financial straits. If you’re someone that likes to visit national parks or zoo’s like the National Zoo, or the Smithsonian Museums (which has claimed they’ll have funding at least through October 6th), you could be disappointed to have reduced accessibility or outright closures due to the shutdown, again according to the BBC. Healthcare: Healthcare could definitely be affected, particularly for those on Medicaid and medicare (i.e., the elderly and poor). So if you view medical services as consumer good, then there will be issues there as well (increased wait times, decreased satisfaction, etc.), which is likely to add apprehension and anxiety to many consumers. Travel: If you’re a traveler, staffing shortages in the TSA and Air Traffic Controllers could lead to significant travel delays, which could disrupt leisure or business plans, or force people to cancel plans altogether. If you’re traveling abroad getting your passport updated could take longer. All these things (and many more) may happen or not depending on the length of the shutdown and the severity of the furloughs. Those in better financial positions will suffer less, while those already in less desirable financial situations might find that delays in some of their normally federally funded services (e.g., SNAP, WIC, etc.) create even bigger issues."
(Because “surviving” retirement is like saying you survived a salad bar—aim higher, my friend. Nobody hands out medals for dodging the croutons.) Retirement isn’t about hunkering down as if you’re waiting out a storm, counting your Werther’s Originals like gold coins until the grandkids arrive. It’s about creating Act Two—the remix of your life—that’s lively, connected, and wildly fulfilling. Think less “retirement home” and more “retirement launchpad.” The good news? You don’t need to be at any specific stage to benefit. Whether your pre-retirement and plotting your escape from the 9-to-5, mid-retirement and still adjusting your sails, post-retirement and wondering “what now?”, or simply looking for inspiration to “accidentally” leave on your spouse’s pillow, this guide is your playbook. So buckle up. Here are my "10 Commandments of Retirement Thrival"— think of them as your cheat codes for aging fabulously, with style, sass, and maybe even a standing ovation at the end of the show. 1. Thou Shalt Keep Moving Motion is lotion, darling. I’ve said this before, and I’ll keep saying it until it’s tattooed on your sneakers: your body doesn’t rust—it negotiates early retirement if you stop using it. Movement isn’t optional; it’s oxygen for your joints, muscles, and mood. Don’t ignore this commandment or file it under “tomorrow’s problem.” Tomorrow never squats, stretches, or gets 10,000 steps—you do. Start early and make it a routine. Walk, stretch, lift soup cans during commercials. If you feel daring, dance in the kitchen and startle the cat (extra points if the cat looks personally offended). The trick isn’t big gestures; it’s the small moves that add up to a second act full of energy instead of tired excuses. Fact check: The World Health Organization reports that inactivity causes 2–5 million preventable deaths annually. Translation: move it, or lose it. Maxim: Thou Shalt Keep Moving... lest ye creak louder than your old floorboards. And yes, jumping counts. Take it from someone who teaches four to five Zumba, Body Pump, RPM, Flex, and Flow, and yes, Kick Boxing to people of all ages. As a certified fitness instructor, I've seen the transformation that even the tiniest efforts can have. 2. Thou Shalt Guard Thy Health Hydrate, sleep, take your meds, and eat real food (and no, ketchup still doesn’t qualify as a vegetable, even if you put it on kale). Think of these as deposits into your “health account.” Skip too many deposits, and guess what? Your body’s cheques will bounce—hard. Let’s get specific: Water: Most of us aren't drinking enough of it. In fact, a 2024 Canadian study by Liquid I.V. reported that 63 per cent of respondents reported feeling regularly dehydrated. Yet, 74 percent of respondents were aware of the recommended daily amount of water they should drink (6-8 glasses of water per day). Yes, coffee helps a little, but wine doesn’t count. Also, keep in mind that as cooler weather approaches, dehydration can often become less noticeable. However, through skiing, snowboarding, skating, or simply the regular course of daily activity, hydration must be monitored just as much in the winter as in the summer. Hydration isn’t optional — it fuels your energy, digestion, and even cognitive sharpness. Forgetting to drink water? That's no excuse. Just download an app for your phone. The "Water Reminder" App is great and it's free! Sleep: Aim for 7–9 hours of sleep per night (CDC, 2024). Less than that doesn’t make you a hero; it makes you a cranky health risk. Chronic sleep deprivation is linked to heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and depression. Translation: bedtime is self-care, not surrender. Meds: Here’s the reality—According to the WHO, about 50% of people don’t take their medications as prescribed. Missing doses isn’t “oops, I forgot”—it’s a slow-motion sabotage of your health. Non-adherence leads to unnecessary hospital stays, complications, and yes, premature exits from the party. The solution? Create a system: use pill organizers, set alarms, download apps, or keep sticky notes on the fridge—whatever helps you stay consistent. Fact check: According to Harvard, good health routines can reduce the risk of chronic disease by up to 40%. That’s not a suggestion; that’s a bargain. Maxim: Guard thy health… lest thy golden years turn into waiting-room marathons 3. Thou Shalt Simplify Thy Finances Paper statements from 1983? Cute. But clutter isn’t just untidy—it’s risky. Scammers thrive on confusion nearly as much as raccoons love your green bin. Automate what you can, consolidate what you must, and shred the rest. Remember this fact: how we handle one aspect reflects how we handle everything. If your finances are a chaotic jumble of forgotten accounts and mysterious charges, you’re likely bringing that chaos into other areas of your life. Money can be daunting for many, but don’t make it worse by spreading it across multiple banks, credit cards, and half-finished spreadsheets. We want to engage with our finances, not withdraw from them because of overwhelm. And let’s be honest—leaving a financial mess for your heirs isn’t just uncool, it’s the opposite of building a legacy. Don’t be the reason your kids fight over who has to sift through shoeboxes of bank statements and expired loyalty cards. Make a pot of coffee, hold your nose, and simplify. If it feels too overwhelming, hire a trusted professional—yes, it’s an investment, but peace of mind pays dividends. Also, don’t wait. Tomorrow is not guaranteed, and too many people run out of tomorrows before they ever get around to cleaning up their finances. Here’s a simple formula: Simple = Automate, Consolidate, Eliminate, Delegate. (If it doesn’t fit one of those buckets, it’s clutter.) Fact check: Canadians aged 65 and older lose more than $500 million annually to fraud (Source: RCMP). A streamlined financial life makes you a smaller target. Maxim: Simplify thy finances… lest ye become the star of Scam-baiters: Seniors Edition. 4. Thou Shalt Build Emotional Resilience Retirement can be joyful or lonely. The key often lies in how you build your emotional toolkit. Start by finding a “third place” (somewhere outside of home or work): a coffee shop, gym, church, pickleball club, or karaoke night. Bonus points if it includes cake. But resilience isn’t just about where you go; it’s about what happens in your mind. Your self-talk is the constant soundtrack of your life. If there are many ways to get downtown, there must also be many ways to reframe what just occurred. Did you forget your keys? Maybe it’s an opportunity to practice your steps. Reframing is a vital life skill—it can turn setbacks into stepping stones, boost your confidence, and protect your self-image from unnecessary harm. Practicing resilience also involves enhancing your self-esteem. Read thinkers like Mel Robbins (famous for the “5 Second Rule”) who promote simple, actionable mindset shifts. Mental health pioneers such as Carl Rogers and Nathaniel Branden highlight self-compassion, strengths-based approaches, and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) techniques as effective ways to reshape one’s self-image. Even parents and teachers have long recognized that positive reinforcement in childhood helps establish resilient adults. The good news? You can still re-parent yourself today by practicing gentler self-talk and focusing on your strengths. And remember: loneliness has a cost. According to the U.S. Surgeon General, chronic loneliness is as damaging as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Emotional resilience isn’t optional—it’s a form of preventative health. Maxim: Build resilience... or you'll find yourself yelling at the weather forecast all alone. 5. Thou Shalt Know Thy Values Your values are your North Star. They guide your choices, shape your relationships, and keep you grounded when life gets messy. Forgive quickly, return Tupperware (with cookies, if you’re classy), and keep your promises—especially when caffeine is involved. As Teddy Roosevelt once said, “If you don’t stand for something, you will fall for everything.” And let’s be honest, falling gets riskier with age. For many of us, values become a cornerstone in later years—a kind of personal compass that points not just to what we do, but who we are. Passing on a good set of values is one of the greatest legacies you can leave. It’s something to be proud of, but here’s the trick: don’t hand them down like stone tablets from a mountaintop. Instead, offer them like an irresistible invitation—guidelines that inspire, not commandments that suffocate. Leave room for others to adapt, remix, and make them their own. That way, your values live on not as rigid rules, but as living gifts. Maxim: Know your values... lest you drift like a Costco cart with a broken wheel. 6. Thou Shalt Not Retire Without Purpose Purpose doesn’t have to mean curing cancer. It could be as simple as baking banana bread that makes your neighbours swoon, mentoring a younger colleague, painting watercolours, or volunteering at the food bank. What matters isn’t the scale—it’s the spark. Without purpose, retirement can feel like a never-ending long weekend, with Monday never arriving. That might sound good for a while, but trust me: eternal Saturdays get old fast. Here’s why this matters: Studies consistently show that purpose literally adds years to your life. A landmark 2002 Yale University study, led by psychologist Becca Levy, found that people with a positive outlook on aging lived an average of 7.5 years longer than those without. And Dan Buettner, author of The Blue Zones, has documented how centenarians around the globe credit purpose (or ikigai, as the Okinawans call it) as a key factor in their longevity. Purpose isn’t just a nice bonus; it’s a life extender. Finding your purpose can seem overwhelming, but start by taking small steps. Begin by removing what you don’t want—that’s often the most straightforward way forward. Purpose is also about creating a legacy. It’s not just about how you live, but how you’ll be remembered. You have the power to craft a story that outlives you, whether through relationships, creativity, community impact, or simple acts of kindness. This is why my personal mantra is: Don’t retire… rewire. Retirement isn’t an ending—it’s your opportunity to craft the most meaningful chapter yet. Maxim: Have purpose… lest ye binge more shows than Netflix can fund. 7. Thou Shalt Create Joy and Laughter Adults laugh about four times a day. Kids? Closer to 400. There is something drastically wrong with this statistic. Somewhere between filing taxes and misplacing our bifocals, we’ve lost our bearings—time to take them back. Joy and laughter aren’t luxuries—they’re vital for our survival. Here’s how to get your daily dose: watch I Love Lucy reruns (Lucy never fails), subscribe to a “joke-a-day” email, or better yet, send a funny joke to a friend or grandchild via text. Join a laughter yoga class, stream a comedy special, or dust off those “dad jokes” that make you roll your eyes. The goal isn’t polished comedy—it’s allowing yourself to be silly. And don’t overlook this: Laughter is both contagious and magnetic. People (yes, even your relatives) want to be around joy, not another monologue about your lumbago. Laughter is also a clever rebranding tactic. Instead of being “that cranky retiree,” you can update your image to “the one who brings the fun.” Need more on this? Check out my blog: What’s Your Brand, Boomer? Boomer?https://expertfile.com/spotlight/10790 Maxim: Create joy… lest ye petrify into a cranky old codger. 8. Thou Shalt Always Have Hope on the Calendar Hope is a date with tomorrow. It’s the promise of Taco Tuesday, a small road trip, or lunch with friends. It doesn’t need to be Paris—unless you’re offering, then yes, Paris (and I’ll pack light). Here’s why it matters: hope isn’t just feel-good fluff—it’s fuel. Research indicates that hope enhances resilience, reduces stress, and even strengthens the immune system. Viktor Frankl, a psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor, famously noted that prisoners in concentration camps who clung to hope—even a flicker—did better than those who gave up. Hope literally helps us survive, but more importantly, it allows us to thrive. Your mindset is the driving force behind how you present yourself to the world. A hopeful outlook radiates within you, affecting your energy, healing, and how you handle daily challenges. And here’s the surprise: hope is contagious. Surround yourself with hopeful people, read inspiring stories or books, and intentionally plan activities to look forward to. Pair it with gratitude—it’s the ideal companion—and you’ll cultivate a daily practice that enhances your mindful well-being. Remember: you have nothing to lose. Being “right” about your ailments, family drama, or the world’s troubles won’t help. But choosing happiness? That just might. I dare you. Maxim: Always have hope… lest thy days blur into “laundry o’clock.” 9. Thou Shalt Find Thy Person Everyone needs someone they can call at 8 p.m. who will actually answer (sorry, Siri doesn’t count—and Alexa is a terrible listener). Pick your person, and just as importantly, be theirs too. This isn’t about being needy — it’s about being human. Decades of research show that strong social connections aren’t just warm fuzzies; they’re lifelines. Harvard’s landmark Study of Adult Development — the longest-running study on happiness — found that close relationships are the single most significant predictor of long-term health and well-being, even more than wealth or fame. Meanwhile, the U.S. National Institute on Aging notes that loneliness is as harmful to physical health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Yes, fifteen. Your support system safeguards both your body and mind, resulting in lower blood pressure, enhanced immune function, sharper cognition, less depression, and a longer life. Friendship acts as preventive medicine. So don’t overlook this one. Arrange that coffee, send the silly meme, answer the late-night call. Your health relies on it. Maxim: Find thy person… lest ye end up pouring your heart out to Alexa, Alana or whatever her name is. 10. Thou Shalt Declutter Thy Life Decluttering isn’t just for closets—it’s for your mind, your finances, and your garage full of “vintage” ski poles that last saw snow in 1987. Think of it as spring cleaning for your soul. Bonus: Swedish Death Cleaning (döstädning, if you want to impress your friends at dinner parties) saves your kids from having to rent a dumpster in your honour. The Guardian popularized this movement, reminding us that downsizing possessions while we’re alive is the ultimate gift to loved ones—practical, compassionate, and oddly liberating. Here’s the flip side: hoarding—or its younger cousin, “not throwing anything out”—becomes more common as we age. It clutter not only our homes but also our minds, increasing stress, fall risks, and social isolation. The Mayo Clinic notes that hoarding is linked to depression and anxiety, and in older adults, it can seriously impact safety. Awareness is your first defence—don’t become a statistic. Follow the simple 1 item in, 1 item out” rule. When you bring home a new sweater, let go of an old one. If you buy a fancy gadget, put aside the bread maker that’s been collecting dust since 2002. Respect your space and maintain cleanliness, and you’ll enjoy more clarity, peace, and perhaps even more visits from relatives—who might stay for a cup of tea instead of rushing for the door. Maxim: Declutter your life... lest you become the star on Hoarders: Golden Years Edition. The Final Scroll As my friend Lottie often says, “Looking after yourself is a full-time job.” Authentic—but unlike your old 9-to-5, the boss is fantastic (you), the hours are flexible, and the benefits are, quite literally, life-extending—no HR paperwork needed. So live it. Share it. Laugh through it. Retirement isn’t about shrinking back — it’s about thriving forward. This is your encore, your second act, your chance to rewrite the script. You’ve got the commandments, the cheat codes, and hopefully, a few good jokes left in your pocket. Remember: joy, purpose, resilience, health, hope, and laughter aren’t extras—they’re essential. Add them daily like vitamins, and watch the years become richer, not just longer. And if all else fails? Put on some music, dance in your kitchen, and scare the cat or the neighbours if the curtains are open. Because retirement isn’t the end of the book—it’s the chapter where the hero (that’s you) finally gets to write their own plot twist. Don’t Retire—Rewire. Sue p.s. Want more retirement hacks (and a few laughs)? I share them weekly on my new Substack — with special offers and early invites to upcoming events. You can subscribe here: #RetirementReset #HealthyAging #FinancialWellness #PositiveAging #SecondActSuccess