An important area to focus on as you transition towards retirement is in the area of Health Perception.

Health Perception measures how you see your health as being an important part of your retirement life. It reveals to you your own appraisal of your health. The retirement assessment can tell you if you have some health concerns (in your own opinion), that you do not believe you are in the state of health you would like to be in, or it can tell you that you believe you are in great health.

A low score in the area of health perception shows that you see this as less important for your overall retirement success, making your health an area of concern. What most people want in retirement living is dependent on health, so a low score automatically makes this become a critical area. The good news is that you now have this information at a time in your life when you can make some changes if you decide to.

Health can be affected by attitudes: by what we believe. Our belief about our physical state of health directly affects what we can do and how we feel. Our inner beliefs influences our body, these can't be separated. This area of mindset is discussed more thoroughly in the The 'Secrets to Retirement Success Home Study System'', where an entire section is dedicated to Mindset.

A low score in the area of health perception indicates a strong concern about your health. Because health is such a critical item, this area needs to be considered carefully. If your scores do not meet with your identified plan then you need to consider changes in your life style and belief system. Your assessment will identify whether this is an area of concern for you or not.
Resolve to live a long and healthy life. If you aren't already, become in tune with your lifestyle, making sure it includes healthy foods, exercise, and some form of relaxation and stress control. You need to be vigorous in finding better and healthier ways of staying fit and healthy! You have considerable control over your state of health by the health practices you engage in. Use these beliefs to motivate you to continue staying healthy.

When people believe they are healthy, they either continue working or move towards an active retirement lifestyle. When people believe they are ill, they want to retire as soon as they can so they can rest and remove themselves from an environment that seems stressful. Retirement becomes a solution to their condition. Often, you'll hear phrases like, "getting out" or "needing some rest". These are strong motivators that push individuals to retire early.

Seek an active retirement lifestyle or find a way to become involved again in a second career or job. Be prepared to be active and busy while enjoying the benefits of living a fun, healthy life! Your views and the actions you take are a part of the relationship you have with yourself. Life should be enjoyed!

Your Assignment:

What changes, if any, can you make to become more healthy? Do you engage in at least twenty minutes of vigorous exercise (such as fast walking, jogging, swimming) three or more times a week? Do you drink no more than one cup of coffee or tea or one can of caffeinated soda pop per day? Can you get seven to eight hours of sleep every night, eat meat or other fatty, high-cholesterol foods no more than once a day?

Each of these things you can do contribute to your health. Don't feel that you have to start them all at once. Add in one new activity that you're not already doing and do it consistently for a month before adding in a second area. Before you know it, your health will improve and your view of your retirement may change too.

Next week we'll talk briefly about the area of Projected Financial Security and Planning
While you wait, if you're looking for ways to figure out what your retirement will look like, and you know you definitely DON'T want to leave it to chance, contact me for a 30-minute 'Get Acquainted Session' to see if there are ways I can help you. Simply email me at Tracey@NewFaceOfRetirement.com and we'll set up a time to chat.

This information is based on the original work created by Richard P. Johnson, Ph.D. in his book The New Retirement and the training certification through the Retirement Success Profile (RSP).

Tracey Fieber

Tracey Fieber is founder of 'The Secrets to Retirement Success System'', the most complete Retirement Transition program for executives and small business owners. Using her own principles, Tracey went from a corporate executive to a retirement filled with adventure, passion and purpose, in less than 8 months! Tracey is the celebrated author of the Retirement Success Home Study System', and author of the upcoming book 'How to Retire to a Life of Adventure, Passion and Purpose'. Get your free CD "7 Steps to Cracking the Retirement Code", available on Rate this Article: