91 - ANALYZING LIFE'S PROBLEMS
Turmoil everywhere you look! Trump’s tariffs threaten a recession! Stocks are tumbling! Food costs continues to rise! The Canadian dollar keeps shrinking. The young generation is looking for opportunity but can't find it in Canada. When will it end??
All these troubling questions really make it difficult to stay positive – and a positive attitude is essential to keeping you as healthy as possible and to making you happy.
How can you be happy when the stock markets are in free-fall, prices continue to climb, as jobs decline?
An election in Canada has every Canadian on tenterhooks right now. Do we vote for four more years of Liberals? – or -- Is it time for a change with electing Conservatives? These are the only two choices for Canadians this election as all the other parties have fallen by the wayside.
What to do? What to do?
In my corporate life, I was given a course on how to analyze problems, determine the cause of the problem and how to develop choices to correct the problem. It helped advance me in my career and I have been able to apply this to my personal life to help me avoid stress and enjoy my life.
If you are interested, or perhaps just curious, here’s how I look at my problems and my choices:
I think about what I need to make my life as comfortable and enjoyable as I possibly can. Then I make a list and categorize it into two sections - what I need first, followed by what I would like in my life but don’t really need.
Needs are the essential things that you have to have. The non-essential things are your Wants. These are the things that would be nice to have but should only be considered after your Needs are looked after.
So, I concentrate on my needs and develop what options I have to fill them, then decide which option I believe will best fill that need. When that is done, I then look at my wants. Are they realistic or are they simply dreams. If they are realistic, I go through the same exercise I did for the needs. But the wants are always secondary to the needs.
When this exercise is completed, I feel confident that I know what course of action I have to take for my needs and proceed to act on it. This provides a feeling of positivity because I’m on the right road for the life I want to live.
The positivity leads to gratefulness for what I have, which, partnered with positivity, results in happiness.
For example, after Don died and I had survived the lonely COVID lockdowns, my number one need was to avoid winters in Canada. Second need - stay healthy, both mentally and physically. Third – stretch my limited funds to cover my needs for at least another ten years.
Simplifying my life, living all winter in Mexico and the six months of summer weather in different interesting cities, towns and cottqge country in Canada in airbnbs, visiting friends and relatives, and exploring new areas I haven't seen, was the best choice for me.
I chose the Pacific coast of Mexico for Need #1 Avoid Canadian winters – that was a no brainer.
That choice also answered Need #2. Stay healthy and fit. Here's how - the climate is excellent for my health – zero sea level in Manzanillo lowers my blood pressure to normal; walking and swimming every day keeps me mobile and fit; local fresh fruit and vegetables with locally caught seafood, ensure a well-balanced diet; social activities keep my spirits up and my mind active; excellent doctors come to my casa when I need them, and an excellent hospital is close by if required.
Need #3 - Stretch my limited funds to last a minimum of another 10 years.was tougher. The best choice was met by becoming a nomad. Selling everything I owned or giving things away, leaving only my clothes and painting supplies.
Cost of living is cheaper in Mexico, so I save money the six months I live there and my limited funds have been invested in safe mutual funds, and GIC's in TFSA funds that have been able to grow over the past three years, saving me between $12 - $15,000 each year. I had to tell my investment advisor to stop sending me $2,000 a month from my RIF (Registered Investment Fund) as I had lots of cash and didn't need any more for now.
I only see Canadian winters in photos that friends and family send me. I look at them while I'm enjoying life in warm tropical sunshine, (full of natural vitamen D), all day, every day.
As to my wants, I have none. The actions I took to ensure my needs were met covered anything I could have wanted. Mission accomplished!
If recession hits, as some economists believe it will, there will be new choices to develop. I have no doubt I can adapt to weather that storm if it becomes necessary.
My life can’t get any better, and for that I am very grateful!