I came across an article about “soft living” recently and it got me thinking: how does this philosophy align with retirement goals?
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A Resolution With A Name
As we progressed through January several people asked about my New Year resolution. And I must confess I was deliberately cryptic – “it’s big and it’s going to take a while” was about all I’d share. The truth is, this isn’t a resolution in the traditional sense. It’s multi-year, it’s transformational and it has a specific end date and a comprehensive set of outcomes. It even now has a name: Project 64. Along with a name goes a fully formed V2MOM to keep me aligned and on track.
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Mastering New Year’s Resolutions: The Power of Accountability
Last week, I mentioned I was making just one New Year’s resolution for 2026. Making it was the easy part. The hard part is already happening: getting motivated when its -9c outside (welcome to my Monday). showing up in February when the excitement fades; doing the hard yards in April when life gets busy and in August when progress feels slow. I know these times are ahead. And that’s why most New Year’s Resolutions die. Not from lack of ambition, but from lack of accountability.
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Why I’m Making a New Year’s Resolution (And Why This One Matters)
Every December 31st, the conversation at our dinner table will at some point turn to resolutions. The eye-rolling is predictable. The reasons are fair:
❌ “They never last.” Most resolutions fade by February because they’re too ambitious or lack a clear plan.
❌ “Life gets in the way.” Unexpected challenges and competing priorities derail good intentions.
❌ “They feel like pressure, not progress.” When goals feel forced, they become a burden rather than an opportunity.
I get it. I’ve been that person. But This Year Feels Different.
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Betting against Conventional Wisdom
Three months ago, I wrote about wrestling with hypothetical worries while dismantling my old working life. I was anxious about whether we’d have enough resources for a safe and fulfilling retirement.
Well, the office sold. Then we sold the family home too.
It’s taken months of sorting, selling, waiting and finally signing. There were moments when it felt like the transition would never end. But at last we have made it: both sales are complete, and the long process of closing out the old life is finally behind us.
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Postcards from Paris: What a Few Days in France Taught Me About Food, Lifestyle, and Living Well
I ’ve just returned from a few days in Paris and while it was undeniably chaotic, architecturally stunning, and buzzing with energy, it also gave me unexpected space to think.
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From Flat to Focused: What I Learned on a Slow Saturday
The other Saturday morning I woke up feeling flat, de-energised, and if I’m honest… a little fed up.
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Hitting Reset – Taking Back Control of My Inbox (and Why That’s Only Half the Story)
If your inbox is a constant source of stress, you’re not alone. Here’s how I tackled mine — and what I learned in the process.
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“Retirement Scares Me” – Why This Conversation Stopped Me in My Tracks
The other day, I caught up with a former colleague. We were chatting about life after work when he said something that’s stuck with me ever since:
“Retirement scares me. I’d have nothing to get up for in the morning.”
It was brutally honest and it stopped me in my tracks.
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Finding Light in a Heavy Month
As someone navigating life after early retirement, I’ve discovered that transitions rarely happen in neat, straight lines. Even 18 months after stepping away from the career that defined so much of my adult life, there are moments when the past and present collide. Sometimes these collisions are positive and other times not so.
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Great2Live 