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I have lost one third of my superannuation value since July 2008 and I am upset. That sets back my retirement plans and puts a whole lot of pressure on my financial future.
I am not Robinson Crusoe here as many of you would find yourself in the same situation. So do we panic? After all, times are a changing. We are living 20 to 30 years after retirement and we need $28000 a year to live on plus the government has been advised that 70 could be the new
retirement age.

I wanted to introduce you to the concept of ‘mindfulness’ which has its roots in Buddhism but is a topic in modern psychology lectures.

Mindfulness is the ability to focus on the topic. To block out your surrounds and in this case all the issues that surround the global financial meltdown and plan for your future based on current relevant information.

It is easy to get bogged down with the past or the negative current events but you would be doing yourself a great service if you listened to my advice.

If you have lost or loose your job then follow this process:

• Register with Centrelink ( we are the lucky country and it is our
  safety net )
• Do a resume with your skills on the front page.( No longer than 4 pages)
• Retrain in a current industry if yours is no longer employing.( Health, aged care, community services, mature age apprenticeship, self employment, hospitality, climatic services)
• Take any work to preserve your assets until the economy recovers and it will as history has proven.
• See a financial adviser and re-plan your future.

If you still are in work, can not retire, but need a change:

• Negotiate with your employer for flexiblity in your workplace. (Bosses need to allow mature age time out but still hold their jobs )
• Suggest job sharing or a reduced week
• Ask for extended holidays so you can see more of the world without loosing your income.

When you do retire then volunteer. Our community will need many hands to cope with the pressures of an ageing Australia and you will keep better health being involved and active.

I spoke to hundreds at a Career Expo last weekend about this very topic of mindfulness.

• Advising Job/Career seekers to focus on where the jobs are and not to have such high expectations of the employer at an interview.
• Take a job, any job because the dole ques are growing.
• Look after their assets as you will need them.
• Time for all to do a ‘mind switch’ and look at over 45 as a new career not how long is it to retirement.
  
• To forget the past and concentrate on the here and now and how we all fit in.
  
  We want to have a BONZA LIFE but be mindful!!!
  
  
  
  Brian Murphy
  Editor
  BONZA