Retirement Diaries Bec Wilson

I’m gradually transitioning this podcast over to being a Youtube series. So if you want to enjoy it regularly, please, follow my Youtube channel here. Today’s is served on both podcast and Youtube though. 
A trip on the #1 retirement bucket list holiday through Canada, Alaska and the USA with Suzanne Keir
Suzanne and her husband David, both in their pre-retirement, squirrelled together all their annual and long service leave and took an epic pre-retirement sabbatical to the number #1 destination on the epic retirement bucket list - Canada and Alaska, before continuing on into America. They chose to do the trip as a 7 week sabbatical from their jobs, and they enjoyed it so much Suzanne returned and put in notice to her employer that she wanted to retire. 
So today we’re talking travel, hearing about this truly epic journey, and all the highlights and experiences Suzanne and David had along the way. This will give you FOMO!  We also chat with Suzanne at the end about her imminent retirement and what she hopes lies ahead. 
You can watch it on Youtube below!
HIGHLIGHTS:
2.45 The big holiday overview. Join us as Suzanne talks us through how they did it, where they went and some of the experiences they had along the way. They picked off all the bucket list items, from Gold Class on the Rocky Mountaineer, to a lake-view room at the Fairmont Hotel on Lake Louise, seeing the Hubbard Glacier, Cruising the Inside Passage of Alaska co-incidentally with a Santa-Claus Convention on board. Then, they hired a car and toured some of the most magical parts of country California, through Yosemite, to a magical town called Groveland, overlooking El-Capitan, down to San Franciso; before flying to Chicago and staying in a haunted hotel. In Chicago they did a food and wine tour, ate lots of Italian. 
Then, from Chicago it was up to Niagara where they stayed in The Embassy Suites which overlooked the falls from their bedroom, and at night they change colour with a light show. David even did the zipline over the falls. Next it was off to Salem, doing the tour of the history of the witches and on to Boston for three days, touring the city for a few days. After that they spent five nights in New York, where they hired ebikes and rode all along the Hudson, to Battery Park, the Brooklyn Bridge. Then, onto Washington for two days of adventures.
Their last stop was Jackson Hole, a beautiful country town, where they spent several days, did two little tours, saw bears in the wild and saw the sights. 
One of my favourite tips is her recommendation that in every capital city, make the effort to book a guided tour. She explains the benefits of doing this so clearly! 
19.00, Suzanne admits she’s come back from the holiday and announced her plans to retire at the end of the year. And she talks about making this decision. 
She’s taking golf lessons, and a few of her friends are all retiring at the same time. She has lots of playmates. 
21.20 Our fast five with Suzanne Keir 
Some fun answers and here she talks about her retirement ambitions of driving a caravan around Australia and staying in it for three months at a time at the beaches. 


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This week we speak with passionate wife, mother and grandmother, Robyn Everingham, who has made the commitment to being a ‘Super Alive Centenarian’. She’s been researching, exploring and trying out ways to improve her physical and cognitive health with apps and tech. And today we talk about her journey and very personal lessons learned along the way about measuring key health metrics, being curious in her use of health apps; and having a good attitude to her health and longevity. Here's some key points in our conversation. 
Please note, you can listen to this show as a podcast, but it is also available to watch on Youtube!
3.20  Tell us about your curiosity and your sense of purpose. Robyn talks about her journey to prioritise personal development in every stage of life. 
3.51 Life is about squeezing the juice out at every angle according to Robyn
4.20 Robyn wants to live to 100. She talks about why she believes she can and what she’s doing to achieve this. And we find out WHY Robyn wants this. 
5.45 Robyn’s three keys to enable her to live to 100 and talks about her passion for fitness and hiking
6.00 passion for hiking around the world, and her favourite trails in the US and the UK, including her recent trip to the UK hiking. 
7.10 Robyn discusses what led her to wanting to understand longevity better
7.20 How she got into riding on Peloton, and the competitiveness and inspirational community she sees on the Peloton app that keeps her hungry. 
9.15 Her husband’s health scare and atrial fibrillation and how they have led her on a journey to better monitor heart health metrics, and what she’s learned personally about it over time. 
10.00 What is atrial fibrillation and what has Robyn learned about measuring and monitoring as the partner of someone who suffers it. 
11.15 Heart rate variability (HRV) and measurement, what it is and how to measure it in real life and why Robyn monitors that for her own health. 
12.25 Her own learnings about HRV and stress and keeping her system in homeostasis. 
14.50 Her experience with intermittent fasting. 
15.30 Robyn is concerned about strength as she ages. And she tells us what she does regularly to try and prevent a decline in her strength and fitness. She also talks about the differences between hers and her husband’s health programs. 
17.40 What does Robyn do for cognitive health. She discussed why she chose Lumosity to test out as an app and how she’s used it to improve her problem solving skills.  You can read more about this on this article on Robyn’s blog Age with Attitude here. 
20.00 We discuss how long Robyn has been working on her health and longevity and trying out tech. 
20.44 The things she’s learned form others and international markets about the use of functional health tech globally, and her real experience of monitoring her own numbers. 
21.20 What does Robyn measure regularly? HRV, VO2 Max, Body Composition and what is she learning. 
23.25 - Our Fast Five!
Important Disclaimer: The information provided in this video/podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only and should not be considered as medical or financial advice. Viewers are advised to consult with qualified professionals for personalized guidance on medical or financial matters. We do not assume any responsibility for actions taken based on the content of this video. Please seek expert advice from licensed medical practitioners or financial advisors for your specific needs.
How to Have an Epic Retirement is now in bookstores
It’s been an exciting week. This week we’ve sold Amazon Australia out of books! The team at Hachette assure me they’ll be back in stock within days though. And in the meantime, you can place your order through Booktopia here or pick up a copy at any major bookseller, including Big W, Collins, QBD, Dymocks, Harry Harthogs and many other stockists which you can see on my website here.
Find out more about How to Have an Epic Retireme

Before I start, welcome to the Retirement Diaries podcast if you are new here. This podcast is delivered to Epic Retirement subscribers on a Friday so you can listen to it over the weekend. And you’ll also receive our Epic Retirement newsletter on a Wednesday. Have a great weekend! Bec Xx
A few years ago Mary Palaric stepped away from her big corporate career in Sydney and later, Adelaide, to seek out and set herself up a life that had more flexibility and more quality time. Join me as I chat with Mary about her 5:2 part time retirement or ‘intermittent work’ life as she calls it.  
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Listen to our podcast here or on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or watch it on Youtube below:
Highlights of our conversation:
1.55 - Mary’s vision of retirement
2.40 – What is a 5:2 retirement career, a five day weekend with two days of work, a choice of how many hours you work a day on two days of the week, driven by passive income. Mary explains in detail how she makes that work for her.
4.35 – What the transition from a big career looked like and how she spent 6 months planning before she made the change. Her pragmatic perspective of how long her career might last, and how she could transition her skills to building up her own business.

5.50 – Valuing her own expertise, recognising the volume of ageism in the market, understanding that her skills were convertible into business.
6.50 – What does her life look like now, in her own version of a part-time retired life. Her invigorating morning walks, fitting her work in after her morning routine and finding time to herself.
7.50 – She now doesn’t have any excuse for connecting more deeply, looking after her health and doing things she never had the opportunity to do.
8.25 – What it felt like the day she resigned from her job. Mary felt a big load come off, and some fear. She explains her circumstances that enabled her to generate income.
9.40 – The conversations you should have with your partner and your adviser, about what you need to have to be able to move into business.
10.28 – Intermittent work is what Mary likes to call it. Feed your body rest rather than work, and schedule your activity so you can nurture your body, your brain and your relationships.  
11.10 - Recognising that she could not sustain the way she had been working and when she crunched the numbers, she worked out how much she needed to really choose to retire.
12.30 - How she finds social connections now she is not in the workplace. How she built up friendships and community when she was working, and when she stopped working. Rebuilding friendships after giving up work.
13.30 – Mary talks about where she finds fun in Adelaide, the wineries, the arts, the festivals and the goals she set herself to immerse herself in them, goes to opening nights and meeting artists. 
14.30 – Doing the Bloody Long Walk and Coasttrek, 35km walks from the hills to the beach, and discovering parts of Adelaide she’d never seen. A lot of women do these walks.
15.15 – Hosting a read and talk group, and talking about the things they’ve read and meeting people that she never would have met before and formed a connection. And they are challenging her and stretching her genre.
16.00 - Mary is quite a goal setter. We discuss how she goes about setting her goals. She discusses her plan to live to 100 and in good health. This is her BHAG. Mary sets goals every month, and participates in a business goals club that sets goals for life, for being a leader, and for being in a ‘lifestyle business’.
17.40 – Discusses her goal setting group in more detail, and the power of setting goals and reflecting on them. She has really been able to see her progress.
18.35 – Do a bucket list – a ‘love your life now bucket list. Don’t wait for retirement, just do it now.  Do something once a month, or organise things that give you deeper connections and more engagement.
19.35 – We discuss the 60 before 60

If you’re new to Epic Retirement, welcome! Each Friday afternoon I publish Retirement Diaries a personable discussion with a retiree or pre-retiree in podcast format. It is designed to tell real stories and lessons learnt during pre-retirement and retirement. I hope you’ll find time to listen to these short chats over the weekend. I also send out a weekly newsletter midweek. If you missed this week’s you can read it here.
And keep an eye out for my weekend column in the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age Money Section on Sunday! You can read last weekend’s here: Why retirees are being shortchanged by the big banks
This week in Retirement Diaries, I chat with Ken Moffitt. Ken is 18 years into his retirement and has been living life to the fullest for every single one of them. He and his wife sold up their life in Sydney in the mid 2000s and hit the road in a caravan for five years before settling down in Darwin.
In this Retirement Diaries Podcast Ken talks to me openly about the journey of managing their own superannuation through the troughs of the GFC and building it back up to support their lifestyle and cost of living. He discussed what they really spend on living costs, having settled in Darwin, which he says is a more expensive place to live than most in Australia. And finally he tells us all about their 5 year caravanning journey around Australia and why travelling Australia in a caravan clockwise is completely different to travelling it anti-clockwise and gives us some powerful advice for people thinking about a similar trip.
Ken was a Past President of the Association of Independent Retirees in Darwin so he’s very aware of the challenges and opportunities of retirement. Here’s the highlights:
2.00 Setting their retirement plan - they planned to have enough to lie their life well and leave nothing when they finished.
4.05 Super and how it worked for him over the years - his real life experience of living through and rebuilding from the GFC.
7.45 How does their budget compare to what ASFA says is a comfortable retirement?
9.00 Living in Darwin - the cost of living is higher. Why it is more expensive
9.45 How their medical and health costs have increased over time
10.45 Their real cost of living comes out closer to $90k
12.00 The costs of strata levies and insurance have increased significantly
13.00 Heading off on a 5 year caravanning journey including the clockwise and anri-clockwise experiences of travelling Australia - two totally different trips.
15.30 Lessons for anyone considering a 5 year caravanning adventure around Australia
Search for Retirement Diaries on Apple, Spotify or right here on Substack; or watch on Youtube below.
IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: The information provided in this podcast about retirement is intended to be general insight and for entertainment purposes only. It is not personalised financial, investment, or legal advice. Neither Ken Moffitt nor Bec Wilson are financial advisers. The content presented is based on our understanding of current laws and regulations, which may change over time. We recommend consulting with a qualified financial advisor, accountant, or legal professional before making any financial or retirement-related decisions. We make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, completeness, reliability, or suitability of the information shared. Listeners are solely responsible for their own actions and decisions based on the information provided in this podcast.
Follow me on Threads
Instagram launched Threads yesterday, a very interesting new discussion platform designed to look and feel exactly like Twitter, without the challenges that overtook it, and we’re already over there having conversations with the massive community it is attracting very quickly. If you’re tempted to give it a go, please look me up and follow me at threads.net/epicretirement.
Have a wonderful weekend. Keep an eye out for my column i

Podcast Series 1, Episode 3: A conversation with Brian Crisp
Host Bec Wilson, the author of How to Have an Epic Retirement talks to Brian Crisp about retiring from his career role and moving all the way across the world with his wife and her parents, to beautiful Scotland. Hear how they made the decision to move, and all about where they lived and what they did.
Brian also talks about his progressive attitude to working in retirement, playing in a band in his sixties, finding work in both Scotland and Australia and finding his tribe. There’s so much wisdom to enjoy.
You can listen on your chosen podcast app, or watch it on Youtube here. Don’t forget to leave us a great review on your podcast app and follow our Youtube channel
Highlights of the podcast:
2.00 Let’s get to know Brian Crisp
2.50 Brian’s views on living a retired but not retired life, doing what he loves, journalism, playing in a band as one of two sixty year old blokes
5.10 One of the secrets of retirement is finding your tribe. How Brian did that. 
5.50 The process of deciding to retire, and what to do when retiring and then the the process of deciding to move to across the world to Scotland
8.35 Picking a town to live in and finding a new home near Aberdeen in the Scottish Highlands
9.15 Living in a green keepers house on a golf course, in a forest in Scotland. 
9.40 Living the dream in very cold weather, and what life was like in this beautiful climate
10.40 Loving the history of the region, playing gigs in old pubs in Scotland, telling his funny story about Paul Kelly
11.50 Putting the change in place, the very long to-do list required to move overseas, starting before you retire. Getting a credit card, the challenges, the visa and the other things. Making decisions about what to do with your house
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12.55 His inlaws moved across the world with them. How that decision evolved because his wife didn’t want to leave her parents. 
16.40 Travelling with your inlaws - as a blended family. Travelling as a sandwich generation. The tragic story of his father-in-laws passing while in Scotland.
17.00 Living in a multi-generational household with his mother in law now - Why Australia isn’t so good at it. 
17.50 Leaving a big corporate career, making big steps to change your life. 
18.25 Your job doesn’t define who you are. Learning to be yourself and being honest with yourself about it. 
21.00 Retiring these days is not ‘retiring and never working again’, you can still just go and do stuff. Thinking of being a Santa for 6-7 weeks and that will pay for his next holiday. 
21.45 Making decisions for you. 
22.03 Setting up a framework for getting casual work. Putting it out there that you are happy to be a person who will help them get things done. Setting up relationships in Scotland to get work - in journalism, and in making music in pubs. 
24.15 Playing in aged care centres to people with Dementia and enjoying the reactions of residents who knew every word to every song. 
25.55 Using Scotland as a base to travel from. They travelled to Germany, Norway, a spiritual trip to Egypt, toured England by car. Had done his Ancestry.com and really enjoyed seeking out his history in Oxfordshire. And Scotland, everywhere he could. Visiting to see the Royal Family going to Church on a Sunday. 
28.00 Learning things about the Royal Family that you would not have known unless you live there. The incredible things the royal family actually do for their communities. 
36.33 It’s time for the fast five. 
What would Brian tell his 21 year old self? It’s OK to be patient. We were just rushing to be old. Feeling like a naughty kid now. 
Number one lesson learned the hard way? Always say yes to everything. People will never ask you to do something if they don’t need you to do it…
What do you do that you really love doing that no matter what you’ll fit into your week?  Playing the guitar - working out if you can play someth

Christine Jones is a part-time retiree and a Financial Counsellor on the National Debt Helpline, and in this podcast and Youtube video she joins me for a conversation about the most common challenges that face people in retirement and how they can be avoided. We talk about financial stress, relationship stress and emotional stress.
The highlights of our conversation include:
Financial Stress:
* Taking debt into retirement can be a big mistake
* Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and the need to prioritise things you really need
* Make sure you know and talk about what a good retirement looks like for you (and your partner)
* Recognise that at some point in the future, only one of you will be alive and have awareness of what might be coming ahead.
* Getting rid of debt before you retire - some of the ways you can do this practically
* Making and delaying decisions in life. Don’t delay tough decisions.
* Rental affordability and avoiding rent that is too high if you are single and living on a limited income.
* Living alone and why we do it in the third phase of life
* Get to know and love your superannuation and the things you should understand about it
* Learn to salary sacrifice and get into the habit
* Downsizing and superannuation - and the downsizer contribution
* Superfunds and how you can access financial advice via your super fund
* Transition to retirement income streams
* Consider booking an appointment with a Financial Services Information Officer at Centrelink (FISO) to talk about eligibility for the age pension
Relationship stress:
* Really talking with your partner about retirement
* When two people retire into one house it can create more relationship stress than you expect
Emotional stress:
* Boredom and emotional stress red flags
* Finding purpose in the third phase of life
* Love the things you do
* Traditional hobbies vs finding your real interests in retirement, including Christine’s story about her own hobby of motorbike riding
Finally onto our Fast five - five flash questions we asked Christine about her own Epic Retirement plans.
You can listen to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Google podcasts or a myriad of other platforms, including right here on Substack. Be sure to subscribe (and like the podcast please) on whatever platform you use. Or, you can watch it on Youtube here too.
IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: The information provided in this podcast about retirement is intended to be general advice and for educational purposes only. It is not personalized financial, investment, or legal advice. The content presented is based on our understanding of current laws and regulations, which may change over time. We recommend consulting with a qualified financial advisor, accountant, or legal professional before making any financial or retirement-related decisions. We make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, completeness, reliability, or suitability of the information shared. Listeners are solely responsible for their own actions and decisions based on the information provided in this podcast.
We look forward to your feedback this week. Perhaps you’ve learned some of these tough lessons along the way. If so, leave your comments on this story or give it a ❤️ here.
Until next week, make it epic!
Bec Wilson Xx
How to live a longer healthier life - according to scientists studying centenarians
This week in our Epic Retirement newsletter I did a big feature on ‘The secrets to living a longer, healthier life: Unearthing the wisdom of the Blue Zones and the Okinawans’. If you missed it, you can stop and read through the seven powerful recommendations that these leading scientists are making here.
Be part of our new Retirement Diaries podcast
Tell your real life stories, and let people be inspired or learn from the things you’ve done. If you’re interested, please, reach out to me on bec@epicretirement.net.
Did you miss my first podcast in the R