Mindset & Self-Talk Archives - Beyond Retirement

🎙️288 – Living Intentionally After Retirement: From Striving to Thriving – Denise Taylor

Staff Writer — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 15:00:50 +0000

In this episode of Beyond Retirement, Jacquie Doucette talks with Denise Taylor about rethinking life after full-time work. They discuss how to shift from striving to thriving, why curiosity is essential for aging well, and how to create a more intentional rhythm in your life.

What’s Covered:

The evolution of retirement — From rest and recovery to reinvention and choice
Identity beyond work — Who you are when your title disappears
Being vs doing — Why constant productivity may be holding you back
Curiosity and aging — How staying curious supports wellbeing
Intentional living — Choosing rhythm, meaning, and presence over pressure

About the Guest:
Denise Taylor is a chartered psychologist and later-life specialist who has spent decades helping people navigate retirement and midlife transitions. After years of coaching others, she is now focusing on writing and exploring what she calls “conscious aging”—a more thoughtful, intentional approach to later life grounded in both research and lived experience.

Links & Resources:

Website: https://denisetaylor.co.uk/

Substack: https://ageingreimagined.substack.com/

Beyond Retirement themes discussed:

Purpose & Meaning in Retirement
Identity After Work
Personal Growth & Lifelong Learning
Mindset & Self-Talk
Resilience & Emotional Strength
Community & Connection
Health, Fitness & Aging Well
Creating a Fulfilling Routine
Courage, Confidence & Taking Action
Life Transitions & Reinvention

Topics:
living intentionally after retirement, identity after work, purpose after retirement, aging well, curiosity and aging, retirement mindset, life after full-time work

The post 🎙️288 – Living Intentionally After Retirement: From Striving to Thriving – Denise Taylor appeared first on Beyond Retirement.

🎙️284 – Are You Living in Your Wheel House – with Kim Costa

Staff Writer — Sun, 15 Mar 2026 15:00:06 +0000

In this episode of Beyond Retirement, Jacquie Doucette talks with Kim Costa about finding the right place to live in retirement.

You’ll learn why retirement is a “third life”, not an ending, how life changes can cause your “perfect home” not to fit anymore, and practical ways to stay put, if that’s what you want, plus how to clarify what’s working for you.

What we cover

Why retirement is a “third life,” not an ending
The Wheelhouse Method: using eight life areas to clarify what’s working and what isn’t
How life changes (empty nest, health shifts, career ending, family moving) can make a once-perfect home stop fitting
Downsizing options: lock-and-leave living, reducing maintenance, and freeing up equity
Practical ways to stay put: “shut down” unused floors, adjust thermostats, and reduce cleaning/expenses
Repurposing rooms for who you are now (hobbies, writing, yoga, podcasting)
The most neglected area on the wheel: spirituality (connection to nature, grounding, sunlight)
Avoiding “should” decisions (e.g., moving somewhere because it’s what people do)
Try-it-first strategies: house-sitting, seasonal stays, and inviting family to test a destination home
Biggest regret drivers: moving too fast, not thinking it through, and market pressure

Key takeaways

Your home should match your current life stage. What worked at 25 may not work at 60.
Fix the pain point—but don’t create a new problem. Consider health care access, finances, and connection before you leap.
Enjoyment is allowed. Retirement is a season to reclaim what you loved—and design your space to support it.
Small changes count. You can often improve fit by repurposing rooms and reducing unused space.

Kim Costa, a top 5% Realtor with Atlanta Fine Homes & Sotheby’s International Realty and creator of the Wheel House Method, shares how to use a Wheel-of-Life approach to decide whether to stay, go, or renovate in retirement. You’ll hear why “home” is more than square footage, how life changes create a “void” your current space may no longer fill, and how to make choices that support enjoyment and personal growth in your next chapter.

Her new book, Live in Your Wheel House, is available now for preorder and ships March 24th! https://amazon.com/dp/B0GKTB5Z7C

Connect with Kim:

Website: lifestylefoundations.com
Socials: KimECosta

Listen to the podcast

This episode explores:

- Life-change triggers for moving (career end, empty nest, health shifts, grandkids geography)
- Home fit vs life-stage fit (“forever home” meaning changes from 20 to 60)
- Lock-and-leave downsizing and maintenance reduction (yard, shoveling, taxes, upkeep)
- Eight-area “wheel of life” scoring to identify a “flat tire” driving a move
- Mobility-proofing and aging-in-place considerations (primary bedroom location, stairs, access)
- Repurposing unused rooms for second-act interests (writing, yoga, podcasting, hobbies)

Themes:

- Identity After Work
- Personal Growth & Lifelong Learning
- Community & Connection
- Health, Fitness & Aging Well
- Creating a Fulfilling Routine
- Life Transitions & Reinvention

The post 🎙️284 – Are You Living in Your Wheel House – with Kim Costa appeared first on Beyond Retirement.

🎙️280 – Retirement Interrupted: Reclaiming the Plan when it Changes – with Tony & Soozie Cisneros

Staff Writer — Sun, 15 Feb 2026 15:00:04 +0000

On this episode of Beyond Retirement, Jacquie Doucette welcomes Soozie and Tony Cisneros, a couple whose retirement dreams took an unexpected turn. Just as they prepared to embark on new adventures together, both received life-changing cancer diagnoses—on the very same day.

In this candid conversation, Soozie and Tony share the shock and uncertainty of facing treatment, the ways their family and community rallied around them, and the powerful role faith played in their journey. From setbacks to milestones, and finally reclaiming their freedom, their story is one of resilience, hope, and finding new meaning in life after the unimaginable.

Whether you’re approaching retirement or already there, this episode offers inspiration and wisdom on facing the unexpected and supporting one another along the way.

Key Topics Covered:

Retirement Expectations vs Reality

Planning a life of travel and freedom
Receiving simultaneous cancer diagnoses

Navigating Treatment as a Couple

Different journeys: radiation vs non-surgical care
Emotional and logistical challenges of supporting each other

The Role of Family and Faith

Support from kids, including shaving their heads
How spiritual grounding helped them persevere

Redefining Retirement After Illness

Embracing each day with intention
Reframing ‘lost time’ as a second chance

Lessons in Resilience

What they’ve learned about strength and partnership
Advice for others facing unexpected setbacks

Listen to the podcast here

Beyond Retirement themes discussed:

Purpose & Meaning in Retirement
Mindset & Self-Talk
Resilience & Emotional Strength
Community & Connection
Health, Fitness & Aging Well
Life Transitions & Reinvention

READY TO RAMP UP YOUR RETIREMENT JOURNEY?

Start here: https://beyondretirement.ca/start-here/

Book a FREE call with Jacquie: https://calendly.com/jacquiedoucette/discovery

Check out the Beyond Retirement Library: https://placeforbooks.com

The post 🎙️280 – Retirement Interrupted: Reclaiming the Plan when it Changes – with Tony & Soozie Cisneros appeared first on Beyond Retirement.

🎙️276 – Don’t Retire From Life – with Ron Sowell

Staff Writer — Sun, 18 Jan 2026 15:00:31 +0000

In this episode of Beyond Retirement, Jacquie Doucette talks with Ron Sowell, lifelong musician and NPR musical director, about living with passion beyond traditional retirement. You’ll learn how to follow your intuition, why creativity never retires, and how to choose happiness daily.

What We Cover:

Following intuition over expectations — Ron’s decision to choose music over law school
Creativity as a lifelong path — why artists don’t “retire” from what they love
Designing a fulfilling life — building days around passion, relationships, and purpose
Aging vs. growing old — why mindset determines how we experience later life
The power of gratitude — how starting the day intentionally shapes everything
Happiness as a choice — how perspective creates your lived experience

About the Guest:

Ron Sowell is a lifelong musician, singer-songwriter, and performer who has spent decades exploring the transformative power of music. From live performances to songwriting and teaching, Ron’s career reflects a deep commitment to creativity and personal expression. He is also the musical director for NPR’s Mountain Stage, where he collaborates with world-class artists and continues to evolve his craft.

Links & Resources:

Website: https://ronsowell.com
Facebook: Ron Sowell Music
Album: Dance Till the Music Stops (available on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube)

Beyond Retirement themes discussed:

Purpose & Meaning in Retirement
Personal Growth & Lifelong Learning
Mindset & Self-Talk
Resilience & Emotional Strength
Community & Connection
Health, Fitness & Aging Well
Creating a Fulfilling Routine
Courage, Confidence & Taking Action
Life Transitions & Reinvention

Topics:

life after retirement, purpose after retirement, creativity in later life, aging mindset, happiness as a choice, living intentionally, retirement identity, passion after retirement

The post 🎙️276 – Don’t Retire From Life – with Ron Sowell appeared first on Beyond Retirement.