The ancient phrase, "A journey of a thousand miles starts with one step" has many paraphrases...dates back thousands of years, and takes on a special meaning in contemporary society. The actual quote is attributed to Lao-tzu, the ancient Chinese philosopher who wrote the Tao Te Ching, born 604 B.C. The literal translation (from) the Chinese is "A journey of a thousand leagues begins beneath one's feet." It's also been translated as, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step". The intent of the statement seems fairly clear. Simply stated, no matter how large the task, no matter how far, how big, how insurmountable something seems, it all starts with just one step. Or in other words, large tasks are achievable, as are small ones, by taking it from the beginning. If something seems impossible, try doing just a portion at a time. Eventually, you'll complete the task.And so it is that we begin our journey together today. Where are we going, you ask? Ah, to the wonderful Land of Retirement!
Whether you are 22, and working your first "real" job out of college; 35, with two kids, two cars, and a mortgage (or two); 55, and having an anxiety attack that you will never have enough money to retire; 65, considered the magic age by some; or, any age between...or beyond...if you are able to read this post (and therefore presumed still breathing), you will take this monumental journey. Let's follow the advice of the sages, and begin with a single step. Or, if you aren't into walking-related metaphors, how about an elephant? You know: "How do you eat a whole elephant? One bite at a time."
Monumental tasks are made manageable by breaking things down into small pieces...or steps. Me? I have always liked the image of the roadmap. Want to go somewhere on a journey without getting lost? Better have a roadmap! (Or, GPS these days...but I still like having a map handy.) This blog is named Roadmap4Retirement and will focus on just that: providing a roadmap to help readers think about, plan for, and deal with the four cardinal points of retirement in the US: (1) Financial, (2) Social, (3) Emotional/Well-being, and Physical...a roadmap, with direct routes as well as scenic diversions; major throughways as well as short cuts. We will present the who, what, when, where, whether, and how of Retirement. And we will share what works...and what doesn't work...for us and for those who share their stories.
Monumental tasks are made manageable by breaking things down into small pieces...or steps. Me? I have always liked the image of the roadmap. Want to go somewhere on a journey without getting lost? Better have a roadmap! (Or, GPS these days...but I still like having a map handy.) This blog is named Roadmap4Retirement and will focus on just that: providing a roadmap to help readers think about, plan for, and deal with the four cardinal points of retirement in the US: (1) Financial, (2) Social, (3) Emotional/Well-being, and Physical...a roadmap, with direct routes as well as scenic diversions; major throughways as well as short cuts. We will present the who, what, when, where, whether, and how of Retirement. And we will share what works...and what doesn't work...for us and for those who share their stories.
So, who are we? My husband of 39+ years is Thomas Adsit, affectionately referred to as Mr. T in my blog posts. He has spent the majority of his career since earning his BS (40 years) in the transportation business, specifically leasing and sales of trucks. He has been with his present employer 17+ years and is beginning to get comfortable with saying the "R" word: retirement. I'm Patricia Lunn Adsit, a certified Leadership Development and Life Coach. I earned my Master's of Science in Education, with a concentration in Counseling and Personnel Services and spent the majority of my working life as a corporate trainer (over 15 years). For the past 13 years, I have had my own coaching practice and have concentrated on developing my passions: writing, gardening, knitting, and traveling. I received my certification as a Master Gardener in 2011, and I devote many hours to our 1/4 acre Way Back Garden.
And now, you are invited to join us on The Journey!
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* Actually, the original translation of the proverb refers to a "1,000 li journey," with a li equalling roughly 360 miles. So our Journey could also be described as one of 360,000 miles! The point? It's that first step that counts. [Thanks, BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/movingwords/shortlist/laotzu.shtml]
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* Actually, the original translation of the proverb refers to a "1,000 li journey," with a li equalling roughly 360 miles. So our Journey could also be described as one of 360,000 miles! The point? It's that first step that counts. [Thanks, BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/movingwords/shortlist/laotzu.shtml]
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