A Hard Retirement Fact--is that IT may be ready for you. But are you ready for IT?

This year the first baby boomers (born between1946 and 1964) are hitting the age of 62. In fact, around 330 are turning 62 every hour. There are retirement jitters from the baby boomer nation about Social Security faltering, pensions evaporating and real estate flattening. Also, the cost of fuel is cutting into their nest egg.

They are worried about whether they will have the finances to retire in the style they have dreamed about. Will the dream of "The Good Life" be postponed--maybe forever?

WHAT IS"THE GOOD LIFE?"

My sister sent me a picture of her new "Angel Trumpet plant" she had gotten for their pool area. It was beautiful, but what I noticed even more was my brother-in-law sitting beside the plant in a white deck chair drinking his cup of gourmet coffee and reading his favorite newspaper. That is his "Good Life."

Our son-in-law's "Good Life" is to have the time and energy to put on his hiking boots or running shoes and enjoy the exercise outdoors.

My husband's "Good Life" is to always have something extra on the back burner to do. Though retired from his real job, he enjoys driving a beautiful tour bus around the country part time.

Our "Good Life" together is that we have a little place in S. Texas in the Rio Grande Valley where we get away from the cold Iowa winter. There we have tons of like-minded friends and we feel like kids again wearing shorts and carrying our tennis racquets.

Does "the Good Life" mean MONEY for travel, adventure, a beautiful home, car, tickets to games or theatre.Or money enough to keep up with the toys you like to buy like computers, High Def TV or a favorite camera or boat.

Does it mean having extra funds to help your children and grandchildren?

Does it mean TIME to spend with your family, putter in the yard, have a regular golf tee time. Sad, but true, most people quickly learn that if you have money, you give up time and if you have time, you give up money. That's just the way it's always worked for us.

Or does it mean having both time and money to spend doing something you are passionate about to make a difference in the world.

What I'm getting at is that my "Good Life" might not be the same as yours, but it's a certainty we all want to have the freedom to choose what we do in our retirement years. And we don't want to be strapped to a JOB until we are 70 so we can have a decent life....UNLESS WORKING YOUR JOB IS YOUR "GOOD LIFE."

We live near the hometown of actress Donna Reed who starred with Jimmy Stewart in the 1946 movie "It's a Wonderful Life." The movie has become a Christmas classic, reminding us during the Holidays to appreciate the life we have. Donna's hometown has honored her by putting the phrase "It's a Wonderful Life" on their water tower, to remind the citizens of her beloved hometown of the good life they have come to know in their beautiful little city.

So you ask, "How can you spend three months playing in the Rio Grande Valley and still have a viable home business?"

Because your internet business is portable, you can pack up your little "business in a box" (your laptop) and take it with you.

There you go...you have everything you need to run your business for the next three months.

If this appeals to you and you'd like to learn more, go to my Renegade University profile page where you are invited to take a free tour.

Judy Jackson