Choose Enthusiasm, Not Obligation
By Dave Smith, The Ultimate Retirement Coach
Published June 19, 2025
This week, let’s focus on something simple but powerful: enthusiasm. Not just the loud kind. The inner spark. The pull. The curiosity. The “I want to do this” feeling.
🌟 One Big Idea: Optimize for Enthusiasm
In retirement, every day is your own — which is both a gift and a responsibility. So here’s a rule that rarely steers you wrong:
Choose what energizes you.
Whether it’s organizing a local volunteer project, diving into woodworking, picking up watercolor painting, or spending quiet mornings reading by the window — pay close attention to what lights you up. The more you say “yes” to those things, the more alive you’ll feel.
It’s easy to fill time with obligations or what others expect of us. But retirement is your second act. Play your favorite scenes.
❓One Question to Reflect On:
What have you done in the past week that made you lose track of time — and why aren’t you doing more of it?
Sit with this. It may reveal where your real joy is hiding.
✅ One Small Exercise:
Take out a sheet of paper (or open your notes app) and do this:
- Write down three moments from the past month that brought you genuine energy, joy, or peace.
- Then ask yourself: How can I build more of that into my week ahead?
- Schedule at least one of those activities on your calendar for this week — like it’s a doctor’s appointment. Because it kind of is… for your soul.
Remember, retirement isn’t an end — it’s your opportunity to design life on your own terms. Let enthusiasm be your compass.
Talk to you next week,
Dave