Your Retirement-Your Choice!

Like everything else in life, your retirement years will be what you make of it -- so when you visualize your retirement, what do you see -- a dream or a nightmare?

I know that many of you are dwelling on your 2008 stock market losses especially since you probably received year-end tax documents with the bad news this week.

When you view just the financial aspect of your retirement, I'm sure for many it does seem like a nightmare.

Don't get down -- instead concentrate on other aspects of your retirement planning -- the things you have more control of like your health, family life, your emotional well-being, your grandkids, how you will spend all your free time. I challenge you not to dwell on the negative, but to actually start planning with pen and paper what you want to do with that extra 60 hours a week you'll gain by not working.

Believe me, I feel the pain of your financial losses -- not from 2008 as I was not heavily invested in the market -- because I had already lost more than$140K in 2000-2001. Sure, it negatively impacted my retirement planning, but I survived and so will you. After having suffered a major illness and being hospitalized twice last summer, I'm telling you from my heart -- if you have good health, you truly have it all and can face any challenge!

Remember: When life throws you a curve ball (like this financial crisis), then HIT IT!

Here's a good article to help you get a handle on your finances:

http://www.ehow.com/how_2206189_deal-economic-crisis.html

p.s. - that's not my account above - luckily, mine went down only about 20%.