This Week in Retirement: Issue 09

Your Life Isn’t Retiring—It’s Recharging. Let’s Go.

If last week’s edition reminded us that retirement is not a finish line but a new frontier, this week, we meet the trailblazers—people navigating that frontier with bold choices, brains, and a whole lot of heart.

If you’re ready to write your own story of retirement abundance, do yourself a favor and grab “The Retirement Dreammaker – Master The Art of Retirement Abundance” by Matthew Jackson at Amazon or www.theretirementdreammaker.com. And subscribe to the podcast “The Retirement Buzz” at www.theretirementbuzz.com—where real retirees share what’s working.

Brain Training Now Shown to Slow Cognitive Decline

🧠 A new study from the University of Exeter found that retirees who regularly engage in structured brain training (like puzzle-solving, learning new skills, and reflective journaling) show 42% less cognitive decline than their peers over a five-year span.

Forget the myth that retirement is mental decline. You’re not losing brainpower—you’re just not using it strategically. This study confirms what Matthew Jackson teaches in The Retirement Dreammaker: that your “brain optimization window” is real—and it matters.

Add 15 minutes of structured problem-solving daily—Sudoku, language learning, or journaling. Combine it with Jackson’s Triangle of Success™ framework (Skills, Time, Money) to activate your sharpest self.

Surprise Tax Moves from ‘Friendly’ Retirement States

Bad news from the tax front. Several states—including Minnesota and Vermont—have recently rolled back or reduced exemptions for retirement income. Minnesota just passed a law that limits Social Security tax relief to households below $100,000.

Retirees on fixed incomes are getting hit from every angle—property taxes, income taxes, and inflation. This shift back toward taxing Social Security and pensions is a warning shot.

Nine states still don’t tax retirement income at all—like Florida, Texas, and Tennessee. But even “friendly” states are reconsidering. It’s critical to review your state’s tax policy annually.

Talk to a retirement income advisor or tax planner. And again—Matthew Jackson breaks this down masterfully in “The Retirement Dreammaker.” It’s not just about what you earn; it’s about what you keep.

Widow’s Club Becomes a Business

👯‍♀️ After losing her husband to cancer, 69-year-old Sandra Milton from Chicago created a monthly lunch meetup for widowed women. Today? It’s a thriving support network of 2,000+ women nationwide—complete with retreats, online forums, and mentorship.

Relationships in retirement don’t just “happen.” They’re built. Sandra turned grief into growth, and you can too.

"That first year, I thought I was invisible,” she said. “But I realized, if I felt this way, thousands of others did too. So I did something.”

Redesign your relationship ecosystem. Join or start a group. As Matthew says in his book: “You don’t need more people. You need more meaningful people.”

70-Year-Old Starts Goat Yoga Ranch—and Sells Out Monthly

🐐 Yep, you read that right. Steve Kowalski, retired firefighter from Oregon, turned a quirky joke into a booming business: Goat Yoga for Boomers.

Steve’s retirement wasn’t about golf or bridge. He tapped into fun, fitness, and laughter therapy—and now runs monthly classes booked six months in advance.

“It started as a dare. Now it’s the best part of my life. People don’t just leave flexible—they leave healed.”

What lights you up that others think is weird? Lean into that. As The Retirement Dreammaker teaches: the new retirement is about evolving identity, not escaping it.

Dr. Edith Eger – 96-Year-Old Holocaust Survivor and Psychologist Still Teaching and Writing

✍️ Dr. Edith Eger, a Holocaust survivor and best-selling author of The Choice and The Gift, is still speaking, teaching, and mentoring at 96 years old. She runs seminars on trauma healing and personal freedom from her home in California.

She retired from clinical practice years ago—but never from her purpose. Her teachings have impacted veterans, CEOs, inmates, and students alike.

Big Quote: “I don’t have time to age. I’m too busy living.”

📘 Learn more: https://dreditheger.com

You don’t need to climb a mountain to live with meaning. 

Maybe for you, it’s writing that book you've been carrying in your soul. Maybe it's mentoring someone who needs your story. Or finally having the courage to heal—so you can help others do the same.

The real journey isn’t out there. It’s inward.
Stretch yourself—not to impress the world, but to express the truth of who you are.

Retirement Is a Launch Pad, Not a Landing Zone

The stories are clear. Retirement isn’t a retreat. It’s a revolution—but only if you make it one.

📘 Grab your copy of “The Retirement Dreammaker – Master The Art of Retirement Abundance” on Amazon or www.theretirementdreammaker.com. It’s the ultimate guide to reinventing this season with clarity, confidence, and purpose.

🎙️ And make sure you’re subscribed to “The Retirement Buzz” at www.theretirementbuzz.com—where the real stories behind these retirements get even deeper.

 Your past gave you the title. Your future gives you the voice.
“The best chapters are written by those who refuse to close the book.”

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