1 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:06,680 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:09,280 --> 00:00:15,320 Speaker 1: Good Morning, This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. 3 00:00:16,440 --> 00:00:21,680 Speaker 1: Today's tip is that you can go by yourself if 4 00:00:21,680 --> 00:00:24,640 Speaker 1: there is something you want to do, from trying a 5 00:00:24,680 --> 00:00:29,280 Speaker 1: new restaurant to traveling, you don't need to have a companion. 6 00:00:30,440 --> 00:00:33,680 Speaker 1: It's usually better to have the experience than not have 7 00:00:33,800 --> 00:00:38,800 Speaker 1: the experience, even if you generally do prefer to have company. 8 00:00:40,920 --> 00:00:43,599 Speaker 1: A few weeks ago, I was quoted in a Baron's 9 00:00:43,720 --> 00:00:48,400 Speaker 1: article about how COVID had stolen time from retirees. The 10 00:00:48,560 --> 00:00:52,239 Speaker 1: article made the point that many folks were realizing that 11 00:00:52,320 --> 00:00:56,520 Speaker 1: they had lost almost two years from their total quantity 12 00:00:56,920 --> 00:01:02,040 Speaker 1: of healthy retired years. Now of us lives forever, and 13 00:01:02,120 --> 00:01:05,959 Speaker 1: many of us will face increasing health challenges in the 14 00:01:06,040 --> 00:01:10,600 Speaker 1: last years of our lives. So if you retire at 15 00:01:10,600 --> 00:01:14,600 Speaker 1: sixty and we'll have a decade to travel and do 16 00:01:14,760 --> 00:01:19,920 Speaker 1: hobbies before those things become harder, losing two years of 17 00:01:19,959 --> 00:01:24,840 Speaker 1: that is a pretty big chunk. So many of the 18 00:01:24,920 --> 00:01:28,160 Speaker 1: affluent readers of Barons are trying to make up for 19 00:01:28,280 --> 00:01:33,200 Speaker 1: lost time. I had some suggestions about accelerating the pace 20 00:01:33,240 --> 00:01:36,520 Speaker 1: of travel and get to gathers. If you would normally 21 00:01:36,560 --> 00:01:39,920 Speaker 1: take two big trips a year, try to take three 22 00:01:40,040 --> 00:01:46,319 Speaker 1: or four. Go visit people over long weekends. Yes, life 23 00:01:46,360 --> 00:01:49,800 Speaker 1: might feel a little busier, but that is balanced by 24 00:01:49,800 --> 00:01:53,560 Speaker 1: the past few years when it was a lot less busy. 25 00:01:53,600 --> 00:01:58,400 Speaker 1: It will be okay. But more importantly, for this episode, 26 00:01:58,800 --> 00:02:01,600 Speaker 1: I also suggested that if these retirees wanted to do 27 00:02:01,720 --> 00:02:05,720 Speaker 1: something but their partner or friends did not, they might 28 00:02:05,760 --> 00:02:08,520 Speaker 1: not want to wait for them to come around. In 29 00:02:08,520 --> 00:02:12,960 Speaker 1: other words, you can go by yourself. That goes for 30 00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:16,600 Speaker 1: all of us. Now, some people listening to this are 31 00:02:16,639 --> 00:02:19,560 Speaker 1: probably thinking, well, of course, you can go places by yourself, 32 00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:22,400 Speaker 1: But I think a lot of folks are a wee 33 00:02:22,480 --> 00:02:27,400 Speaker 1: bit more cautious about solo adventures. I have posted a 34 00:02:27,440 --> 00:02:31,720 Speaker 1: few photos on social media of me eating solo at 35 00:02:31,760 --> 00:02:34,920 Speaker 1: some fancy restaurants, and a few folks have told me 36 00:02:34,960 --> 00:02:39,560 Speaker 1: they would feel really weird doing that. But it isn't 37 00:02:39,560 --> 00:02:44,120 Speaker 1: really that weird because no one cares what you do. 38 00:02:45,320 --> 00:02:47,880 Speaker 1: Bring a book or just scroll around on your phone. 39 00:02:48,800 --> 00:02:53,000 Speaker 1: It will be fine. Really, other people aren't paying attention 40 00:02:53,080 --> 00:02:57,280 Speaker 1: or judging you. I've made some solo trips to gardens 41 00:02:57,320 --> 00:02:59,720 Speaker 1: and farms and such that many people go with their 42 00:02:59,760 --> 00:03:03,840 Speaker 1: kids too, And yes, I've taken my kids there many times, 43 00:03:03,880 --> 00:03:06,360 Speaker 1: but sometimes it's fun to go and just do what 44 00:03:06,400 --> 00:03:09,840 Speaker 1: I want to do. So yes, you can be the 45 00:03:09,960 --> 00:03:13,560 Speaker 1: one solo grown up lady at the pick your own farm. 46 00:03:13,600 --> 00:03:16,040 Speaker 1: But if you like doing it and your kids are 47 00:03:16,040 --> 00:03:21,000 Speaker 1: whining about going, well, why not you can buy a 48 00:03:21,080 --> 00:03:23,640 Speaker 1: single ticket to a concert that you would like to see. 49 00:03:24,520 --> 00:03:27,080 Speaker 1: I actually think this is a great approach if you 50 00:03:27,160 --> 00:03:30,480 Speaker 1: are in a relationship where one person is far more 51 00:03:30,560 --> 00:03:34,600 Speaker 1: of a homebody than the other. If you always lean 52 00:03:34,680 --> 00:03:39,400 Speaker 1: towards one person's interest or the others, someone is going 53 00:03:39,440 --> 00:03:42,960 Speaker 1: to be unhappy. But if you recognize that you can 54 00:03:43,040 --> 00:03:48,040 Speaker 1: love each other and can do separate things, sometimes you 55 00:03:48,040 --> 00:03:53,360 Speaker 1: will probably have a happier home life. Now, solo travel 56 00:03:53,520 --> 00:03:56,560 Speaker 1: can be a bit more complicated. If you have never 57 00:03:56,640 --> 00:04:00,160 Speaker 1: traveled solo before, you might want to start small. All 58 00:04:01,400 --> 00:04:06,120 Speaker 1: take a weekend trip to somewhere familiar, book tickets for 59 00:04:06,200 --> 00:04:12,040 Speaker 1: things ahead of time so everything feels straightforward. But if 60 00:04:12,080 --> 00:04:15,960 Speaker 1: it goes well and you have fun, you can try 61 00:04:16,040 --> 00:04:20,279 Speaker 1: something more ambitious. I agree that it might be more 62 00:04:20,360 --> 00:04:24,839 Speaker 1: fun to travel somewhere with a companion. Retired spouses in 63 00:04:24,920 --> 00:04:27,800 Speaker 1: particular probably do want to spend time with each other. 64 00:04:29,200 --> 00:04:31,359 Speaker 1: But if you are trying to make up for lost 65 00:04:31,440 --> 00:04:34,320 Speaker 1: time and you have certain things you want to do 66 00:04:34,400 --> 00:04:38,200 Speaker 1: in your life and your partner or friends don't necessarily 67 00:04:38,240 --> 00:04:41,640 Speaker 1: want to do these things, then eventually you have to 68 00:04:41,640 --> 00:04:47,440 Speaker 1: make a calculation. We only have so much time. The 69 00:04:47,520 --> 00:04:52,000 Speaker 1: older we are, the smaller this number most likely is 70 00:04:53,480 --> 00:04:58,800 Speaker 1: which sounds worse potentially never going to let's say Paris, 71 00:04:59,520 --> 00:05:03,520 Speaker 1: are going Paris on your own. We all have to 72 00:05:03,560 --> 00:05:07,560 Speaker 1: ask what type of life we would like to live. Personally, 73 00:05:07,640 --> 00:05:10,119 Speaker 1: I would rather buy a solo ticket for a show 74 00:05:10,160 --> 00:05:13,000 Speaker 1: and get to see it, then worry about whether I 75 00:05:13,040 --> 00:05:16,280 Speaker 1: can find anyone to go with me. If there are 76 00:05:16,320 --> 00:05:20,880 Speaker 1: things you'd like to do, but coordinating with others becomes complicated, 77 00:05:21,920 --> 00:05:26,680 Speaker 1: then consider just going on your own. My guess is 78 00:05:26,720 --> 00:05:30,240 Speaker 1: that you will have fun and you'll get to share 79 00:05:30,360 --> 00:05:35,039 Speaker 1: the story with others afterwards. That could be fun too. 80 00:05:36,800 --> 00:05:42,720 Speaker 1: In the meantime, this is Laura. Thanks for listening, and 81 00:05:42,760 --> 00:05:52,360 Speaker 1: here's to making the most of our time. Hey, everybody, 82 00:05:52,520 --> 00:05:54,640 Speaker 1: I'd love to hear from you. You can send me 83 00:05:54,680 --> 00:05:58,320 Speaker 1: your tips, your questions, or anything else. Just connect with 84 00:05:58,360 --> 00:06:02,720 Speaker 1: me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. At before Breakfast pod. 85 00:06:03,440 --> 00:06:07,760 Speaker 1: That's B the number four, then Breakfast p o D. 86 00:06:08,640 --> 00:06:11,480 Speaker 1: You can also shoot me an email at Before Breakfast 87 00:06:11,560 --> 00:06:14,919 Speaker 1: podcast at i heeart media dot com that Before Breakfast 88 00:06:15,080 --> 00:06:17,640 Speaker 1: is spelled out with all the letters. Thanks so much, 89 00:06:17,880 --> 00:06:25,960 Speaker 1: I look forward to staying in touch. Before Breakfast is 90 00:06:25,960 --> 00:06:29,200 Speaker 1: a production of I heart Radio. 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