2016 Workshops and Presentations

Over the past five years I have developed a number of workshops and presentations for those who are approaching or living in retirement.

Please contact me at bcavers210@gmail.com or 403-553-2973 for information about upcoming events or speaking engagements.

Retire to the Life You Design 

Are you curious about what you will do with your time when you retire?
Are you feeling a little nervous about the transition but also excited about what is possible with your new freedom? 

Are you looking for new fulfilment and meaning in your life?

Would you like to know how to design a life unique to you?

Through our process and tools, you begin to create a plan to retire to the life that you design yourself, a retirement unique to you. In a three-hour workshop you will discover:

• Your core needs for personal fulfillment
• The Six Circles of Life for achieving balance in your mind, body, and spirit.
• Numerous and diverse leisure and volunteer activities that match your interests and skills

This workshop will help you to connect you connect who you are with possibilities for your future. It will equip you with tools, models, information and resources to help you continue your exploration and discovery after the workshop ends.

Facilitator: Barbara Cavers, B.A. M. Ed.
Workshop length: 3 -5 hours



Achieving Balance 
in the Second Half of Life

Learn how you can:

• Achieve balance in your mind, body, and spirit.
• Focus on the future, on possibilities and potential.
• Design a personally meaningful and fulfilling future.

Facilitator: Barbara Cavers, B.A. M. Ed.
Workshop length: 60-120 minutes

Designing Your Legacy: How do you want to be remembered?

How do you want to be remembered? 

What difference do you want to make in the world?

This workshop includes:

• over a dozen ways to create a legacy: wide ranging opportunities from legacy gifts of money, property or family treasures, to legacies of leadership or memories
• the importance of sharing your legacy values, goals, and intentions with your family and supportive friends.
• seven key strategies in legacy planning.

Facilitator: Barbara Cavers, B.A. M. Ed.
Workshop length: 60-90 minutes



Downsizing Your Home
What kind of home do you envision 

for the next phase of your life?

• Explore the many options for housing that will meet your current and future needs.
• Find the right balance between independence and community, challenge and risk.
• Learn how to reduce stress and conflict in working with your children – or your parents.
• Get some tips on how to deal with sentimental objects.

Facilitator: Barbara Cavers, B.A. M. Ed.
Workshop length: 60-90 minutes



Downsizing:
What makes it hard
and how to get through it.

All those memories . . .

All those things . . .

Someone could use this . . .

Eliminating clutter can lower your stress level, save time and help you to appreciate what you have. It’s a gift to yourself, and to your family, relieving them of the burden of handling all of the possessions that you have acquired through your lifetime.

• Learn how to get started, and how to keep going.
• Explore strategies for sorting, gifting, selling and donating your ‘treasures’.
• Learn the benefits of decluttering and organizing your home.

Facilitator: Barbara Cavers, B.A. M. Ed.
Workshop length: 60 minutes

16 Weeks to Plan the Rest of Your Life

Steve Vernon, of CBS MoneyWatch, wrote a series of excellent articles about retirement planning that may be helpful to you as you plan for a healthy, secure and happy retirement. 

As Vernon says, "Planning for a period of your life that can last 20, 30 or even 40 years is a complex and significant task. When you begin planning for retirement, it's understandable to feel confused and overwhelmed; it might even be hard to know where to start. There's a lot to learn, and you'll need to make many important decisions that have a critical impact on your future. And given the challenges we face regarding our retirement years, it makes sense that you'll need to devote some time and effort to figure out how to survive -- even thrive -- in the years to come."

Vernon's articles describe retirement planning steps you can take each week. Each post contains links to additional articles for further reading, so you can control how much detail you want to read.

Although he planned for a 16-week exploration, you can pace yourself to take the time you need and fit the steps into your schedule. When you're ready for each week's steps, the posts will still be there. And you don't need to follow the weeks in order; you have the flexibility to pick and choose the topics that are most relevant for you.


This post contains links to the entire series. Some of the topics that are most relevant to Canadians are:

·      Trends, strategies and a new vision for retirement

·      Planning for your life expectancy

·      What kind of retirement do you want?

·      Get the right help that you need

·      Invest in your health

·      Take inventory

·      Will you work in retirement?

·      Social Security basics

·      Investing strategies for retirement

·      Manage your living expenses

·      Where will you live?

·      Addressing the long-term care threat

·      Make the numbers work

"As you can see, you'll have to do a lot of homework to properly plan your retirement. Some people find it helpful to form small study groups, so they can share the legwork and kick around ideas. Don't forget to include your spouse or partner in your planning. It always helps to discuss things with people who care about you and are in the same boat.

And don't be surprised if it takes you longer than 16 weeks to complete all the steps. Even if it takes you six months, remember that you're planning the most important part of your life: your rest-of-life! Take the time to put good plans in place for a healthy and secure retirement so you can relax and focus on the things that are really important to you."                                                         Steve Vernon, 2013.


Say goodbye to your workplace in style!

A Canadian high school teacher said goodbye to her teaching career with lots of pizzaz! 

Shirley Clements, a 60 year old dance teacher announced her retirement in 2014 at a high school in Canada.

She created ‘Outbreak’, an annual dance competition at the school. 

To celebrate her retirement, she and her students danced to Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk” and the choreography had me cheering! She shows us that age is just a number!!

Click to watch this short video

NEW! Downsizing Workshop - Thursday, February 12

Are you looking for a way to make a difference?

Climate Leadership Program - Applications due January 24th

The Climate Leadership Program is intended to engage keen citizens in leadership training to explore and drive low-carbon activities in their workplaces and communities.

It will be a five-weekend intensive program for folks 25 years old and up. The program's aim is to develop climate leadership in sectors outside the traditional climate movement.  Participants will learn a mix of the skills taught in the full-length Next Up program, along with details of Alberta's climate policy, and how to apply these in creating and supporting climate justice within their personal areas of action.

Applications are due by 11pm on January 24th. The application and further program info are available here.

Source:
Public Interest Alberta 
January 14, 2016 - E-Newsletter

NEW Evening Workshop Series!