It has begun, my first retirement! Yes, the first retirement because I am not done working, just now I am working for me. Yeah!

This new journey requires I embrace a different perspective because it is all about a new point of view.

Perspective has a root meaning of “look through” and in this season I will be looking through everything I do, have, need and desire to create A Well Crafted Legacy for me and those I love and influence with my life.

This journey is focusing on Wellness and Simplicity, therefore I will be “looking through” and making the necessary adjustments to move me daily toward the fullness of a legacy of wellness and simplicity.

I colored this picture with beautiful new blooms on the wellness side and clean spaces and colors of simplicity on the other side with the middle being my core values holding them together. Wellness and Simplicity is my focus bound together with a life of love, peace, creativity, and Yasha (restful spaciousness).

Because I knew for many months that this journey was coming I invested time to pause, think and pray about what the “blooms” of wellness and the clean spaces of simplicity would be. Here is how I define wellness to guide me:

Wellness is a heart perfect towards God, a strong body, a sharp mind, and emotions that are responsive not reactive. Wellness is key to embracing the  simple lifestyle that will maintain my health and produce a well crafted legacy.

The other side of my theme is simplicity. I have a natural organizational gift and love to organize all things, but in recent years I have been drawn to the minimalist movement. I do not think I will ever get to the fullness of minimalism, but I know that I have gradually reduced my possessions and in this new journey, I will continue to lean into a more intentional life of how I spend, use or impact my life and living space.

My perspective or looking through simplicity is defined as:

Simplicity is intentionally reducing my possessions, my spending and the stress in my daily life. This simplicity will aid my pursuit of wellness and living A Well Crafted Legacy that glorifies God.

My daughter Rebecca, designed this logo for my journey thought this next season of working and living. I love it because the book that is the foundation of all my perspective is The Word of God. The glasses are not only because I wear glasses, but because as I look through in moving forward, it is the lens of my life experiences that I will use as a guide in daily decisions as they are needed.

The stack of books is because I love to read “real” books, I love the feel of a real book and am really excited about having more time to read, just for enjoyment.

Lastly the cup of coffee, well what can I say? Coffee is my tool of all focused intentional actions and of all peaceful resting.

So, because my time is all my time now, what is the next right thing to do?

As a “lover of all things organizational” of course, I made a list of what to look at first, second, third. Then as I was doing my morning time with the Lord, I was challenged by Him to not put that stress on myself right now. Ok, I paused, so I am not to make a “to-do list”??? (Yikes)

So for now, I am working week by week. I look through my week and let my perspective be about selecting one wellness and one item of simplicity to work on. As I complete them, I let the rest of the week be rest, reading, exercising and whatever I want to do that day.

I honestly was scared to do that, having such a limited about of planned actions made my mind tilt, but as the saying goes, if you want a different outcome, you have to take a different action. I am now in week three and it is still very uncomfortable, yet I have made progress in both my blooms of wellness and a life of simplicity. These are the focus until it is not!

Wellness focus is Movement: Taking opportunity and time to walk, dance or stretch to build A Well Crafted Legacy of strength and flexibility as I age.

Simplicity focus is Wearables: Slowly review all things wearable and if it does not make me feel loved, comfortable and full of the style that is in my heart, I will give it away, alter it to be something different, or discard it to be recycled.

I invite you to come along on the journey of what I call “Jane’s Journey”. My first retirement and the quest for Wellness and Simplicity. It is my desire to inspire you (and me) to craft a legacy that will serve us and bless others now and hereafter.

Until next time, remember we craft our legacy daily, do it as it becometh you.