U Can Do It with Michael McGinnis: Inspiring Growth ~ Igniting Potential

Are you interested in “Squeezing All the Juice Out of Your Retirement?” If so, this Podcast is for YOU!! During our last podcast we introduced you to Dr. Riley Moynes and his powerful research on the topic of the Four Phases of Retirement. We covered the first two phases, 1) The Vacation Phase, and 2) Disillusionment. We went from the honeymoon phase of retirement where we were delighted to throw away our alarm clock, travel, and enjoy sitting around and doing nothing. Then after 1-2 years, we enter Phase 2 filled with obstacles and challenges as we grapple with the magnitude of losses we experience, including our identity, structure, and relationships, which provided us with meaning and purpose in our life. In addition to experiencing these losses, we enter what Dr. Riley Moynes calls the 3-D’s, which are frequently experienced in this phase, which are a) Decline, b) Depression, and 3) Divorce. These challenges can either take us down or provide the stimulus for finding a solution. We come to grow from this experience. Our quest is to make the most out of this phase of our life by addressing the question, “What can I do to keep getting me up in the morning and discovering what I can do to provide me with meaning, satisfaction, and a sense of accomplishment?” We enter Phase 3, that of Rapid Experimentation. Here we experiment with a number of new ideas, from volunteering, to learning a new language, taking an art class, and more. We create a new structure that provides us with new relationships, meaning and purpose. According to Dr. Riley Moynes, only about 65% move through Phases 2 and 3. For those that are successful in Phase 3, we then enter Phase 4, where we Reinvent and Rewire. This is the most satisfying phase since we find new meaning and purpose and discover one common element that gets us there. Whether you are retired, approaching retirement, or in mid-life where you realize the opportunity to educate yourself on this stage in life to better prepare for it. Sit back and enjoy the education, tips and ideas to squeeze all the juice out of your retirement.

Are you interested in “Squeezing All the Juice Out of Your Retirement?” If so, this Podcast is for YOU!! Dr. Moynes had a successful 20-year career as an educator before turning his talents to the financial services sector where he launched and grew a multi-city wealth management firm. He was a recipient of the Dalbar Financial Professional Seal as one of Canada’s most trusted financial advisors. Riley Moynes, now in an active retirement, talks on the topic of The Four Phases of Retirement and what to expect when you are retiring. He shares the good, the bad, and the ugly with sound advice on how to squeeze all the juice out of your retirement. He offers sound advice on how to smooth things out. The advice is dispensed in his descriptions of the four phases of retirement: vacation, loss, experimentation, and the reward. Many have found his research and advice to be both relevant and eye-opening. A MUST for those preparing for and entering retirement. Personally, I found his his talks, workshops and commentary PROFOUND and a match to what my own experience entering retirement was like.  Heather and I continue our focus on retirement and will use this podcast to share the highlights of Dr. Moynes work along with my own experience and how I used his advice to be squeezing all the juice out of my active retirement.

Our lives change in many ways as we get older. As we move into the different phases of our life (e.g., infant, childhood, early adulthood, adult, and senior citizen, our overall human needs remain the same (e.g., need for security, safegy, belonging, love, esteem, and self actualization), HOWEVER, what these needs entail and focus are different. Our focus here is on the Senior Citizen and Retirement phase. To cover this topic, we will use the infamous model from Abraham Maslow, known as Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, a psychological theory proposed by Abraham Maslow, outlines a five-tier model of human needs, typically depicted as a pyramid. The levels, from the bottom to the top, are physiological needs, safety needs, love and belongingness needs, esteem needs, and self-actualization needs. The premise of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is that, in order to meet higher-level needs in Maslow's hierarchy, we must first meet the lower-level needs first. For example, we must have met the basic physiological needs to exist and maintain a level of health and wellness before we can achieve any of the needs above this in the pyramid. For example, If I am not healthy or able to perform the basic human body needs, one is not likely to exist, much less achieve the needs to feel safe, find love, have a healthy self-esteem, etc. The same is true at the top of the pyramid. In order to Self-Actualize, which is characteristic of becoming your full potential, one must have developed their self-esteem. Maslow's hierarchy of needs can help with retirement planning by highlighting the importance of meeting basic needs before pursuing other goals. For example, if you want to travel after retirement, you should make sure you have enough money to cover basic needs before you go. Another key example today relates to people living longer, but the key is living longer while maintaining a good to great quality of life. Therefore, part of our planning for retirement should be the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual needs to stay active and pursuing our self-actualization needs. Overall, Maslow's hierarchy helps in understanding the psychological adjustments retirees must navigate. While basic needs persist, the shift in focus toward social connections, self-esteem, and personal growth highlights the need for fulfillment in the later stages of life. Recognizing these needs can guide retirees in creating a fulfilling, balanced retirement experience.

In our last podcast we talked about the challenges associated with entering retirement. We shared two models to discuss this: 1) William Bridges Stages of Change to understand the 3 stages and how they relate to retirement, and 2) Elizabeth Kubler-Ross Grief and Loss Model that describes the emotional roller coaster associated with change. This sets the stage for this podcast where we will zoom in and focus on emotions such as Shock & Denial, Anger, and Depression and how they can play out in retirement. Consider the following excerpt from the article, Retirement: From Grief to Growth  "Most people avoid using the word "retirement" when it comes to their own careers. The reality is that retirement marks a significant life transition, one that is often accompanied by a complex array of emotions. Preparing to leave a career spanning decades can stir up feelings of grief, long before your actual departure. This anticipatory grief is a natural response to the loss of something that has defined a significant part of your life. Gallup has even found that 55% of workers’ identities are tied to their job. The authority, responsibility and routine that you have become accustomed to for many years prior to your retirement can be hard to let go of. When you lose these most fulfilling aspects of your career life as you head into retirement, you will have to find ways to fill the void you’ve left behind."  This podcast will feature Coach Heather Orengia who will share information on dealing with challenging emotions related to retirement. Michael will share his own experience with entering into retirement relating to the emotional roller coaster relating to challenges such as ageism, divorce, and the loss of identify. This discussion relates to anyone experiencing major changes, not just retirement. The win here is understanding the normal and natural emotional response to major changes and the importance of learning how to manage these tough emotions in a healthy manner.   

As we enter into Retirement we once again realize that there are a number of new challenges we face, just as there were when we entered our earlier stages; adolescent, young adult, adult, and mid-life. Our ability to be adapt effectively and make the most out of each stage is a direct function of educating ourselves on the changes that willl likely occur and how to manage these transitions. For example, as we become a young adult, we must learn how to take responsibility for our lives as we gain independence, develop more serious relationships, manage our own finances, make adult decisions, define our own values and beliefs, and begin to define who and what we want to be in our life. Most primarily learn about each new stage of life using the "School of Hard Knocks" approach which can be daunting and riddled with challenges.  The same is true of Retirement. However, by educating ourselves on the phases of Retirement and the many types of changes and challenges we are likely to experience, can help us to manage our transition better with more foresight and planning.  This podcast will share two key frameworks to help you manage your transition into any stage of life, including retirement. The first is understanding change and the stages of change. Change is actually a process and we will use the work of William Bridges and his model of change to learn how to better prepare for, and manage, personal change. The second framework relates to the Emotions of Change. Once again there is a process we go through as we experience high level change. We will use the work of Elizabeth Kubler-Ross to understand the emotions of change. We are fortunate once again to have as our guest, Heather Orengia, who is a coach and uses these frameworks to help guide her clients.  Here is to learning how to make the most out of our retirement!!!

As we enter into Retirement we once again realize that there are a number of new challenges we face, just as there were when we entered our earlier stages; adolescent, young adult, adult, and mid-life. Our ability to be adapt effectively and make the most out of each stage is a direct function of educating ourselves on the changes that willl likely occur and how to manage these transitions. For example, as we become a young adult, we must learn how to take responsibility for our lives as we gain independence, develop more serious relationships, manage our own finances, make adult decisions, define our own values and beliefs, and begin to define who and what we want to be in our life. Most primarily learn about each new stage of life using the "School of Hard Knocks" approach which can be daunting and riddled with challenges.  The same is true of Retirement. However, by educating ourselves on the phases of Retirement and the many types of changes and challenges we are likely to experience, can help us to manage our transition better with more foresight and planning.  This podcast will share two key frameworks to help you manage your transition into any stage of life, including retirement. The first is understanding change and the stages of change. Change is actually a process and we will use the work of William Bridges and his model of change to learn how to better prepare for, and manage, personal change. The second framework relates to the Emotions of Change. Once again there is a process we go through as we experience high level change. We will use the work of Elizabeth Kubler-Ross to understand the emotions of change. We are fortunate once again to have as our guest, Heather Orengia, who is a coach and uses these frameworks to help guide her clients.  Here is to learning how to make the most out of our retirement!!!

During our working years we dream about the day that we can retire. Our understanding of "retirement" is largely shaped by the billboards showing couples playing golf and traveling the world. Our only focus is on funding our 401K so that we have enough to retire. This however is challenged by having to use our funds marked for retirement to purchase a home, cover medical and other bills, or fund our transition between jobs. "Retirement for boomers is different than it was for their parents in the so-called Silent Generation. Life expectancy has improved, and today’s 65-year-old can expect to live at least another 20 years. About 80% of households with older adults — or 47 million such households — are struggling today with money. And they risk falling into economic insecurity as they age, the National Council on Aging says." It is not just finances that challenge us with this thing called retirement. After 40 plus years of working, raising a family, being a soccer Mom or Dad, our identity or how we see ourselves revolves around these roles. Abruptly these come to an end with the onset of an Empty Nest and no longer working. "Retirement can lead to a loss of identity for many people because work can be an important part of who they are, and retirement can take away that sense of purpose and meaning. This can lead to feelings of uncertainty, restlessness, and a lack of purpose." Upon entering retirement, which can amount to 1/3 of our life, our excitement can quickly transition into the "3 - D's" as noted by Dr. Riley Moynes, that stand for, "Divorce, Depression and Decline". This was the case for me, and now I have come to realize are common to many of those that I coach. What I realized is that there is a lack of understanding about what retirement really is like, along with the many changes that we experience throughout this time. I found myself back at the beginning of the growth process, having to go through the stages of Personal Growth, Self-discovery, and Enlightenment once again. Our guest talks about the loss of her grandfather shortly after he retired, which can be a direct result of these challenges. We begin to confront our own mortality which can be a daunting task in a society that tends to avoid these conversations.  Our goal here is to provide a means of education, conversation, and tips to be a guide and inspiration to learn how to prepare for and deal with the major life transition. The good news is that this can be an amazing time and learning how to "squeeze all the juice out of what is left in our life." The key is education, and then applying tools and techniques to help develop a new mindset about our life, and in a way that promotes greater physical, mental, social, and spiritual growth, leading to a happier and more meaningful time, as we define new meaning and purpose. Join our conversation that will cover several podcasts as we zoom in on this topic. 

QUESTION: What do those striving to be their full potential in this life have in common with the thousands of athletes at this year's Olympics? ANSWER: A dedication to personal growth so that we can become the best that we can be! Surprisingly, there are techniques that have been researched and used to achieve peak performance, that we can use too! When I visited the Winter Olympic Training Cener in Lake Placid, NY, I realized the extent of the training that the athletes went through. There was physical training to enhance the body, dexterity training to coordinate the movement, and mental training that conditioned the mind. To pull all of these together was the use of Visualization, Meditation, and Manifestation.  VISUALIZATION: techniques THAT involve creating a mental image or scenario in which you see yourself successfully performing a task or skill in your mind. This practice can enhance actual performance by improving focus, confidence, and the execution of physical skills. According to Psychology Today: "if athletes and chess players use this technique to enhance performance, how can it enhance the lives of the "average Joe"? First, study results highlight the strength of the mind-body connection, or in other words the link between thoughts and behaviors—a very important connection for achieving your best life." Check out this video, "A Beginner's Guide to Visualization (Sports & Athletes)" https://youtu.be/EAGKsvhAPME?si=K_w_OJ4N9Imwvj5h MEDITATION: Meditation is a practice that involves using mental and physical techniques to focus or clear your mind. It can help you relax, reduce stress and anxiety, and improve your emotional well-being and overall health. Meditation can also help you learn to stay centered and keep inner peace. MANIFESTATION: Manifestation is based on the power of positive thinking and the law of attraction. Positive Thinking is “strongly believing that you can achieve your goals can help you focus your energy and actions toward them. This belief can help you work toward your goals and overcome any fears or self-doubt that may hold you back, or worse, keep you from even trying.” The Law of Attraction "states that what you focus on is what you will attract into your life.”

By using a tree as a metaphor for the growth process, we recognize that our capacity to attain our full potential stems initially from nurturing ourselves from the very seed from which we originated. It involves cultivating that seed into a flourishing, resilient, strong, and beautiful living life form, regardless of where our seed was planted or the early storms it had to weather. This is the first stage of growth, referred to as Personal Growth. Personal Growth, akin to cultivating our root system is understanding and cleaning out our subconscious. Here, we strive to foster a robust and healthy self-esteem, build confidence, and enhance self-awareness. Simultaneously, we learn to take control of our lives rather than succumbing to a victim mentality. With this foundation in place, we become resilient, much like a tree that withstands storms, droughts, and adverse weather conditions. We learn to stand comfortably and confidently on our own two feet. Key elements of our growth in this stage relates to growing our Self-Awareness, developing our Emotional Intelligence, along with our Mental Fitness. This session will focus on a proven method to improve our Mental Fitness!! WHAT IS MENTAL FITNESS??  Mental fitness is the capacity to respond to life’s challenges with a positive rather than a negative mindset. We all have a negativity bias to survive and those negative voices in our head tell us “I’m not good enough, I’m an imposter, what if I’m wrong, I will fail, or what will people think?” Sound familiar?Research shows that only 20% of people hit peak mental performance. The question is, how can we be part of the 20%? Many of us have intentions for the best, and yet time, knowledge, accountability, and/or motivation hold us back especially when we don’t build lasting habits. Many of us are ruled by our "saboteurs", especially since the pandemic impacted many of us by living in a constant state of fear. What if there was a way to enjoy success while experiencing positive emotions such as empathy, curiosity, creativity, passion, and purpose? Well, the good news is, that you can, by learning how to access your inner Sage!  Build your emotional intelligence by learning about Positive Intelligence, a powerful framework based on factor analysis and grounded in neuroscience, to shift you from your Saboteur to your Sage by building your mental muscle fitness.   Click Here to learn more about the Positive Intelligence Workshop. GET 10% OFF - Scroll down and click on "Register" Add the word "CONNECT" in the "Message" field.   Watch Michael McGinnis' LiveStream Here - episode will automatically play at designated time in "Watch" window

We have made the choice to grow, to realize our full potential, and to make the most out of this life. Our journey began in the Personal Growth stage, where we focused on identifying and rectifying unhealthy behaviors, beliefs, perceptions, and attitudes that led to negative consequences and patterns of pain and suffering. Using various tools, we have worked to develop our self-esteem, confidence, and self-worth by creating new, healthy beliefs that drive positive behaviors and result in more favorable outcomes (ABC Model). As a result, we begin to appreciate the person we see in the mirror.   We then consider who we want to be as we continue to grow. By developing greater levels of self-awareness, we can keep our behaviors and thoughts in check, allowing us to stand productively on our own and experience increased contentment and happiness. Recognizing the need for continual growth, we work on developing the beliefs, values, perceptions, and attitudes necessary to become who we want to be. This often involves taking leaps of faith as we undergo our personal metamorphosis. With newfound courage and beliefs, we take new risks and make significant strides forward.   We feel elated to be on the path of personal growth, self-discovery, and possibly enlightenment. The key to maintaining this momentum is to continue moving forward and committing to never going back. This podcast draws on the wisdom of Dr. Wayne Dyer and his teachings on "How to Move Forward and Let Go." We will review and discuss nine essential steps to inspire your growth and ignite your potential. Each step is profound and crucial to mastering your growth and achieving your full potential.   Watch Michael McGinnis' LiveStream Here - episode will automatically play at designated time in "Watch" window

One of the core tenets for developing your life mastery is, “In order to master life, we must learn how to master change”. Growth requires change, otherwise we remain stagnant. And change, particularly when it comes to changing ourselves, is difficult. Part of mastering change is learning how to take leaps of faith as we leave what we have known, our prior self, and venture into the new and unknown as we pursue our dreams and become our full potential. Taking a leap of faith requires that we develop a new level of courage to be more comfortable with taking risks, and a belief in ourselves and often some form of greater aspect of life.   Let’s look at what is often necessary to make major changes in our life. Remember, growth is all about changing our behaviors. This is not easy to do. To change our behavior, we must learn how to overcome our fears. People often choose to stay the way they are, even though they are not happy, because this is what they are comfortable with, and it avoids their fear of the unknown and change. As the image shown here portrays, we begin with a vision of what we want to be. This provides us with a goal, a target to aim for.   As we identify the needed changes, we must develop new levels of courage and a belief that supports making the needed changes. These are necessary since we must take risks as we develop new behaviors that are uncomfortable at first. And then armed with these elements we find that inspiration to make the leap of faith.   Watch Michael McGinnis' LiveStream Here - episode will automatically play at designated time in "Watch" window    Click Here for PDF file of images related to this podcast

For this episode I am deviating from my step-by-step episodes for those seeking to overcome their personal challenges that are holding them back from achieving greater levels of love, joy, happiness, and achieving their full potential. This is due to several comments and concerns related to the current state and future of life here on earth and the impact that this has had on our hope. This is also a favorite topic of mine based on extensive research on the studies of human potential and the future of humanity. Hence today’s topic, Hope for Humanity? Is it all Doom and Gloom? No Way, And I Can Prove It!! Amid today's tumultuous events and the relentless barrage of troubling news and seemingly insurmountable challenges, it's understandable why so many may feel apathetic, disillusioned, overwhelmed, concerned, sad, angry, depressed, and scared. Finding motivation to grow personally and spiritually in these times can be difficult, we resort to apathy, survival, and a victim mindset. But for some, people like you and me, we make a conscious choice to rise to the occasion, to be part of the solution, not to further exacerbate the issues. We are at such a time in our continued evolution of humanity. Many of you may feel a calling within, being called to be a “spiritual warrior,” “point of light”, “healer”, “leader” or other role, along with a semblance of purpose related to the continued awakening of humanity.   We are at an amazing point in time, a genesis, for humanity to ignite and evolve to higher levels of self-esteem & image, self-awareness, understanding, collaboration, resilience, and consciousness. The worlds of science, religion, philosophy, and spirituality are beginning to sing from the same hymnal. This collective growth, combined with our innate capacity for creation, will propel us forward, enabling us to surmount challenges and forge paths toward coexistence marked by elevated levels of peace, love, and joy, accessible to all. A great opportunity to transform your fears into hope, and your energy into taking part in this amazing time of our human evolution!

It’s about you, developing your Human Potential. It’s about a choice to make the most out of this life by becoming our full potential. It’s about Mastering Your Life by learning how to Master your Personal Growth. Prepare yourself for an enlightening journey as we explore the stages of growth—personal growth, self-discovery, and enlightenment—equipped with invaluable tools, resources, and candid conversation to “Ignite a New Meaning & Purpose in Life & Beyond.” Get ready to embark on a transformative exploration that promises to redefine your existence and unlock untapped potential and creativity marked by waking up every day with meaning, purpose, love, and joy.   Today's episode focuses on a powerful tool to change our unhealthy beliefs into positive and healthy beliefs. Remember, it is our beliefs that drive our behaviors that result in what we experience in life. What is crucial to understand is how to develop the most powerful affirmation statements along with how to use them. Our guest will discuss using Release Statements for changing our beliefs.    Watch Michael McGinnis' LiveStream Here - episode will automatically play at designated time in "Watch" window    Click Here for PDF file of images related to this podcast

Let's Get To Work - Conquering Our Personal Challenges To Become Our Full Potential. To Wake Up Each Day with Meaning, Purpose, Love & Joy!!   We begin with Personal Growth, where we dive into the heart of addressing our individual challenges and gaps that hinder our progress towards realizing our full potential. These challenges, left unattended, will only serve to impede our ability to experience success, happiness, and fulfillment in YOUR life. So the natural question is, where do we begin? Once we identify and prioritize our trials and tribulations, we'll introduce two simple yet powerful tools to serve as your starting point on this transformative Personal Growth journey. Roll up your sleeves, get your notepad ready, here we go!   Click Here for pdf file with images for tools reviewed   Click Here to Watch U Can Do It Podcast

There are those who have made major strides to develop their Human Potential. They serve as inspiration and role models for others seeking to Ignite Their Own Potential and on the path of Personal Growth, Self-Discovery, and Enlightenment. Such is the case with our guest, Tonia Johnson. Grab a refreshing drink, settle in, and listen to an open, authentic, and candid conversation as we reveal what the journey was like, the obstacles we experienced, and how a Victor vs. a victim mindset can lead to major changes in the pursuit of becoming our full potential in this life. If Tonia Can Do It, U Can Do It Too!!!!! Thanks for tuning in. This is our gift to help you make the most out of the most amazing journey you will take, YOUR LIFE!! Tonia & Michael   Watch Michael McGinnis' LiveStream Here

It’s about you, developing your Human Potential. It’s about a choice to make the most out of this life by becoming our full potential. It’s about Mastering Your Life by learning how to Master your Personal Growth. Prepare yourself for an enlightening journey as we explore the stages of growth—personal growth, self-discovery, and enlightenment—equipped with invaluable tools, resources, and candid conversation to “Ignite a New Meaning & Purpose in Life & Beyond.” Get ready to embark on a transformative exploration that promises to redefine your existence and unlock untapped potential and creativity marked by waking up every day with meaning, purpose, love, and joy.   Watch Michael McGinnis' LiveStream Here