Live for the day

I worked in media and was made redundant in March 2009, which was not entirely unexpected. Throughout those twenty years, every day I woke up thinking I love my job. I was working in a creative role – the job of a creative person is to be creative. That's the attitude I brought into retirement as well. I approach my retirement creatively, living every moment with flexibility and awareness of 'now'. I think it's very important to be prepared for things to change and to be ready to negotiate.

I always listen to people with knowledge. When Russell staff came in to our office to do training and seminars, I was always there to listen to the advisers and make my own intuitive judgement.

Yes, I've had some financial challenges. When I first retired I went overseas seven times in the first year – but soon realised I was spending a bit too much too quickly. I've also had some health challenges and it's made me realise that health is so important. I've come out of this past 12 months in a better state physically, mentally and emotionally than I've ever been. That's because in retirement you finally have time for yourself.

I have huge plans for the future because I want my life to get bigger and bigger as I get older, not smaller and closed in. It's dependent on financial freedom, absolutely – but financial freedom won't make your life bigger unless you have the right attitude. You can have all the money in the world and be a prisoner, or you can use finances to give you freedom of choice and freedom of movement. Those are the two things I identified when I was 26 years old as the most important things in my life. I still feel that way today.

I would have started salary sacrifice earlier in my career. And honestly, I didn't start my super fund until I was 45, after I had four children and went back into the workforce.

The triangle is inverting. We used to have a wide base of support with retired people at the top so there was always a pension, but now the point is at the bottom, and a small number of workers are trying to support a large group of people who are active and are going to live longer. I'm doing laps at Bondi Beach every morning and finishing up with chakrah exercises and standing on my head for five minutes. And I'm 68. That's who retirees are now.

One thing that's important is to make a decision about unpaid babysitting. You must have time for yourself…it's a big painful decision to have to say no at times to little grandchildren and children that you absolutely adore, but it's important to decide how much you can help. Maybe you can find another way to be a support, like supporting your own children by helping to pay for some childminding.

Well, their lives are not necessarily stable in work. Nothing is stable any more. For people who are coming up to the retirement or redundancy age, I think it's important to do some personal development – a course, read some books, anything that will lift their spirits and make them realise that they are responsible for their wellbeing. The bigger the challenge, the better the outcome with the right attitude.