When we’re thinking about making life changes, we need to be thinking about where we want to live.

We play a game at our place called ‘would you rather’. Would you rather live in an apartment in Auckland, a villa in Tuscany or a lifestyle block in Central Otago? Sometimes it’s accompanied by: would you rather own a fish and chip shop in Dargaville, a vet clinic in Taumarunui or a panelbeaters in Masterton? These options then get narrowed down by the various elements of our life that we would like to keep, change or start.

This game has helped us really refine what is important to us when we’re making a decision about what comes next.

As we age, our lifestyle changes – we may have children at university, grandchildren who need care, or flexible jobs that enable us to live anywhere. Do we want low maintenance, lifestyle, city, country, transport, a five-car garage or an electric bike charging station?

Three key things to consider when deciding where to live

  1. What suits you now may not suit you in 10 years’ time – be flexible! We age in stages. While some people ‘age in place’, many have a staged lifestyle change. You may be thinking of a lifestyle block, but be prepared to move back into town at some point, downsize your family home or move into a retirement village. Remember that nothing has to be forever; however, it is important to keep your options open when considering what’s next for you.
  2. Think about access to what you love. That might be your family (or not), friends, sports activities, theatre, the beach or medical care. It might mean you pick somewhere near a great mountain for skiing, or walking tracks if you’re a hiker.
  3. Think once, twice and then a third time before you buy more stuff! Sooner or later you’re going to need to sort and move that stuff – or your family will – so give some strong consideration to whether you really need it. While there are services out there to help with this process, it can be emotional and challenging if you have to do it in a hurry or when you are unwell.

If you’re interested in thinking about what’s next for you, get in touch and we can talk about how we can help you plan for your next chapter.

If you’re keen to start getting prepared for your ‘Last Chapter’, you might be interested in our ‘Last Chapter’ guide to all the things you need to prepare so your friends and family can easily carry out your last wishes – this is especially important if you’re a bit of a control freak!

Whatever you choose – make sure you have fun doing it!

All the best,
Elizabeth

Keen to know more?

Here are some ways we can work together:

  • Get in touch to book a 1:1 collaboration session where we can explore whether The Next Chapter programme can help you.
  • Connect with me at whatsnext@thenextchapter.nz to talk about booking a workshop for your organisation.
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