Author Archive

View from my hot tub

I’ve made it a custom over the years to spend a week in Costa Rica every winter.  I was just reminded of this tonight as I snuck outside in the dark to take a late night dip in our hot tub.  It was 8 degrees and the steam was rising into the night sky and crystalizing under the full moon and Orion was fully present.  I love the constellation of Orion and only see it in the dead of winter.  During the summer it’s not visible.

When I am in Costa Rica, although we are just 600 miles from the equator, the night sky is not that different. I love lying out at the pool on the top of the mountain at Rancho Armadillo around 10 pm and looking at the night sky.  I am a real Astrology buff even though I only took one class in college. Our host at Rancho Armadillo, Rick, graciously brings out his telescope and give us all a tour of the night sky which is so clear high on the mountain, that you can actually see a star nebula in Orion’s belt with just binoculars!

I am sharing these thoughts with you because it’s so important to slow down and take the time to look at nature, take a vacation to a place where you can really slow down and recharge.  This is one reason my husband and I purchased a house on the lake.  We feel like we are on vacation year around…even in the winter, we are out on the lake every morning and every evening in our hot tub. 

Creating your millionaire lifestyle is all about planning, getting real clear about what it is that brings you true pleasure and true joy and then taking the steps necessary to make it happen.  In the next few weeks, I will be sharing the steps that I took to create my perfect life with tips and resources that you can implement yourself. 

It really just takes small changes to make huge differences in your life.  Creating your vision is number one.  I just created a new vision board this week with a picture of the healing retreat my daughter and I will be opening up in the Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica on or before December 2015.  It’s our joint goal.  I have placed it where I can see it every day and keep my energy focused on this dream.  I know the perfect opportunities will just fall into place to make this dream a reality.  I will keep you updated as the miracles begin to happen!

What is your dream?  What are you doing to make it happen?  What is the one thing that scares you to death — yet would bring you the most joy?  How can I support you?

About the author:  Katana Abbott, is a Certified Financial Planner and The Midlife Millionaire Coach and teaches women ages 43-60 how to have financial freedom while following and fulfilling their life purpose.  Email her at katana@midlifemillionaire.com to learn about her next women’s retreat to Costa Rica this spring (limited to just 12 women).

Recent two week trip to Brazil

I have decided to put myself on the top of this list.

  This is an idea I received from a dear friend, who now is battling breast cancer for the second time.  How many of us continue to put everyone’s needs before our own only to remain frustrated and ofter exhausted that our own needs are not being met?

I am challenging everyone who reads this blog to join me in a “Self Care Experiment” for the next 60 days by putting yourself on the top of the list and creating a “self care routine”.  I have read lots of books on this topic, taken programs, purchased planners.  It seems like I start out enthusiastic, with the best intentions, and then life happens, and sooner or later, I end up at the bottom of the list again.  What about you?

There are three parts to this exercise. 

1. First of all take out a pen and paper, and list out all the things in your life that you are currently tolerating, that are simply unacceptable.  Then prioritize the list and just pick the one thing that would make the biggest difference in your life and start there.  We will come back to that list later, so don’t throw it away.  I am launching a new program in 2010, so stay tuned for details soon.
2. Now take action on that one item and start by putting that one thing on the top of your list and give it the highest priority every day by scheduling time in your planner to do this one item.  Plan everything else around this item. 
3. Next you are going to tell others (family, assistant, friends) that you are doing this one thing and ask them to hold you accountable and to support you.  Let them know how important this is for you.  Also, tell us what this one thing is and how you are going to make it work.

For me, this one thing is going to my Better Backs yoga class every single day.  The class is only 10 minutes away, and I can go attend at 8:45 or 11 am every morning, seven days a week.  So far, I have kept my promise to myself for the last three days.  It takes 30 days to create a habit, and I hope by going every day for the next 30 days, it will become a habit and a part of my daily routine, just like cleaning my teeth.

I believe that going to yoga will have the biggest impact on me because of the high level of stress I have in my life right now.  Besides running a business, and a household with two teenage girls, four cats, and two dogs, I have been caring for my mom with Dementia.  This week, my mom was put into Hospice so my yoga class has helped me focus on my breathing and remain more relaxed and focused.

Besides the reduced stress level, I look forward to seeing the physical changes in my body since I am going to Costa Rica in March.  I have another century to live, and I want to be in the best shape possible physically, mentally and spiritually.  I will be posting regularly to hold myself accountable. 

Today is my third day of going to my yoga class and I am so excited about how I am feeling.  I don’t see it as a chore, but as a pleasure…that’s why I am doing it every day.  When asked how he finds time to meditate every day Michael Beckwith says that his life revolves around his meditation.   

If you would like to join me in the “Self Care Experiment”, tell me what you are committed to.  The first step in any journey is the most difficult.  If you run into roadblocks, share them with me here, and I will help you work out solutions.

As 2009 comes to end, I find myself letting the year go with a sigh of relief.  Almost everyone I talk to has said this has been one of the most difficult years not just financially, but also emotionally.  What about you?

Let’s take a moment right now before we get swept into the flurry of parties, events, shoppping and festivities to make sure we start out 2010 on the right track.  Here are my top 5 financial planning tips.  I suggest that you get out your planner and schedule time for yourself to implement these…and here they are:

1)  Meet with your financial planner and or CPA to review your investments for any year tax planning opportunities.    If you own stocks or mutual funds, you and your advisor can determine if it’s appropriate to generate tax losses by selling specific securities to offset year end capital gains.  Even if you would like to continue to own a security long term, your advisor may recommend selling the security to offset taxible gains and then purchase that same security back after 30 days.

2)  Reveiw your asset allocation percentages for the appropriate mix of stocks, bonds, cash, commodities and real estate.   We all are aware of the importance of proper “asset allocation” to reduce risk in your portfolio.  Well now is is also the perfect time to also ask your financial advisor to run an asset allocation analysis to review the performance of your portfolio, (the risk you are taking vs. the return you have received) and to see if your portfolio is in line with your future goals and values. 

When I was with Ameriprise Financial, my partner and I would run an analysis using Morningstar software which gave us and our clients very objective information so we could manage both risk and reward during our client meetings.

3)  Begin gathering and preparing all your importnat tax and financial documents that you will need for filing your taxes in 2010.   Create a file that you can begin to place copies of all your year end donations as well as all the year end financial and tax statement that will begin arriving in the mail very soon.  This way you won’t lose any deductions or need to spend time later looking for important tax information.

4)  Consider maximizing any contributions to your IRAs, Roth IRAs, SEP IRAs and other employer deferred savings plans before year end.  You want to do this for two reasons:  first, contributions will be deducted from your taxable income for 2009, plus you’ll want to save as much as possible towards your retirement goals. 

5)  Lastly, ask your financial or tax advisor if it would make sense for you to roll your traditional IRA into a Roth IRA.  Roby Sawyers, CPA, Ph.D., an accounting professor at North Carolina State University suggests, ”Put your retirement money in Roth IRAs and Roth 401(k) plans.  With the huge deficits facing the country, it is hard to see how tax rates are going to do anything but increase in the future.”  Contributions to Roth IRAs are not deductible and grow tax free.

There is a second reason to take another look at the Roth IRA.  In the past, many individuals were unable to roll their IRAs to a Roth IRA because of income restrictions (they earn too much income), but in 2010, that all changing.   Be sure to sign up for my updates as I continue to share smart financial, business and life planning tips with you every few days.

Although this is a challenging economy, with the right plan you can make it work for you! 

Ask your questions right here, and I will be sure to answer them for you!  Remember, I am Certified Financial Planner with over 20 years experience helping people live with Purpose, Passion and Proserity!

Ladies, it’s time to put ourselves on the list.  With everyone pulling us in every direction and all wanting a part of us, it’s so easy to keep moving our own needs down to the bottom of the list, but let’s think again.   

Recent Trip to Brazil

A few years ago, I was told that I needed both knees replaced.  The doctors wouldn’t do the surgery until I was older (after 50) and quite frankly, I am putting it off as long as possible.  In fact, I hope to avoid it.  I tend to be a workaholic, because I love what I do.  The problem I run into, is that I can put self care on the back burner and that’s probably part of the knee problem.  

When I turned 50, I realize that unless I take action now, having lots of money and poor health is a terrible scenario.  Besides, my husband is five years younger than I am and when he retires, we have plans for lots of travel and golf. 

Over the last two months, I have implented three new smart choices in my life and I’d like to share them with you.  My goal is to lose weight, feel more focused and calm today…and then ensure a more vibrant lifestyle later in my life with Mark.

• I joined a yoga class and am attending classes about three times a week.  I notice that I feel much calmer, more focused and feel lighter on my feet.
• I have created a bedtime ritual(inspired by Contributing Expert, Marci Shimoff’s 10:30 Angel Train) where I journal before bed to clear my mind, listen to music, read and stay away from the TV and computer after 9 pm at night.  I am sleeping so much better and waking up a lot earlier.
• I am drinking lots of filtered water with lemon during the day.  Here is the formula for how much water you should drink:  weight divided by two and add a zero.  TIP:  If you weigh 150#, then you want to drink 70 oz of water daily!  Many times when we feel hungry, it could just be dehydration. 

When we get ready to retire some day, having all the money in the world won’t mean a thing if we don’t have our health, right?  By taking these three simple actions, I find I am more affective at work, and happier and more active at home with my family at night.  Plus the yoga class is amazing…my goal is to go five times week. 

What steps are you taking today to live happy, wealthy and healthy?  I’d like to know!  Thanks!

As you may know, I was in Brazil for the last three weeks on an education retreat.  It was a wonderful experience and I have created new friends from all over the world:  Dubai, Hamburg, Belgium, Sweden.  It was amazing to me how many of these individuals were heading off to more time off trekking in other parts of South America for another 30 days or so.  We Americans really don’t take enough time off.  Do you know that it is mandatory to take time off regularly in many European countries?  Their employees are encouraged to talk multiple weeks off at a time too.

All I can say is that it was wonderful having time off for almost 3 weeks in August.  How many of us never make time for ourselves to really rest and rejuvenate?

What did I learn in Brazil?

I really learned how to relax and to be a person…to really have conversations on non work related topics, to sit an contemplate nature for hours at a time, to eat three sit-down meals with stimulating conversations, to eat really healthy and take long, long walks in the woods, beaches and quaint, resort fishing towns.  Today, before starting my day, I am going for a long bike ride where I can be in nature and get the blood flowing to my brain.  My goal is to stay in the state of rejuvenation.  I will also be joining a yoga class two mornings a week.  What simple actions can you take to create more balance and joy in your life?

Update on our event:

I returned home with just one day to prepare for a fundraiser for the HAVEN.  It was interesting; I just trusted my team and my husband to make sure everything would work out perfect, and guess what…it did!

Last Saturday at 5 pm, our home began to fill up with wonderful supporters.  As our guests entered our home, they were welcomed by the sound of soft live jazz with DSO trumpet, Bill Lucas and some of the top jazz players in the country.

Thanks to Jill Jordan and Barb Kopacs we had a very successful silent auction.  I had decided to cater myself, and between my husband’s awesome shopping, some generous food and wine donations and our terrific kitchen staff, not only did we have a wonderful concert on the lake, but we were able to raise some nice funds for both HAVEN and our foundation—The Smart Women’s Empowerment Program.

In addition, we are giving $1000 in cash to the HAVEN, plus awarding four women who have come through HAVEN a $1,500 scholarship each along with the support of a personal mentor/coach.  Next week, we will announce the four mentor/coaches who have volunteered for this wonderful project.

Take Time to Dance! By the way last night, just as the sun was setting, my husband, Mark and I  were picking up the yard from the event while listening to Bill Lucas’ promo CD with some of the   music from Saturday’s concert.  It was so beautiful, that we decided to take just one more dance as   the sunset.  Remember…take some time to enjoy the music!  Life is too short and it’s meant to be enjoyed and savored!

Thank you to all who supported us!  Again, we want to thank our sponsors Bill Fox Chevrolet, Fleming’s Steak House and the Seed Foundation for their generous support as well as our support team; Agatha Wolkowicz and Megan Russett who helped make the event happen.  If you are interested in learning more about supporting Smart Women’s Empowerment or the HAVEN, please feel free to email me at katana@smartwomenscoaching.com

Ever worry about losing your luggage when travelling abroad? Well, part of planning your trip should include these few simple tips:

Pack enough basics in a carry on — so you can survive just in case your main baggage doesn’t arrive.

Purchase baggage delay insurance — I suggest American Express so you can spend $500 on necessities until your luggage arrives.

Keep an inventory of what you originally packed in your main luggage.

Update to my trip to Brazil:

It’s day 10 and my luggage still has not arrived.  In fact, Delta has no idea where it is, so I have asked them to send it to my home when they do find it.

The night before I left for Brazil, I purchased Baggage Delay insursurnce with my American Express Platiunum Card.  This was reassuring, because as soon as I arrived and found that my suitcase was missing, I stopped in town on the way to my Pousada (bed and breakfast) and purchased several clothing and personal items that I needed for my trip.  I made a quick trip to the local mall and picked up jeans, walking shoes, socks, toiletries, sweaters, etc. 

My next task will be to file a claim with Delta, and then American Express to be reimbursed for the items in my main suitcase.

Due to smart packing and planning for the unexpected, my vaction is turning out wonderful! 

Could you still enjoy yourself if your luggage never arrived for your three week vacation?  Visit me in our new online community and create your free profile at www.smartwomenscafe.com   or email me at katana@smartwomenscafe.com

I am taking a much needed vacation for almost three weeks in Florianopolis, Brazil! It’s a gorgeous island near Rio De Jeniero. I had no idea how gorgeouos this place is. Watch for my videos and photos, that I will be posting in our new free community at the Smart Women’s Cafe and create your free member profile so you can connect and access all our free resources. I love Latin America and have been to Costa Rica five times, although, I have never been to Brazil. Let me tell you it’s absolutely a paradise here!

In planning for my trip to Brazil this month, I made sure that my airline ticket included both trip delay insurance, as well as baggage delay insurance. When travelling outside the country, it’s extremely important to plan ahead and pay the fee for the extra insurance.

Originally, my trip was scheduled for July. I had to reschedule my trip because my daughter became ill. The trip delay insurance I purchased, allowed me to reschedule my trip several weeks later. When I went to rebook the ticket for August, I found out it would cost me an additional $1400 because the tickets had increased in price above the $250 exchange fee! I ended up going a day earlier so it was just $950 more. The insurance company is reimbursing me up to 100% of the original ticket price which was $958 via Hotwire.com.

It’s funny, we all hate to pay for insurance premiums, but in this case, it was a blessing! Watch for my next post to hear about the rest of my trip to Brazil!

Do you have a good travel insurance story?

I just finished the book called, “How to Retire Happy, Wild and Free.” In this book, Zelinski suggests retiring as soon as possible while you are still young and healthy and then finding ways to enjoy your retirement more by discovering your life purpose, pursuing hobbies and enriching your life. If you do work part-time in retirement, he suggests doing something that you love regardless of the pay.

While his book is focused on how to enjoy your retirement more, I have been inspired to use some of his suggestions for women in midlife who are still working but feel that they are really ready to write that next chapter of their lives. I have found that often when a woman has reached 40-50, if she has not found something that she is passionate about in her career; it begins to affect her entire life. Imagine what it would be like if you could create the ideal life of your dreams working at something that you love.

Ask yourself these questions:

• Are you crazy about your job?
• Do you wake up excited every day — passionate about your life?
• If money and time were no issue, would you still be doing what you are doing?

If you answered “no” to any of these questions, you may be ready for a major change. Zelinski states, “A few individuals are lucky enough to have had their career work and some passionate pursuit be one and the same. Thus, they can continue happily working part-time in their field well past retirement, without having to discover their true calling. Unfortunately, this is not true for most of us.”

Whether you are looking to retire early, change careers, start your own business or just want to make your life more interesting, consider doing some soul searching or assessments to discover your true passion in life.

There was a point in my life when I was working in a regular job, working 60 hours a week, day after day doing the same thing over and over. I hated it. I used to wake up and look at my husband and say, “Gotta make the donuts.” I cannot imagine living that way again.

How many of these statements reflect the way you feel right now about your work?

• I hate going to work and cannot wait to retire
• I spend everything I make and refuse to look at my investment statements.
• I hardly ever take a vacation. When I do, it takes me a long time to relax.
• I have no hobbies or interests outside work.
• I have no time for exercise or taking care of myself.
• Most of my best friends are from work and I don’t even like them that much!
• Most of my social functions are work related.
• I am proud to be a workaholic even though I know I am not that productive
• When I am home, I am restless or exhausted and can’t even imagine starting a hobby.
• I have a book in me that I would love to write some day, but know that I will never have the time.

If your work is running your life, consider the idea of reinventing your life to one filled with passion–where you can wake up every morning excited to start the day! It is possible, but it will take some work on your part to make it happen. Two years ago, I too was stuck and finally made the Leap and Retired To Something that I was Passionate about and started the Smart Women’s Virtual Coaching Café.  It’s been an amazing experience and I have met so many amazing people from all over the world.  They are now all part of our community as Contributing Experts!

Life is too short to live without passion and purpose. I have seen too many individuals work right up to 60 or 65 only to discover that their health is gone and with it–their dreams. One of my neighbors had been working overtime, six days a week, to maximize his pension. He was going to retire at 60 only he never made it—he died of a heart attack while driving home from work. He and his wife had a financial plan and she will be fine financially, but what good is a bunch of money if your dreams are crushed? Could he have retired 10 years earlier; could he have found something else to do for the last 10 years that was good for his health — that he loved doing and perhaps could do for the next 20 years if he chose? I believe the answer is “yes”.

Since it is very difficult to spend your last nickel with your last breath, it’s important to have a plan. I love the idea of retiring as soon as possible to pursue your passion and even earning an income from this passion! I have discovered this secret for myself and am in the process of creating multiple streams of passive income. In fact, I am teaching these principles for free to our Café members in my monthly Chat with Kat coaching call, as well as our Idea Lab entrepreneurial Think Tank and Joint Venture call.  It’s really amazing to be able to make a difference this way!

Begin to envision your ideal life…what would you do for free…what gets you excited and how would you like to spend the rest of your life? You are invited to experience two weeks free membership in the Smart Women’s Coaching Café where you will have a chance to learn, explore, grow and connect with some amazing people.  There is free, monthly, live coaching, resources, support and you even receive an audio CD by the De-Stress Diva and $875 in wonderful gifts when you take the trial membership!

We hope you join us in the Café!

~ With Gratitude,

Katana