For many of us the thought of retirement is the last thing on our mind as we balance today — work, family, children, family activities etc. However, for people in the retirement corridor and planning to transition within the next 5-10 years, it’s top of mind. In fact, you can’t get it out of your mind. Retirement may be one of the longest phases in your life and you may have a lot of fear, pent up anxiety and uncertainly about it.

You are probably wondering if you will have enough money to retire or will you have to continue working. Our work life may be extended not because we want to; because we have to. For others, the thought of giving up a professional career is daunting as our identity is tied to our professional work. It’s who we are or have become. Sadly, this is a uni-dimensional lens with which we see ourselves. A happy and healthy life is balanced and reflects simply good living, a close network of friends and family, healthy relationships, and being connected to our community. Retirement is a term used to convey retiring from work and not retiring from living. There are some cultures who don’t retire and they continue working because retirement is the equivalent to counting down the days until death. Ouch! If you are feeling uncertain about your retirement, seek professional financial advice for enhanced peace of mind.

The challenge for each and every one of us is finding the optimal balance between living our best life today and planning for our future retirement. And most of us don’t feel our age. Besides, who can look so far ahead because all we have is today, tomorrow may be a bit fuzzy. So how do you solve this problem? The answer is simple. Regardless of your life stage, you must plan for a long life, save and invest your money for the future.

What we know for sure is people who have more money tend to live longer lives because they are able to afford better nutrition, have less anxiety, more time for family and friends – all things that contribute to a happy & content life.

Here are 4 tips to help you live a healthy and balanced life:

1. Live in the moment. There is nothing more powerful then being present and living a joyful existence today. Take stock of everything that is good in your life. If you don’t like your job, home, or circle of friends etc., make a plan to change your situation. Don’t keep waiting for something better, it won’t happen unless you take charge. Set new goals today.
2. Define your goals. Prioritize your goals and hone in on the ones that have the biggest payoff. Having a clear sense or direction in life is essential to enhancing your peace of mind. Enjoy and celebrate the journey.
3. Think long term. We live in a culture of conspicuous consumption and instant gratification. We buy stuff or things we really don’t need but may give us some fleeting satisfaction or happiness. Spending our money today, without some thought about the needs or goals of tomorrow is short term thinking. Retirement may be way off in the future, but retirement is a goal. It is hard to see your future self but your future self will thank you if you take a long term view of your life and personal finances. Embrace the fact that one day you will retire from work and will be grateful you took stock of your life today.
4. Engage in mindful decision making. Each time you reach into your wallet to spend, think twice about how you are spending your money. Check in with yourself to make sure you are spending your money on goal-related pursuits that give you joy, such as life experiences. You may watch your spending patterns changes as you begin to make trade-offs on how you spend your money.

It’s a challenge to think about retirement when living our best life today matters. But all of us will retire from working life one day, and will need to have a retirement nest egg to achieve our lifestyle goals. In the meantime, enjoy today and try not to lose sight of tomorrow. It’s that simple. Really.