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By Will Irwin
If you are reading this article, I assume you have already recognized the great benefits of retiring in the Philippines. Yet, when faced the decision to leave your home country, friends and comfort of your surroundings, it becomes quite difficult to make the move to this faraway tropical paradise of the Philippines. There are always the doomsayers and negative people ready to tell stop you in your tracks.
How do you overcome the fear and anxiety of such a move, and then make the decision to move forward?
It is a five step process:
1. START WHERE YOU ARE
As with so many important decisions in life, you tend to want to have all the answers and all the information before making the decision. You want the planets all to be lined up in a perfect orbit. You want all your "ducks to be in a row", such that the correct decision is always easy and correct. Life simply doesn't work that way, and if you have been waiting for it to work that way, you probably are a person who has always had a problem making decisions.
Most people get the decision process all backwards. They try to figure everything out before they make the decision. No, you make the decision and then figure it all out. There is something magical about once you decide - all your passion and energy then gets on board to figure out how to get it done. Well, No decision IS a decision - a decision to do nothing.
So simply start where you are, with what information you have, and make a decision to move forward. Make the decision that you are going to retire overseas, and then go about getting information to support your decision. Along this journey, you may find that you need to alter your decision. That is all part of the process, but none of it begins unless you make a decision to move forward, starting exactly where you are - with all your baggage, problems, age, current income level, cash resources, or any other unfavorable circumstances. Simply START.
2. GET A PLAN OF ACTION
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All journeys start with a road map, of sorts, of how to get where you want to go. Today, we commonly leave that up to a GPS device when travelling by car. Recognize, however, that purchasing a GPS represents "getting a plan of action". The GPS provides you the plan of action. When putting together a plan of action to retire overseas, it is imperative that Developing the plan of action is where you start to dig into facts and figures and do your in depth research. This is where you plan out a investigatory trip or two of the country you have put on your "short list" Plan out your source of retirement income - how much will be needed, what is the cost of living in the country, how will you handle any health considerations, and any personal entanglements such as a pending divorce or separation, dependent children still in school, a pending bankruptcy, or perhaps an existing job contractual agreement.
3. ESTABLISH A TARGET COMPLETION DATE
All decisions, backed up by a plan of action, require a completion date to keep them moving forward. Once you start down the road after making the decision, it is important to keep the momentum going. It is all too easy to procrastinate, to tell yourself "someday". Well someday is today - not tomorrow. Once you make a decision, it is critical to put a deadline date on it. Now I recognize that deadlines can change, as subsequent events and additional information unfold. Yet, a deadline creates a sense of urgency to get moving and keep moving on a day to day basis.
4. OVERCOME THE DOOMSAYERS
These dream stealers are everywhere in life, and they are dangerous. Stay as far away from them as you can! In many cases, these are people closest to you. They mean well, but they simply are not dreamers and probably have never accomplished anything significant in their life other than finishing school, getting married, getting a job and having children all their life. Fear can freeze you in your tracks. It takes courage to overcome fear of change and fear of the unknown. Retiring to an overseas country is really an act of "getting out of the box". It really requires getting out of your comfort zone. Yet, on the edge of your comfort zone is where all personal growth occurs. Don't let the lack of money be an excuse; simply make that an element of your plan of action as to which country you choose. Most importantly, let go of what I call your "sacred cow", that one thing you have always been unwilling to give up, yet when you look back you know it has always held you back from personal progress.
5. EXECUTE THE PLAN
Once the plan is all in place, the final act of the decision is to complete the decision by taking action to execute the plan. Here is where personal development to overcome your fear zone and keeping negative thinking doomsayers away from you is critical.
Do you want more in depth information about retirement living available to Expats in the Philippines? I have just completed my new book on "Retirement Living in the Philippines", which provides a comprehensive study of opportunities for fun, adventure, love and great friendships living in the Philippines. Download it at: http://www.retirementlivinginthephilippines.com Or, it is available for download at: http://www.howtobeahappyhusband.com
About the author: Will Irwin is a powerful entrepreneur and business and life coach. He has started many online and offline businesses both in the USA and in the Philippines, residing in both Hawaii and the Philippines. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Will_Irwin
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