True independence — especially when it comes to your retirement years — isn’t something that happens overnight. It’s built gradually, shaped by experience, intention, and a steady commitment to your future. The good news? Creating long-term security is absolutely within reach. With the right mindset and a few smart strategies, you can move forward with confidence and truly live life on your own terms.
Own a Reliable Vehicle
Relying on a broken vehicle is the opposite of reliable independence. When you are faced with transporting yourself in a vehicle that has left you stranded in the past and has become cost-prohibitive to maintain, you need to do something about it.
Take action and move the needle toward greater independence by investing in a car that will take care of you. A trustworthy vehicle will keep you safe and get you where you need to go on time, and in style. That last part is a bonus. No more calling friends and family for favors or using a rideshare. You can take care of yourself, thank you very much.
Know Your Finances
You have likely heard it told many times over, and know people who have experienced this themselves – in a marriage or long-term partnership, one person handles all the finances, knows where the accounts, usernames, and passwords are located. And, the other person is blissfully unaware of the financial goings-on. This arrangement tends to work quite well until it no longer does. This usually happens when the partner taking care of the couple’s money passes away, leaving the living other partner in a grieving state, struggling to figure out what payments are due and how much money they have left.
You can avoid this potential pitfall by becoming involved in your finances right now. You can certainly continue to have one partner take charge of the money, if you like, but you need to understand your situation and maintain an active and working knowledge of every account and know how to access them.
Here are the key things to learn, ask about, and then know for yourself:
- Obtain a complete list of all bank, investment, and credit card accounts.
- Create your own accounts and log-ons, even if your partner has them. Some accounts are shut down immediately after a death is made public notice, and you will not have access to a shared login at that point.
- It is helpful to know each other’s user names and account passwords, just in case.
- Understand payment and autopay schedules.
- Know how to access all financial information.
- Know where financial information is kept. Some usual locations are home safes, personal computers, and filing systems. Know the passwords and where the keys are for these locations.
- Know the location of your essential documents, such as your and your partner’s wills and health directives. (More on that below.)
Create Essential Documents
Another form of creating independence throughout your life is by taking the time to prepare and create your essential documents. This may not seem like a beneficial endeavor that will have a significant impact on your life, but it most certainly does. In fact, your potential independence depends on whether you properly execute these documents.
To illustrate, if you have an accident or fall ill and are on life support without the possibility of living a full life once again, the decision to keep you alive with the aid of technology or not falls to whomever the state dictates or is determined by the laws of the state. That is, unless you have a current and easily accessible document that clearly states your wishes.
Have the hard conversations with your partner, allied friends, and family members so everyone understands your end-of-life wishes. Meet with a qualified attorney to have the necessary paperwork drafted and notarized. Once you are finished, ensure you keep the documents in a secure location that your Power of Attorney has access to.
Here are some essential documents you should consider setting up:
- Living Will
- Last Will and Testament
- General Power of Attorney
- Financial Power of Attorney
- Healthcare Proxy
- Life Insurance Policy
Maintain Your Health
One of the true markers of independence is your health. This includes your brain, body, and emotional health. If you have ever been laid up due to an accident or a prolonged illness, then you know the type of reliance you have on others to handle even the most basic tasks of daily living.
While things can, do, and will happen that are completely beyond your control, you can still do everything in your power to maintain your health so you can live life on your terms and in the independent manner in which you are accustomed.
Here are the key points to pay attention to as you age:
- Focus on eating well every day to ensure you are fueling your body with the proper nutrients to feel good and live well. Follow your healthcare provider’s advice regarding dietary intake. Indulge at times, because good food is wonderful, but do your best to make good choices in what you choose to eat.
- Hydration is very important throughout life. Water helps move food through your body and lubricates your joints. It plumps up your cells and generally makes you feel better. Drinking enough fluids is attributed to better brain health and a reduced cognitive fog or confusion.
- Your mental health requires just as much attention as the rest of your body and the same frequency of care. Whether you would like a check-in with your mental health provider to talk through life without an emergent concern on the horizon, or you need more intensive therapy, there are plenty of mental health professionals available to provide counseling and support when you need it.
- Getting enough quality sleep every night is linked to living a healthier life, which, in turn, lends itself to greater independence throughout your life. Focus on getting a good night’s rest to help your body repair itself overnight and maintain your cognitive function.
While there are many other factors that positively contribute to an independent lifestyle, these are some good areas of your life to focus on first. Live the life you want by making decisions that will help you do just that.