The beginning of a new year is the traditional time to gaze into that proverbial crystal ball and make your New Years resolutions. And hey, this time you are really going to keep them, right? No question about that. And in 2008, you really will stop your ten-year spending spree. Good for you! If the US economy collapses as a result, there's always Aunt Gertrude in Germany who will take you in.

What is so hard about retirement? Many people have asked themselves this question. Well, if it is so easy, then why are 41% of retirees five years out depressed and say retirement was the most difficult transition of their life? Now they are unhappy and tell us their life was better when they were working!

You can avoid this fate. To learn how, you need to understand the difficulties associated with this transition, beginning with why there are so many negative psychological associations with the whole concept of "retirement" which you may not consciously understand.

Before you retired, remember how you dreamed about what your life would be like after you stopped working? All the places you would go? All the things you would do with all your new-found extra time? How wonderful life was going to be? How long ago was that?

Now here you are, months or years later. Your life is not what you envisioned.

Why do we call "retirement" an art? After all, as many believe, you simply stop working. The answer is that, for many of us, this period of life is the first time we actually have the opportunity to create the life we want! There is no model for this period, no Uncle George or Aunt Josie to tell you which is the best school to go to or what is the best place to work with the best benefits.