Can you teach an old dog new tricks? Are new tricks even necessary? Maybe the old repertoire is sufficient to bring happiness to a veteran dog. Consider these questions, all from men in the building trades:

QUESTIONS -

I've worked for contractors all my life. Now they say I'm too old. No one wants to hire me because, admittedly, I've slowed down some and can't carry roofing supplies up and down a ladder all day like I used to. But carpentry is all I've ever done. It's all I know. Have I really outlived my usefulness? - D.D., Miami, CA

The guy I worked for most of my career is retiring and moving out of state. He'll sell me his company, with all his contacts. But I don't know. I've never had to worry about the business end of the trade. What do you think I should do? L.K. Orlando, FL

I'm a plumber for a good-sized factory. I have steady work and good benefits. Some of my friends feel I could make more money on my own, especially now that I've reached my ceiling on the pay scale. But I've never had to worry about hustling jobs. What happens if I get up some morning and there's no work waiting for me? -A.A., Tampa, FL

ANSWERS -

Taking the plunge into self-employment can be a frightening experience. But anything that's rewarding is worth the effort. The secret is to prepare and carefully consider exactly what it is you want to accomplish. Do you want to work, or do you want to manage workers? If you really want to work for yourself and by yourself, you're probably further along the road to independence than you think.

When I first retired after many years of being a small-time, country preacher, I wanted to make something that I could point to at the end of the day. I had always loved carpentry, but it seemed that the only game in town involved apprenticing out or learning the ins and outs of the business by working for someone else. I had faith in my skills, but I didn't know how to begin.

My first job happened by accident. I built a porch for a neighbor. Someone saw my work and wanted a deck built around a new, above-ground swimming pool. Pretty soon I was doing a lot of small carpentry jobs for a local farmer. Then I met a man who became my partner. He lived right across the street and had the same interests I did.

Our first job was a renovation that no big contractor would touch. It wouldn't be cost-effective in that we couldn't get in and out quickly. We didn't care very much about our time, though, and were perfectly willing to go slowly. That led to similar jobs. We became known for tackling the kind of projects that required creative thinking. Old house renovations often call for leaving your square and level home. "Eyeballing" old renovations is often the only way to make things fit in with existing construction. We promised our clients that when we began a project we would stick with it until we finished - no matter how long it took. People appreciated that. We also made sure we were clean and neat and that people were completely satisfied before we moved on to the next job. We trusted them - they trusted us. We had found a niche market and soon had all the work we wanted with no worries about scheduling vacation times or managing office politics.

Could we have hired more people and expanded? Sure. But why? We were perfectly happy the way things were. As we used to say in New England, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!"

What's the point of this story? Modern methods of operation, in every field, often create niches where creative, experienced veterans can flourish while remaining relatively unencumbered with administration details. Is that particular skill that you've spent a lifetime developing really in demand, but you're too afraid of launching out on your own because you've always performed it in order to receive a paycheck from someone else who told you what to do, when to do it, and then profited from your work?

All three of today's questions relate to fear, not skill. When you've worked your whole life for someone else it's hard to think about being on your own. But stop and think for a minute. It's acquiring skill that's the hard part. No one will ever go hungry if they have a skill or talent that someone else needs. Marketing ability? That's what the Over60Exchange is all about. People skills? You can learn those, no matter how old you are. You probably already know how to please potential clients better than some young whippersnapper right out of trade school.

Satisfying work, done well into "retirement" age, consists of doing something that you love, and doing it well. That's a valuable commodity. It's worth good money. So are you.

The topic today involves retirement. Over the last thirty years I've counseled hundreds of people faced with the problems and opportunities that accompany achieving the symbolic age of 65. But times have changed. This isn't our parent's era anymore. The days of buying a house for $8,000, paying off the mortgage and selling it for $300,000 thirty years later are gone. Gone, too, are lifelong pension plans with full health coverage. There are those who believe Social Security may even be risky. People are scared. Take these questions, for instance:

QUESTIONS -

I turn 65 next year. My wife and I have a small nest egg, but still owe $35,000 on our mortgage. For years part of my pay was in company stock. Now that stock isn't worth much more than it was when I received it. Will we ever be able to retire? - G.H., Burlington, VT

For years my husband was the principle bread winner in the family. He died last year, after being retired for only a few months. I discovered, much to my chagrin, that no one wanted to hire me for any meaningful work. Our savings are not going to be enough to see me through, even with Social Security benefits. Maybe it's just pride, but I don't feel comfortable working with the kids at our local fast-food restaurant. What can I do? P.L.N., Fresno, CA

My factory just went bankrupt and closed their doors after I worked for them for twenty-seven years. I expected to retire with full benefits. Now they tell me I've lost everything and have to start over again. Because of pre-existing conditions, I can't afford health coverage. Where does a person turn for help? - V.T., Virginia City, VA

ANSWERS -

These people all have something in common. They expected the life-supporting systems they grew up with to continue forever. But retiring and moving to Florida or Arizona is a relatively new concept that may have already run its forty or fifty-year course. It only seems traditional to us because it's what most of us knew growing up.

When "age 65" and "retirement" became linked together, the average age of death was in the low seventies for men and high seventies for women. Retirement was seen as the reward of a few years of relaxation before the supposed inevitability of age worked its deadly course. Today, people regularly live well into their nineties. Back then, lifetime health care was available for a very reasonable amount of money. With today's expensive medical technologies, it's a different story. A few decades ago, the Baby Boom bulge was yet to be a Social Security concern. Business was booming and "Come Grow with Us" was a popular community slogan. Companies lived by an unspoken, but firmly understood, rule: "You remain loyal to us and we'll remain loyal to you."

Those days are gone. Say it out loud - forcefully. Right or wrong, fair or not, those days are gone! You simply have to accept it.

There are two ways of dealing with harsh reality. You can either whine and mope, or adapt and move on. It's a cruel truth - but a truth none the less. The person who pragmatically accepts that truth, physically and emotionally cuts his or her losses, and begins to make plans is the person who will best be equipped to thrive in the future.

The mistake all three of our sample questioners made is that they placed their future well-being in the hands of another person, a tradition, a way of life, a company, or some other outside agency. We all do it. Our culture almost forces that course of action upon us. It's nothing to be ashamed of. It's called trust, and trust is usually a good thing. Where would the world be without it? But it can turn into a trap if the person or institution we trusted lets us down. The question then becomes, is it too late to learn from our mistake and go forward with our lives? With feelings of unfairness and betrayal fresh in our minds, can we overcome those emotions, refrain from thinking of ourselves as victims, and go forward to a new future? Do we have options?

That's a question we'll take up in future ASK JIM segments. The answer might surprise you. Take heart. You have a lot more to offer than you realize!

Here at Over60Exchange we're soon going to offer an entire book devoted to this subject. We'll let you know as soon as it's ready for publication. Watch for it. Your best years could very well be ahead of you, no matter how old you are! Have faith!

Honestly, I'm scared. What I hear from the "experts" on television is that no one knows how bad times will get before they get better. Any ideas about how to weather the economic storm?

Many years ago I had a conversation with a Jewish woman whose father died in Germany during World War II. Her mother managed to survive long enough for liberation armies to rescue her from the Nazi death camps. This brave woman passed on a lesson to her daughter that was far more precious than gold. When asked about how she and others like her had been able to survive day by day, the wise woman told her daughter that her captors couldn't really take away her freedom. They could imprison her, make her work, deprive her of food and debase her in a hundred different ways. But, ultimately, once she accepted the injustice of it all, she had the freedom to decide how she could live within the limits they set for her. Her world had become four walls of cement block and barbed wire, but she still made choices. She could decide not to become bitter and resentful. She could lavish love on her fellow prisoners. She could make wishes on the first star she saw every night. She could dream big dreams. Even in her limited existence, she could re-invent herself.

I share this story not to suggest that what we are experiencing was even remotely like her situation. I just want to illustrate the absolute inevitability of human freedom. There is always something in life that we can decide to control ourselves, even if it's only the choice we make not to become bitter, not to become angry, or not to give in to despair. It may not seem like much freedom. But it is freedom.

Hang in there. Keep positive. Follow the re-invention rules you'll find on our home page. We'll get through this, and we'll be better than ever. The best is always yet to come!

In many ways, the recent economic downturn caught a lot of people by surprise. There are those who said we should have seen it coming. There are others who say they did see it coming. But, one way or another and whether or not it was expected, the severity of the collapse has affected us all. What have you done to help weather the storm? Share your thoughts and strategy with our readers. We need to talk to one another and stick together to get through this. Click on Ask Jim or write to me at jim@over60exchange.com. You're answer will be posted immediately!

Jim - What do you think about this bailout/rescue stuff?

Like you, I've been reading all the information I can get my hands on. I've been trying to absorb material from both the political right and left, remain as neutral as possible, talk to experts and watch all the TV pundits I can stomach. Bottom line? I don't know what the best course of action is from the Washington/political side. I see benefits and dangers in virtually every course of action. Historical "facts" and conventional "wisdom" can be summoned up to buttress every decision Washington makes.

But I do know one thing. Although none of us "little people" can change the world, we can change the way we live in it. There are a whole host of little things each and every one of us must do. We can conserve, spend less, protect what we have, find little ways to help each other, and make both personal and business decisions based on ethical and moral principles, rather than just improving our bottom line.

Don't sell any of this short! These kinds of choices give us a sense of empowerment and self-worth. They make us feel better about ourselves. They remind us that we do have power over how we choose to live our lives. Half the problem of this national malaise we find ourselves in is a feeling of powerlessness. Our worst enemy right now is petty blaming and finger pointing. It may feel good for a time and impress the folks down at the coffee shop, but it won't solve anything. Feeling sorry for yourself doesn't pay the mortgage.

There is an added advantage to doing the little, human things. Many little acts of kindness and conservation add up to big accomplishments. A few people behaving responsibly during a difficult time will set a mature example that can have repercussions far beyond a small individual sphere of influence.

Hang in there and practice the art of being human. Every crisis demands maturity and poise. We'll get through this!

Now let's hear your thoughts!

In today's volatile economic world it's more important than ever for seniors to stick together and encourage one another. How have you managed to reinvent yourself? What steps have you taken to prepare actively for the new world that is upon us? Tell us your story. Share your life-affirming tips with others. We want to hear from you! Write to me at jim@over60exchange.com We'll publish your story of encouragement.

Jim, you are absolutely correct! When I look back at my life and career, I see major turning points when I had to drop the old and embrace the new. Sometimes it was very difficult, especially on my family, but each time I came out better than I was before.

Here's another thing I learned. Each time I reinvented myself new opportunity doors opened to me. Even more amazing is the fact that these doors were there all along. I just did not see them until I changed my thinking and reinvented myself.

I hope people coming to the Over60Exchange understand the tremendous power being offered to them to make a positive change in their lives. In this period of great change, unrest and uncertainty, we are experiencing the greatest period of opportunities not seen since the industrial revolution. I am astounded at this fact and am overyoyed that I can participate in it.

You've talked about seniors "reinventing" themselves. What do you mean by that?

Let's break it down, word by word.

Seniors: People over the age of 60 have experienced more change than any generation of people who have ever lived upon the face of the earth. That's a bold statement, but it's true. There are people reading these words on their own personal computer who were alive to see their town's first automobile drive into town. They have seen the coming of plastic, bubblegum, Velcro, microwaves, moonwalks, space stations, multi-channel TVs, cell phones…the list just goes on and on. How do people who have seen and experienced so much manage to adjust?

Reinventing: They reinvent themselves. They discover how to do new things. They keep learning and growing. They read, converse, take classes, attend seminars, practice their new skills and delight in exploration. They are not afraid to take chances even if they make mistakes and feel foolish. They are confident in their wisdom and breadth of knowledge, so they are not threatened by young people who may know more about a particular skill or technology. Instead, they learn from them, add that new knowledge to their depth of wisdom, soak up the new information and grow even more.

Themselves: Here's the key. Growth can only come from within. It can't be forced on us by someone else. We have to want it. We are our own teacher. We may seek out specialists and guides, but the ultimate goal is to please ourselves, not anyone else.

Any seniors reading these words have already reinvented themselves to a degree. You've learned to use a computer. You've mastered the world-wide-web. You've demonstrated initiative and curiosity simply by discovering the Over60Exchange website. You have every right to be proud of yourself! Keep up the good work. You are a different person than you were even a few years ago. You have reinvented a new you.

Congratulations and enjoy the journey. It never ends!

This space is devoted to questions and comments concerning emotional, psychological and spiritual aspects of aging. Specific questions dealing with health or finances should be addressed to specialists in those fields.

Please read the following Over60Exchange Disclaimer for additional limitations.

Contact Jim atjim@over60exchange.com

The question this week is a departure from our regular format, but it might be interesting to those of you who have been reading this column.

Hey Jim - how did Over60Exchange get started?

In 2007, Bob Brewster, the founder of Over60Exchange, had an idea. He saw people over the age of 60, (that age soon dropped to 55), who had talent galore and who had gained both experience and wisdom along the course of their lives. They knew what it was like to experience life's bumps and bruises, but didn't want to retire simply because they had reached a pre-determined chronological age. In some cases, they knew what it was like to say, "I wish I could do it again, knowing what I know now." But in many cases they changed that to, "I want to do it again, knowing what I do now!"

These were people to whom the idea of retirement didn't have a lot of appeal. They were productive. They were smart. They were wise. They had experienced more technological change and scientific evolution than any other generation in the long history of the planet. They were intelligent enough to grasp new technologies but wise enough to know when to employ good, old-fashioned common sense. Sometimes they possessed neglected skills and appreciation for beauty, lost in the hustle and bustle of life. Many of them didn't want to work full time anymore. They had earned their time in the sun. But at the same time they weren't ready to sit by the wayside and revel only in past glories.

At the same time, Bob had a lot of experience with companies who, being forced to consider their bottom line, were looking for part-time, experienced help. They were willing to pay for production, not just time. They appreciated the fact that experienced folks who had been around the block a few times could be trusted to give them just what they needed without a lot of training. In many cases, it was cheaper and more efficient to put out jobs piecemeal to people who knew what was needed, how to deliver it on time, and take pride in their work.

Why not provide a way to bring together these two diverse groups of people in a manner that benefited both?

That was the germ that gave birth to Over60Exchange. But it didn't stop there. Like many of the individuals he was hoping to attract, Bob wasn't interested in a simple business arrangement. He wanted to make a difference in the world. When he contacted me he had already envisioned a concept much bigger than a job/matching service. He was asking pertinent questions. What does it feel like to be a senior citizen in a culture that worships youth? Why is this a different age than any that preceded us? What are the hopes and dreams of a generation that has been given the gift of longevity as a result of the technology of modern medicine?

I was intrigued by the idea. Having spent a lifetime counseling people in similar situations, having lived at the forefront of the Baby Boom generation myself, and having written a few books pertaining to the stages of life and the spirituality required to navigate them, I was ready to explore his questions and add a few of my own.

How do we mobilize the tremendous numbers of people who are approaching retirement age? How do we communicate with each other? To put it simply, how do we form a nation-wide community? That's what we're working on. It's a pretty exciting task!

This space is devoted to questions and comments concerning emotional, psychological and spiritual aspects of aging. Specific questions dealing with health or finances should be addressed to specialists in those fields.

Please read the followingOver60Exchange Disclaimer for additional limitations.

Contact Jim at jim@over60exchange.com

How do you feel about using retirement savings to start up a new business, especially when it's a business I always wanted to try? Until relatively recently, the technology just wasn't available to do it. I am 62 years old.

If you're looking for a yes or no on this one, I won't be of much help. You'll need to consult a specialist or two in the field of financial management and market analysis. But I'll bet you've already decided to go ahead and take the gamble. If so - congratulations! Go for it and good luck!

But just in case you're still on the fence, you'll need to consult the one specialist who knows you best. That's you. Here's how to do it.

When I do seminars on this subject I usually have attendees answer some basic questions. Try these exercises on for size:

1.You're talking to someone about how you would have handled a situation if you had been in their place. In your scenario, do you:

a. Take charge? ('I would have made sure that…')

b. Assume you have superior experience? ('That same thing happened to me once and I …')

c. Advise caution? ('Be careful and go slow. Don't rush into it.')

d. Advise action? ('You only live once. Go for the gusto!')

2.Talk with your best and closest friends about how they see your strengths and weaknesses. Really listen. Don't be offended if their opinion is different than yours. Don't justify yourself. Don't make excuses. (At the same time, don't necessarily believe that they are right and you are wrong if they see you differently than you see yourself.)

3.Someone gives you all the money you'll ever need. What do you do with the rest of your life?

4.You're lying in bed at night trying to get to sleep. You decide to tell yourself a story, starring you. What are you doing in the story?

These questions can't replace solid advice from people who know what they're talking about. On the other hand, the world is full of success stories about people who took a risk, did the unexpected and triumphed. Only you know how much a dream means to you and whether or not you are comfortable going for it.

(By the way - Good luck! Let me know how it comes out.)