With a surprising number of boomers heading towards retirement, most are not ready to spend their days hitting the golf balls or playing bridge.
Instead they are looking to the future with enthusiasm and gusto. Why? Because they know that now they can finally do what they’ve always wanted to do. Whether it’s learning a new instrument (I’m learning the ukulele), studying a new language, writing a book or going back to school for training, they are excited about what lies ahead.
How do you get that kind of enthusiasm? Understand that most people “our” age are living a lot longer — in fact well into their 80’s. So for the next 20 years, should you be sitting around doing nothing or wasting these precious years thinking what you should or could be doing?
Before you complain about all your health problems, and being too old…consider this. You have a wealth of knowledge, experience and expertise that can be shared and explored further. It’ll be a crime not to share what you know with others interested in your mentoring. It will be a shame not to offer your experience in sales, nutrition, music, computers, etc, just because you think you don’t have much to give.
It’s time to invest in your own life by embracing your fears and walking through them.
What have you got to lose?
I have a 67 year old client who just retired from teaching high school math. He now spends three days a week tutoring kids in math. His joy, he says, is in bringing enlightenment to kids without the constraints of school “protocol.” He even started an online program that students can join for fun or further insights.
You can do this or you can start all over by returning to some of your past interests, passions, desires and wishes. The list is endless and filled with awesome ideas. Midlife can be an exciting, fulfilling time because you have nothing to prove. Just enjoy this new journey with a sense of commitment, excitement and renewal. There’s no point in growing older, if you don’t grow better!
Amy Sherman is a blogger with JenningsWire Online Magazine. You can read more posts by Amy here.
JenningsWire.com is created by National Publicity Firm, Annie Jennings PR that specializes in providing book marketing strategies to self-published and traditionally published authors. Annie Jennings PR books authors, speakers and experts on major top city radio talk shows that broadcast to the heart of the market, on local, regionally syndicated and national TV shows and on influential online media and in prestigious print magazines and newspapers.
