From Midlife Reflection to Life-Long Resilience

"The point is to get your work done and your work is to change the world." – James Baldwin

EMBRACE THE POWER OF NOW

OK, this is going to mouthful to chew on before we dive into change. Ready for it?

Today is all we truly have. Yesterday is but a memory, and tomorrow only arrives as today.

Many of us live in hopes of a better tomorrow, but without the realization that a better tomorrow can only manifest itself as today. So, why don't we choose to make today better, seizing this moment to change the world—or at least our little corner of it?

OUR LOVE-HATE RELATIONSHIP WITH CHANGE

We have a funny relationship with change. We fear changes that threaten our current comfort but crave changes that promise a brighter future. This contradiction can hold us back, but it also drives us forward.

When I found out my wife and I were expecting our first child, I didn't dream of a mundane future for her. I envisioned a life full of greatness, impact, and wisdom gained from avoiding my past mistakes.

Her arrival marked a new beginning not just for her, but for us as parents. Similarly, as our adult children leave the nest, each departure signifies a new chapter in our lives, bringing both distance and fresh beginnings.

As each new day unfolds, it brings with it the inevitability of change. Finding joy in each new day requires us to embrace that change or find ourselves suffering in the uncertainty of a future we cannot control. A joyful, peaceful life demands that we hold life loosely, ready to receive what it has to offer.

ARE YOU READY TO EMBRACE CHANGE?

Are you ready to live a more fulfilling, meaningful, and purposeful life? At the crossroads of what was and what could be, let these 7 habits guide you from reflection to resilience, from fear to freedom.

1. CHAMPION CHANGE

The winds of change, though chilly at first, can invigorate life with purpose. As Rumi said, "Try not to resist the changes that come your way. Instead, let life live through you. And do not worry that your life is turning upside down. How do you know that the side you are used to is better than the one to come?"

Letting life live through you is an act of courage that prevents the past from defining you and the future from causing fear. Embrace change to shape the future you desire.

2. COMMIT TO CURIOSITY, EMBRACE THE ADVENTURE

Curiosity is the compass for life's adventures. It demands engagement with life through questions that reveal the next steps forward: "What's next?", "What can I learn?", "Who can guide me?", "Who wants to join me?"

Curiosity helps us navigate life's transitions—children leaving home, losing loved ones, retiring from a career, and facing the realities of aging. It shifts our focus from pursuing greatness to seeking wisdom, our true legacy.

3. CHOOSE THE WISDOM OF OPTIMISM

If curiosity is the compass, optimism is the beacon guiding us through uncertainty. In the face of health challenges, financial concerns, or the search for meaning beyond the workforce, optimism helps us navigate learning opportunities and avoid despair.

Optimism embraces the full spectrum of emotions without judgment. It's more than positive affirmations; it offers hope and fosters emotional intelligence. Optimism inspires self-awareness, leading to healthier, more sustainable behavior patterns.

4. FIND YOURSELF IN SERVICE TO OTHERS

"The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in service to others." – Mahatma Gandhi

Service reveals our tendencies, shapes our gifts, and strengthens our purpose in relation to others. Serving others can inspire them to a life of service and leadership. Allowing our lives to be a call to service can pave the way for future generations, weaving a stronger community fabric.

A friend of mine has found great joy in embracing a second career dedicated to helping women break free from the chain of addiction and going the next step to equipping them to be in service to others who have had similar struggles. She and her husband in their second season of life work for non-profits after years of working in the 9-5 job.

This type of service provides a great deal of meaning that gets them supercharged in the morning.

5. MASTER THE ART OF GRATITUDE

"If you are not grateful for what you have, you will not be grateful for what you get." Gratitude is the telescope revealing life's pathways, roadblocks, and workarounds. It acknowledges life's pleasures—the love of family, loyal friends, and simple joys.

Gratitude anchors us in the present, allowing us to appreciate life's largeness and our smallness. During times of great change, gratitude has anchored me in faithfulness and helped me navigate tumultuous times.

6. EMBRACE THE FEARLESS FACTOR

A fearless heart is the wellspring of innovation and the antidote to stagnation. It dares us to dream, take risks, and embrace the unknown. Whether starting a business, traveling solo, or writing that novel, a fearless heart reminds us that it's never too late to pursue our passions.

My wife, best friend, and hero has lived a life that has brought her through many of life's challenges. Early in her forties, she was living her dream life as a mother to our 4 amazing children when a stroke interrupted our seemingly easy life and rattled both of our worlds.

Since that time she has faced the fear corrective surgeries, chronic pain, and CML by pouring her life into her passion of interior design. She chooses to wake up and face those fears head on by exercising her gifts of beautifying the living spaces of those she service.

7. REST IN RESILIENCE

Yet, the key to truly unlocking the fearless factor in your life is resilience. Resilience is the framework that keeps our ship afloat. "Come hell or high water," we can rest knowing that the work done in the previous stages steadies this ship called life.

Resilience is found in starting new ventures during each new life stage we go through, finding new pathways to joy after the loss of loved ones, or redefining oneself in the face of failed marriages, career changes or even the life long goal of retirement, . Each setback is a lesson, each recovery a victory.

The joy of resilience comes in how it connects us to the shared experience of life with it's topsy turvy nature and empowers our work, our service, our vocation through empathy and compassion. Something our world is in desperate need of.

THE NEXT CHAPTER AWAITS

As we stand on the brink of new beginnings, let us see our lives as a mosaic of experiences, of suffering and joy, successes and failures, a truly grand adventure into the unknown—each piece essential, each transition an opportunity to create something beautiful. Let us write the next chapter with bold strokes, vibrant colors, and the unwavering belief that the best is yet to come.

So, which habit will you adopt first? Whatever it is, embrace it with courage and let the magic unfold! Share this journey with someone who could use a reminder that life is an ever-unfolding masterpiece, and each new day is a canvas awaiting our touch. Together, let's turn the page to a chapter filled with hope, adventure, and renewed zest for life.

Learn more about ways you can navigate life's many transitions with our Howard Bailey Coaching Community offerings. Schedule a Life Repurposed Call with Les McDaniel, Howard Bailey's Chief Purpose Officer.

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