I still have two years to go until I reach the BIG 60 but it hasn’t stopped me from thinking about what that next phase of life could mean for me. I was a late starter on my journey of personal growth and as a result, I’m determined to make every minute count. That includes my “golden years!”
Many of my friends and acquaintances are already in their 60s and while some are embracing this next chapter of their lives, others are struggling. Fears that you think you have tackled and shifted, slowly creep back in when you face the realisation that you’re on the last lap of your life!
Setting the intention to live a purposeful life after 60 empowers you to accept where you are while feeling fulfilled and content. Having purpose keeps you present, grateful, curious, and excited about daily life. It enables you to redefine retirement, allowing you to find meaning and fulfilment while living life to the full.
5 Tips to Ignite a Purposeful Life After 60
1. Be Inspired by Real-Life Stories
I love reading inspirational real-life stories shared by those who have faced and overcome incredible challenges in their lives. Retiring can be overwhelming for many of us especially if you buy into the global stereotypes that your old age determines your (not so useful) place in society.
Some limiting, harmful, and hurtful beliefs on ageism include:
You no longer serve a useful purpose to society
You are unemployable
Your mental and physical health will deteriorate
You are a burden to your family, community, and the world in general
This weekend I read an inspiring story by Brent Lindeque about Ruda Landman (a South African celebrity) who has reached 70 and has no plans to slow down! Ruda Landman has chosen to use this phase of life as an opportunity to continue her personal growth journey while ensuring she has a purpose and gives back.
2. Ask the Right Questions
Having a purpose gives you direction and focus. It ensures you stay on the right path that aligns with your Truth. Your purpose changes over a lifetime and is dependent on what stage you are in in your life.
Your 20s and 30s are often about building a career, getting married, and raising a family. In your 40s and 50s, your purpose could be to succeed in your chosen vocation, be empowering parents, and be a loving partner to your loved one.
But, what happens when you reach 60? Suddenly, you’re faced with free time on your hands, and without a purpose, your life becomes empty, meaningless, and scary! Finding a purpose in the next phase of life means asking the right questions and knowing the answer to “Who am I?”
Other questions you could ask yourself include:
What makes me happy?
What do I love doing?
Who do I love?
What makes me laugh?
What makes me cry with happiness?
What do I value?
What inspires me?
Spend time meditating on these questions and journal the responses. It’s important not to rush this process and allow the answers and revelations to fully reveal themselves. This way, you can embrace your purpose wholeheartedly.
3. Be Curious About Life and Nurture a Growth Mindset
One of the benefits of ageing is that you've experienced life in many of its forms! This allows you to approach your 60s and beyond with wisdom OR fear and trepidation.
Choosing wisely means being willing to have an open mindset and getting curious about everything.
Studies have shown that a growth mindset predicts cognitive gain in older adults. Staying in touch with up-to-date technological developments, discovering new skills, and embracing self-empowerment tools are all ways you can develop an open mindset.
Other ways to nurture a growth mindset include:
See challenges as opportunities to learn and grow
Embrace developing knowledge, skills, and new experiences
Stay positive
Build resilience by choosing to see mistakes as lessons rather than failures
Express gratitude daily
Albert Einstein once said, “The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.” Be curious and make it work for you as you strive to live a purposeful life after 60!
4. Choose to Live a Life Aligned With Your Truth
If you haven’t been living a life aligned with your truth when you reach 60, it’s not too late to change it. Knowing what is important to you includes identifying your personal core values that inspire you to be in your true essence.
Knowing your values is like having a compass for life. They keep you on track and ensure that you live a life that's purposeful and fulfilling. Your top values empower you to make the best decisions for your life and behave in a way that supports your growth and self-awareness.
Use the following tips to discover your core values:
Make a list of words that best describe what you value: Some examples include courage, creativity, love, honesty, and abundance. Pick ten of the most important words that best reflect your truth.
Observe someone you admire: People you value in life often personify the values you own!
Reflect on your life experiences: Identify where you have been successful and how your determination got you to succeed. Explore painful events that encourage you to discover empathy and compassion. Experiences highlight what you learnt about yourself and what you would love to hold close and dear.
It’s a good idea to reflect on your values again as you approach your retirement. Life changes and what was important to you in your younger years could be different now.
5. Hire a Life Coach
Life coaching is a wonderful way of discovering your values and purpose. A skilled life coach assists you in exploring what is holding you back and setting goals that align with your true SELF.
Practical life coaching techniques and tools include:
Tackling the fear of change and uncertainty
Identifying what’s not working for you and how to change it
Exploring how to meet your needs in healthy ways
Making a list of your top core values
Creating a life purpose statement
A life coach empowers you to be curious and develop a growth mindset, to let go of negative beliefs that don’t serve you in your later years, and to ask the right questions. Life coaching, if done correctly, shows you how to turn your next phase of life into an adventure full of wonder, magic, and hope.
When hiring a life coach, you’re building a self-empowerment toolkit that supports you as you venture into the next exciting chapter of your life.
Final Thoughts
David Bowie once said, “Ageing is an extraordinary process where you become the person you always should have been.” I can vouch for that as I step more into my Truth as the years go by. The greatest gift I gave myself over ten years ago was to start a journey of personal growth and development.
In that journey, I discovered the value of having a purpose.
If you're looking for ways to find purpose in your later years, contact me today and let’s talk. Alternatively, watch out for my self-discovery retreats and find out how to ignite a purposeful life after 60 by booking one of my workshops.
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