“After 60, people begin to search for meaning in life all over again.” Awais Aftab
And why do we start to search for meaning in life again after 60? Is that something you are searching for? At this point in life, the kids are probably grown, you may be retired or considering retirement, so what now? When our purpose in life is no longer defined by the roles we play, how do we find meaning in life after 60? Here are some steps that might help.
- Go within – Finding purpose is really a spiritual exercise. Our Higher Power is always available for guidance and support if we just take the time to listen. I know I mention meditation a lot, but clearing your mind and being open to the Universe is a great way to receive inspiration. To me, this is the foundation to finding purpose in life. The rest of the steps build on this one.
- Identify activities that give you a sense of purpose and keep track of what they are. What do you enjoy doing? What makes your heart sing? If you are at a point where you’re not even sure what that is, check out the next step.
- Explore what it means to create – art, music, cooking, crafts, gardening, writing or just sitting quietly. You never know what new interests you might discover!
- Continue to learn new things – Our brains love it when we learn new things. (See my post on Your Ageless Brain.)
- Take care of your body and your health – This one may not seem to be related, but taking care of your health makes it possible to explore these other steps more freely.
- Accept your body and love yourself- Our bodies have changed. When I look at myself, I sometimes wonder where my 30 year old body went. But I have learned to accept my body as it is now. I have also learned a lot about loving and accepting myself the way I am. This one is important because if you have a lot of negative chatter going on in your mind. it will be harder to hear the voice of inspiration.
- Make new friends/socialize more – Connecting with others is important. It adds to the sense of fulfillment and purpose in life.
The thing I have concluded is that our purpose now may not be as well defined as it used to be but that’s ok. I actually believe the bottom line to finding purpose in life is to be happy. What do you think?