Hello Subscribers:

In this issue, I’ll be discussing research results from Coach Richard Leider, Chairman of Inventure Group, regarding purposeful aging.  Richard was granted a fellowship to study purposeful aging in hopes that this information will lead us to Living The Good Life.  There were huge lessons learned and shared by the interviewed elders in this study.  No matter your age, this is an opportunity to ponder on the wise words of the elders and allow their lessons to help us live more meaningful and purposeful lives without regrets.  Yes, I’m talking about The Good Life!  

See the links at the end of this post for a free program and resources to begin living The Good Life!

There were 3 themes reported by the elders of this study that if given the opportunity, they would have done things differently:

1. More Time For Reflection:
They would have slowed things down, pondered and taken the time to ask the Big Questions. (see the Big Questions at the end of this article).

2. More Risks In Work:
Instead of settling for mediocre, they wished they had looked for work that was more fulfilling and rewarding. Possibly the work of: serving others, for a greater good, making a difference or contributing to the world and its people in a bigger way.
 
3. More Risks In Love:
They wished they had taken more time to nurture loving relationships and created closer connections with those most important in their lives. 

We all want to live The Good Life of fulfillment and vitality. But what’s required? Reflection, Courage and Purpose were the essentials reported by the elders. The Good Life is about living in a place you belong, with those you love, and doing the right work, on purpose.

Our lives are a series of peaks and plateaus. Sometimes we hit a plateau where life, work and our relationships are humming right along. And sometimes we can sit on a plateau for years being resistant to change.  If we stay on these plateaus for too long, life can begin to feel stale, boring, exhausting or you may even feel like your inner self is slowly dying.

But then a trigger occurs. Sometimes these triggers are positive but many times they are negative, however they are typically a wake-up call. They can be births, new work, new relationships, deaths, health issues, accidents or a life crisis of some nature. Triggers are the fertile ground of change and growth. You can choose to live in limbo with dulled senses or you can choose to take charge of your life and live with purpose – yes I’m talking about The Good Life.  

When a negative trigger occurs, this is where you get to choose to stay focused on the part of your life that caused the chaos or return to the part of your life that has been neglected. This is the point where you get to decide to move on, create happiness and live on purpose.  Each time this occurs in your life, you will move forward with a greater sense of self-worth and self-confidence. This brings a new urgency to life. 

You can choose to take action: re-emerge, explore, get some help, support or coaching to start looking for what makes you happy and begin living The Good Life – ON PURPOSE. 

When you choose to take charge, the universe will always support you by opening a new door, showing you a new direction or by bringing a new person into your life. But you must slow down, reflect and listen for the messages. I am always amazed at the opportunities I see floating around my clients and they are blind to them. But many times with hindsight, they see the opportunities they missed.

Instead of waiting for the next trigger to move you along your path, you can choose to grab The Good Life - living in harmony, health and joy. It really is up to you – you get to choose.

How to Take Action

1. Take some time to reflect, slow down, ponder and listen to the little voice from deep within you.
2. Start writing about what The Good Life looks like for you. Putting words to paper is a powerful process to solidify your direction, just watch as the opportunities start to appear.
3. Get help and support if you need it: Work with a personal coach or start a group and begin talking about The Good Life.
4. Read a book (see the link below for Richard Leider’s book).
5. Take a program (free below).

Don’t put yourself in a position to look back later with regret. Ask yourself these questions now:
Why don’t I slow down? 
Why don’t I risk more?

The biggest work I’m doing with my clients today is learning how to live with more passion and purpose. Life is a journey; it’s your journey. You can take the powerful advice from the elders or you can cruise along living on your plateau. Instead, start asking yourself these questions NOW:

“The Big” Questions:
What’s next?
Where do I go from here with my life?
Am I living in the place I belong?
Am I doing the right work on purpose?
What work would make me feel like jumping out of bed in the morning?
Is what I am doing making me happy?

Resources to live The Good Life:

Free Program:
To do more in depth self-work on living The Good Life with purpose, order your FREE workbook and DVD set – Discover What Matters from MetLife NOW featuring Coach Richard Leider.

To order, contact MetLife at maturemarketinstitute@metlife.com or call the MMI directly at (203)221-6580. Include your name and mailing address to receive the free 22-page workbook and DVD.

Book:
Richard Leider’s book to help jump-start your progress to living The Good Life on purpose.
Something to Live For: Finding Your Way in the Second Half of Life 
by Richard J Leider and David A Shapiro.  Buy Richard Leiders Book   

Here’s to Living The Good Life!

Tina Elliot, MBA, PCC

Professional Certified Coach