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A 3-Pronged Strategy for Fulfillment in the Second Half of Life

MusingsMany Boomers feel either bored or unfulfilled in the second half of their lives. After raising children and spending decades in their careers, Boomers often perceive that their lives have come to a grinding halt. Their children are grown, their careers are over (by choice or by circumstance), and they are unsure of their next move. Many Boomers simply can't figure out what's next -- where to go from here?

I know the feeling because I was there, too. I left a professional career in my late 50s by choice. My wife and I decided to embark on a new adventure, relocating from the Northeast to the Southeast. At the same time, we started a small business together, ran it for over six years, and sold it. After our business experience ended, I gave the next stage of my life a lot of thought. I came up with a 3-pronged strategy to move forward. Here's what it looks like:

  1. Do what you love. I always loved to write. While writing was an essential part of my professional career, it wasn't the focal point. I decided that now I could make it the focal point, so I began to write non-fiction, both for money and for personal satisfaction. I was fortunate that doing what I love could also generate some income. This was the first prong.
  2. Give back.  I thought this would be a good time of life to give back and share my knowledge with others. Given my marketing and branding expertise, I decided to volunteer as a marketing/branding counselor with a small business center, helping owners of startups and small businesses. In addition, my wife and I became volunteers for a local humane society because of our love for animals. Not only could I give back, this experience also afforded me the opportunity to share an interest in an organization with my spouse. Giving back was the second prong.
  3. Be healthy. I believe good health makes all the difference as you age. I made a commitment to eat healthy, reduce stress, get enough rest, and exercise every day. The third prong was taking care of myself. 

This 3-pronged strategy, which I call my "rewirement," has an added benefit for me: At this stage of life, juggling several different things keeps me busy and stimulated. Each of them brings personal satisfaction of some kind. I am not locked in to a job with regular hours, so I can control the amount of time I spend on all of the three areas. I can fill in around the three areas with social activities, travel, and recreation.

Keeping busy and feeling like you are doing worthwhile things are keys to fulfillment in the second half of life. Some Boomers are perplexed by the challenge of what to do next. For me, the 3-pronged strategy was the answer. Of course, it won't necessarily work for everyone -- that has to be an individual choice. But it is worth it to develop and define a plan that can lead to your own meaning, purpose, and happiness.

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