How to Maximize Your Midlife Potential
Are you passing through the midlife years of 45-65 years old looking back at what you've done and haven't done, thinking about what you could still do and plan to do? If you are, this is a great time to consider how you can maximize your midlife potential, all the wonderful seeds God has planted in your life.
Be ready and receptive to jump start a personal journey of self-discovery. Attitude will be everything as you begin to consider ways to explore your beliefs, values, passions, and dreams. Be ready to think outside the box you've lived in.
Define a Vision and Mission for Your Life.
Review ways God prepared you, the strengths, abilities, qualities, and experiences he gave you, and the skills you've learned. Celebrate your successes and realize how valuable you can be. Discover what you love and are passionate about.
Explore new opportunities and revisit those you may have dismissed. Resurrect dead dreams and see if it makes sense to breathe new life into them. Look ahead instead of focusing on past mistakes and roads not taken.
Define a vision and mission for your life, and set S.M.A.R.T. goals, specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound goals. Keep in mind your goals may change depending on circumstances, but your vision and mission should not. Find ways to keep yourself energized and motivated. Hold yourself accountable.
Consider ways to improve your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health. Focus on your overall wellness. Being sluggish and drained physically, emotionally, and spiritually will short circuit your progress in achieving your goals.
Determine the physical and financial needs you will have to address. The nature of those needs will depend on many factors, including your age, your current physical and financial condition, and the planning you've already done.
Transitions in the Seasons of Life
Regardless of your age, you will experience transitions in the seasons of life. Expect them and be prepared to go with the flow. Find the time and place for you to spend time for your inner self. This will give you a better chance of being comfortable with who you are, not who the world wants you to be, and what's going on in the world around you.
Focus on the people in your life and not material things you've acquired and can acquire. As you age, you'll find those who really care for will expect and appreciate that. Look for networking opportunities. Cherish and enhance old relationships, but seek new relationships.
Embrace volunteer opportunities. The more we give, the happier we feel, even when we are experiencing tough times ourselves. When you are happier and feel better about yourself, you become more confident in your ability to accomplish things in other areas of your life.
Remove the words "old," "aging," and "midlife crisis" from your vocabulary. Words have power. Don't let them drain yours. Replace negative with positive words and phrases about you aging. Be optimistic. Use positive affirmations.
Try New Things and Experiences
Try new things and experiences and think outside the box of your age and what people expect you to do at "your" age. Embrace new technology as needed. Don't be the "old person" who still uses a flip-up phone and has no computer. Expand your horizons by learning something new every day.
As an adult child, you may at some point realize your parents are declining mentally and physically, experiencing significant emotional changes, and the quality of their life is declining. Be prepared for your life and your family's priorities to change.
Regardless of your age, you'll always have ups and downs, circumstances that will test your ability to deal with stress and anxiety that will checker your daily life. Find ways to manage your stress.
Make sure you forgive, even though those who hurt or harmed you have not said they are sorry. Nothing will burden you more over the years than carrying the baggage of unforgiveness.
As you progress through your midlife years, listen to God's calling through the Holy Spirit. Every day is an opportunity God has given you to serve him and others. Live a life of praise and thanksgiving every day for what God has given you.
Also visit: Volunteering Is Time Well Spent
In God’s Words
But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. (Isaiah 40:31)
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. (Romans 12:12)
I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:14)
Also read: Psalm 91:1-2, John 14:27, Hebrews 12:1
In the Words of Others
“I don't believe in 'thinking' old. Although I've transitioned through many bodies - a baby, toddler, child, teen, young adult, mid-life and older adult - my spirit is unchanged. I support my body with exercise, my mind with reading and writing, and my spirit with the knowing that I am part of the Divine source of all life.” Wayne Dyer
In Your Words
If you are middle-aged, how have you characterized yourself to others, as getting better with age or “just older?" Why?
Are you ready and receptive to starting a personal journey of self-discovery in your midlife years? Choose three of the above ideas and describe how you will implement them.
Contemplate on the scriptures and how they can motivate you in your midlife years as you fulfill God’s destiny for you.
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