Positive Living Over 50: 5 Steps to Get Up, Get Out, and Get Going

Pamela Lutrell I Matter Post

I entered 2020 believing it would be a significant year in my life, and I still believe it.  I am convinced more than ever that our over 50 life needs to be a positive one of Get Up, Get Out and Get Going! I have heard from several of you since the new year who are in transition.  Some of you are embracing the change and some of you feel shut down.  So, I am here today to encourage you to get going. Do not give self-pity or discouragement one more moment to set traps in your life and keep you mired in a pit of bad behaviors…sitting idle, over eating, over spending, or succumbing to “victim-thinking.”

STEPS TO GET GOING

 

  1. Make a plan

Make a plan for this time of your life.  Set specific goals and write them down. Really ponder deeply …What would I like to accomplish on this side of 50?  How can I make a difference?  Is it giving my time to a non-profit?  Is it spending more time with children or grandchildren?  Is it being a mentor?  Decide your goals and then every day do something to move toward those goals.  Work your plan.  I know a very inspiring woman in her 60s who has a plan for her grandchildren and each time she is with them, she has a goal in mind of something to teach them…and have fun doing it.  How can you go out and bear fruit right now?

Pamela Lutrell discusses bearing fruit

 

  1. Accept that life is short

That is not depressing…just a fact…and allow it to motivate you to get out of your chair and get going.   Yes, rest is important, however, if rest becomes a way to escape life then it is a destroyer of your life.  Even if you are no longer in the workplace, you can work to make a difference and to enjoy your life.  None of us know how much time we will have on this earth, so get out and make a difference today.  This world needs you and what you have to offer.  If you have felt a tug at your heart, to join a particular group as a volunteer, then waste no time and call today.  There are so many needs and so few hands to meet them.

Over 50 Feeling 40 on Sometimes Later Becomes Never

  1. Be thankful

Do not waste time lamenting your current situation. Write down areas you can be grateful for today! Spend time every day with thankfulness and, yes, become a positive person who looks to the bright side of life.  My mother wasted so much of her life complaining and living in her past disappointments.  She could never get beyond them to experience pure joy.

  1. Clear out your junk

We all have messes in our life which we allow to rob us of our life.  Perhaps your mess is that you do not care for your health or you have debt which needs to be settled or you have a dispute going on with a family member.  These are the types of messes which will consume our thinking.  As part of your plan, plan to clean up your messes so that they are not holding you back.  Do not give them permission to keep you in that self-pity mire.  What are you going to do about the mess?  Be active to clean it up now.

  1. Stay Current

You need to stay current on what is happening in the world around you.  Informed, current thinking is youthful thinking.  By understanding what is going on around you, then you can begin to discern where you can truly make a difference and be used during your life. The younger generation needs us, but in order to converse with them and obtain their respect, we need to understand what they face, what they are dealing with, and what is going on around them. A mature woman can stay informed and not allow the happenings in today’s world to cause her to shut down.  Be a confident, mature woman and allow that information to motivate you to “stay in the game of life” and bring wisdom where it is needed most.

ABOUT THIS OUTFIT

Pamela Lutrell in a horizontal stripe

This was casual, fun around the house day.  I am so, so careful with horizontal stripes, but I believe this top works as the fit and design are flattering.  If it was bigger and loose on me, it would make me look larger than I am. I still love my ECCO sneaker boots which have been great for winter…can’t wait to see what ECCO has for spring. 

I hope this post has encouraged some of you who needed a little prodding to get up, get out and get going.  I am looking forward to the day when I am more in control of my time and can make wise decisions as to how it will be spent.  This is the year for us all to go make a difference.   You got this…because YOU MATTER!

Any thoughts?  Does anyone who is sitting idle need more direction?  If so…let’s talk about it. Would anyone like to discuss the life-transition-challenges you are facing at this time?  Perhaps you would like to encourage others and have points to add to this list.  Please share. Tomorrow, I will discuss how your appearance and health play a major role in working your plan.  I hope you will join us.

POSITIVE AGING QUOTE

 “As you grow older, you’ll find that the only things you regret are the things you didn’t do.”   -Zachary Scott

 KEEP SMILING, EVERYONE!

By Pamela Lutrell

 

 

 

 

 

42 Comments

  1. Very good words to read on my 69th birthday today. Thank you for starting my day with a coffee and a nice read!

  2. First of all, I really like that top! Stripes are fun to wear and the style looks cozy for this time of year. I retired just over a year ago. It took the better part of a year to feel normal and like this was my new life. I worked for 46 years and that’s not an easy adjustment to make! By establishing a routine and staying busy, I soon found my days were going to be full. I have to schedule days off, strange as that sounds. I do volunteer, but have felt a pull toward volunteering at a shelter, so I’ll be looking into that. Your point ##2 is right in my face in my life. My mother decided that when my father retired that it was time for her to “rest.” She was not active to begin with. Like you said, sitting in the chair brings an end, and it did with her. She has dementia and is now unable to walk. Muscles have atrophied and she is depressed. She persists in asking how I’m enjoying sitting and taking it easy. My answer is always the same, I’m not doing that. I see the results (I don’t say this, of course), and would encourage anyone who feels they no longer have a purpose, oh yes you do! Just need to decide what that is. Get moving is very good advice, you’re so right. Life is speeding by and I have a lot more that I want to do! Thank you for the reminder and encouragement!!

  3. I love, love love this look on you! I am not really a jeans person, but occasionally wear them when I am working around the house. They help me to feel energetic as I de clutter. The red stripe top is such a winner, I want one! It is cheerful, but I wouldn’t be afraid to get it dirty. If I am overdressed, I don’t want to do housework. This is perfect. I have wanted to see you wear more color for a long time. You look great!

  4. Thanks for a very thoughtful and helpful post today. I’m thinking the next decade will be my best ever!

  5. Right after I retired a young man told me that I’d be busier in retirement than I’d ever been—-and he was right! Activity and involvement are the key issues. I actually have to write everything on the calendar that hangs on the frig since there is no routine but fun things all the time.

  6. My husband and I are both retired and stay busy. We spend days together and also have separate interests. We are involved with our grandchildren, and we are so fortunate to have them all close. Your top is adorable! You look great, casual and comfy….it’s a good look for you!

  7. First let me say you look great today@ I love that top.
    I’m turning 67 this summer and thinking of retiring. I have always worked since I was 16 either full time or part time. Now I’m afraid if I do retire I will lose my identity. I would love to hear how others made the transition.

  8. I retired in 2018, moved cross country and I have not looked back. I’ve learned to golf and play mahjong. But the best part of my week is my trip south to help my daughter with the 4 children. Some people think I’m crazy to drive 2.5 hours one way and then back again the same day. I pop a book into the cd player and time flies while I enjoy the beautiful scenery in California. The bloom is beginning & seeing wildflowers cascading down mountain sides is breathtaking. I’m engrossed in Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty. When I arrive in Coronado I get to spend one on one with the youngest. This week we’ll head to the San Diego zoo to see the new baby hippo. I am cherishing every minute because I know in another couple of years all the grandkids may be too busy for nana.

  9. I love this post. I am going to come back to it later today when I have a bit of time to contemplate. Your outfit is happy and comfortable looking. I too have a pair of Ecco sneaker boots that I have worn all winter, often instead of having to put on snow boots. Love them, easy on with a side zipper. The one thing I would say about retirement is to choose what you volunteer for carefully. I found I volunteered for some things I really didn’t enjoy that much, and it became a drag almost like work. I kept doing them because I’m the conscientious sort, but this is the time of life to choose wisely. If you’re not sure what you enjoy, try lots of things but don’t keep doing them if you’re not enjoying them. Choose to help out with one of the things that need doing, but that few people volunteer for—whether it’s picking up roadside trash or washing dishes after the free community meals—and then get involved in what really stimulates you—the library book club or taking classes at the local art center. This is our time but we don’t always treat it that way. My husband is facing some health challenges right now and my opportunities have dramatically changed this year. I’m moving forward with a new perspective. Thank you so much for the very real and helpful , yes—unique—, part you play in the blogging world.

  10. First, I will comment on your outfit. I love it. It is perfect for my day to day at home life.
    I have been retired for 10 years, & during that time, my life has taken several turns. My husband was on dialysis, had a kidney transplant, & a heart attack. For those years, I spent much time as a caregiver. My mother-in-law passed away, & I help my sister-in-law deal with emptying & selling her home. It has only been in the last few years that I have been able to think about what I want to do. I have joined a women’s group & a bible study class at my church. I also occasionally serve as a volunteer receptionist at the church. I still spend a fair amount of time at home & am working on making it a better space by pairing down belongings, doing some deep cleaning & making some improvements. Your tips today are spot on.

  11. Love the stripes too!, I have a similar top in black and white that i feel happy in! I have thought a lot about priorities since retiring, and have chosen to focus on my sewing. I have also volunteered at an agency that helps disadvantaged folks with employment skills, something that means a lot to me. I agree that staying positive is so important. Thanks for sharing!

  12. I worked for 49 years and retired intentionally several years ago — that means that during the years I was frightened of ‘R’, I spoke to many people, asking always “What is retirement like? What surprises you?” From those conversations, I learned that many people were living absolutely inspired retirements; they were living engaging lives that had surprised them with something new or a new rendition of something old. And I determined that an inspired retirement was just as available to me as to the people I interviewed.

    Achieving that inspired retirement took time, effort, and introspection. No one else believes in my choices during retirement the way that I do, and some of the expectations of those who opposed my intentions were formidable. Sustaining an inspired retirement also requires great effort. Drift is an easy state of being that can take over and eat your time, energy, sense of purpose, and sense of direction. So I wrote a five year plan for myself, just as I used to write them for my former employment. Then I came across a success coach, who helped me achieve all the elements of those five years in nine months.

    I still work with my coach every day and persevere to meet each day with purpose and direction. It is not as easy as many think to self-direct all of your time, energy, outcomes, achievements, relationships, and intentions all day, every day. Yet one take away from it all is this: Why did I wait so long to be my own CEO?

    So, Pamela, thank you for this post, which came along on a day when my can do spirit was feeling weak. You are an inspiration. And I love that look on you, especially that striped top — I wish I could go put that top on right now for the energy and confidence it inspires.

  13. I loved this post. All your thoughts are tried and true…and inspiring. I am thankful for each day and try to help others around me even if it is in some small way. Just giving someone a smile can be a gift. And if your outfit of the day exudes happiness you may cheer others.

  14. Thanks so much for sharing what you are learning after retirement, Karen. I know it is hard to admit when someone has dementia, but thank you for acknowledging that sitting was a bit part of it. The more we engage our minds, the better.

  15. Thank you Julia…I know you see a lot of dark colors on me (and I do love black) but I actually do wear a lot of color…get ready…color season is coming!

  16. I have heard this for many women of how busy they are in retirement. I so look forward to that day!

  17. Thanks Dawn! I have a feeling I will be having fun whenever this happens and waiting on my husband to join in after a few years.

  18. There have been some great comments here, Pamela. Find something you are passionate about and pursue it! It may not deliver a paycheck, but the rewards just may be greater.

  19. So true Linda. You made me think have how quickly my five little grandchildren are growing and it gave me a since of urgency to work harder and make a plan to retire soon. Thanks for sharing.

  20. Wow…you just made me like this top even more…thank you, Jane. I did not know such coaches existed so this was a very interesting comment…thanks again.

  21. My very vibrant 92 year-old mother who was widowed in her forties and is now currently in care because of dementia (still pretty vibrant, though!) had a motto that she passsed down to her 5 daughters: “Get up, dress up, show up!” The five of us have always felt they were words to live by.

  22. Today my husband and I traveled north an hour and a half to see his specialist for a surgical consult, so this was a timely post and I see that several other ladies have likewise dealt with family health issues as part of this stage in life. I also have both my folks in their eighties and with weekly doctor visits of one kind or another, and for the past eight years my youngest son was in such poor health that he’s only just now able to move forward as a young man of 25 and become more independent. I had been keeping all of this together AND teaching part time, but the private school where I taught closed last summer . . . and I found myself rather suddenly, yet gratefully, retired. So, for me, retirement at just age 56 has been a blessing. I do not feel myself pulled between work and home as I had; I am truly able to commit myself fully to my loved ones. I find that so long as I also get out to the YMCA or meet up for lunch or coffee with friends, I am so far not feeling burned out. I do look forward to hopefully some day everyone being in better health so that the stress of those worries will lift a bit from my shoulders. Planning monthly outings or long weekends away to the beach or up to the big cities for concerts or plays also helps to keep me upbeat and always looking forward.

  23. Caregiving is such a big commitment and exhausting but your service to your family will not go unnoticed, Connie. Thank you for all you do and I am glad you are having fun along with it!

  24. I love your upbeat messages, Pam, especially knowing that you’ve made that attitude an intention, fending off the downers. My retirement started 11 years ago with some fun stuff plus dealing with my husband’s serious cancer (chemo, stem cell transplant, radiation) and a daughter’s wedding and then the birth of our first grandchild. Between husband’s open heart surgery and various unexpected emergencies (he’s at the ER right now with an infected foot), several surgeries of a daughter, supporting my 98-year-old mother, and flare ups of my anxiety … retirement has not been what I expected! I find myself being afraid to make outside commitments, relishing cocooning, expecting another shoe to drop. At 74 … I still want to enjoy some new adventures and discoveries! The grandchildren are terrifically helpful for that, and inspiration from other “elders.” Your list of challenges today are right on point. Thank you.

  25. Make it a point to do something for you every now and then. No matter how small! You are an inspiration with all you do for family!

  26. Your blog was so helpful, Pam, and I really appreciated reading all the comments. My husband and I retired And sold our home to move back near my mother to take care of her, she is 93 and it requires a lot energy. I’m 65 with diabetes, and we don’t get away much even to have dinner out. It’s a roller coaster of issues and emotions. I feel down some days, and although I’m grateful to be able to help my mom, I feel my life is not only in transition but also on-hold . I fear our savings and our lives both passing quickly as well. Some days are harder than others so positive posts like yours help me so much. Thank you for your dedication to help others.

  27. This came at the perfect time. It is an adjustment but with the right attitude and patience, I think this could be the best time of our lives. It came sooner than I thought but if I have learned anything by now it’s we do not have control over anything but how I react. Thanks Pam for encouraging us all to live our best lives. Love your cute look too!

  28. A very inspirational post, Pam. I look at retirement as another chapter of my life, or the third book in a trilogy. I had a somewhat rough transition into retirement. I taught first grade, which I loved, but was totally exhausted and just couldn’t get much energy back no matter how much sleep I got. So once I got rested up, I felt like a new woman. It took about 2 years to not feel guilty for not working, but I’ve never regretted it. I can’t believe that was almost 12 years ago! I’m very happy in retirement now and have learned to live with joy each day. All the stress is gone and I’m so thankful I was available to take care of my dad in his final years and can drop everything to help with the grandkids.
    Even though I’m very busy with volunteer work and my hobbies, I relish lunch with friends and enjoy the freedom from schedules. I also learned to not feel guilty if something I volunteered for wasn’t a good fit no matter how worthy the cause. There are plenty more to chose from.
    I love your casual outfit. You just look so happy in that red striped top!

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