Local folks … if you missed this column when it ran in January, (time is a precious commodity that can easily slip away) I’m running it again. Why? Because this workshop might be just the thing you need to jump start the next phase of your life!
As a life coach who works primarily with the over fifty population, one of the most common lines I hear goes something like this: “I’m embarrassed to admit it but here I am in mid-life (or beyond) and I have no idea about what I want to be doing.” Maybe these folks are empty nesters. Or it could be they long to shake-up their work situation. Perhaps they’re considering retirement or are newly retired. Whatever their circumstances, these people think they should know how to proceed because after all, as one person put it, “I’ve been an adult for over 40 years now!”
Weird, isn’t it, to have this much life experience under your belt but find yourself confused about how to proceed with the next chapter of your life?
Except, I don’t think it’s weird at all. No, I think it’s pretty natural, especially when you consider all of the responsibilities we have shouldered throughout our adult lives. Some people started working in high school. Others landed a job right out of high school or went to college or … did both at the same time. Statistically speaking, most people eventually married, and had kids. (Oh, the childrearing years!) There might have been a divorce (or two) along the way, maybe a re-marriage. And of course, the working never came to end. (Dang those lottery winners!)
Until one day, you looked up and discovered your perspective was changing. Maybe you have more time, less responsibilities, more freedom than you’ve had in decades. Whatever your circumstances, recognizing it was time for a change may have been exhilarating.
It may also have been a bit daunting. It can be so daunting many people just keep on doing what they’ve been doing for years, all the while unsettled as they wonder how to break out of lifelong routines and patterns.
If this sounds like something you’ve been wrestling with and you’re curious about how to proceed with this next phase of life, I invite you to join me and Louisa Rogers for our OLLI workshop: Making the Most Out of YOUR Second Half. (Saturday, April 18 from 10-2 at the Humboldt Bay Aquatics center. OLLI members $30, all others, $55. Please bring a brown bag lunch with you.)
The first thing to remember is that we’re all different and what each of us wants to do is a highly individual matter. It’s time to quit the judgement and ignore the shoulds! Maybe you want to take a tap class? Perhaps you want to give back to our community or the global society? Is there a passion from your youth you’d like to re-visit?
In this class, we’ll begin by assessing where you are in life and then have some fun thinking about where you want to go. Through small group and individual activities and facilitated discussion, we’ll identify the strengths and skills that have served you throughout your adult life and then discover ways to put these attributes to work.
This workshop will help you make the choices you want. You’ll leave the class with identified goals, a personal action plan, and best of all, a sense of community and the support of others who are also discovering their next chapter.
I’m happy to be teaching with Louisa for the first time. We met in an exercise class and quickly became walking buddies. Our professional lives have much in common. We’re both life coaches and writers who believe in the power of communication and community. It’s also safe to say that we are a couple of women who trust our ability to make satisfying changes in our lives. Louisa is compassionate, direct, and knowledgeable. She’s also someone who knows how to enjoy life and a good laugh! You can read more about her on her website, Louisa Rogers Communications,
http://louisarogers.vpweb.com/
Interested in joining us? I hope so. Call OLLI at 822-5880 to register.