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Six Things to Do When You Turn 60 (Besides
Celebrate!)
by Lin Schreiber, Retirement
Coach
 I
love my birthday. Always have. I guess that's because I love to celebrate, and
because it's my own special day of the year. It also helps that I share my
birthday with my adored Grandma Alcorn who was a human dynamo and lived to the
spritely age of 95.
Each new decade seemed like the beginning of the next grand adventure. At 30, I
was newly arrived in New York City and starting a career in marketing and public
relations. Forty found me just married, taking on two pre-adolescent stepsons,
and starting another career in television production. At 50, I was awakening to
the idea that I didn't have to kill myself to make a good living, and embarked
on my current career as a retirement coach.
So, imagine my shock when a week before my big 6-0, I fell into a great, big,
dark funk. I spent three awful days thinking that I was just 20, and soon I’d be
60, and where did the last 40 years go? What did I have to show for it?
Certainly the days ahead of me are a lot fewer than the days behind me, and so
on and so on.
On the fourth day, I decided to snap out of it. I focused my attention on all
the many blessings I have in my life, to the countless things I've accomplished
over the years, and to the hopes and dreams I have for the future.
If you're one of the approximately 13,680 people who are turning sixty every day
and you find yourself panicking, I invite you to take stock of your life,
redefine your priorities and begin each day to:
1. Take Really Good Care of Yourself. You only have one body, and even if
you've taken pretty good care of it, by 60 it's beginning to show signs of wear
and tear.
Have you been on a diet most of your life? Not exercising regularly? Not getting
enough sleep? Are you stressed out? Now is the time to relax, regroup, and try
some new ways of being. You don't have to do it all at once, and you don't have
to do it perfectly. Try the 15-minute rule.
How much sleep do you need to operate at your best? Start going to bed 15
minutes earlier, and when that becomes natural, back it up another 15 minutes
until you're getting the rest your body craves.
What helps you de-stress? A walk in nature? Deep breathing? Yoga? Sitting and
doing nothing? Fifteen (or even 5 or 10) minutes will help. Try it.
And, forget dieting. You know your ideal body weight, and no, it's not the
weight you were at 18. Hold that weight as your goal, and then take small steps
to change your habits. Add more vegetables by finding delicious recipes and
trying exotic varieties. Do some deep breathing or say grace before you plunge
into a meal. Chew slowly and savor the food and start by stretching that meal to
15 minutes if you normally race through.
Then, get moving slowly, by adding 5-15 minutes a day of something you enjoy:
stretching, yoga, weight lifting, dancing, walking, etc. (You can do it longer
if you feel like it!) You don’t have to be a marathon runner for your body to
respond quickly.
2. Open Your Heart. There's love all around you. Unfortunately, it is
often drowned out by the constant drone of negative press, petty arguments,
silly upsets, old grudges, etc. Who (or what) in your life have you not
forgiven? Remember, forgiving is all about you and not the other person. By
letting go of the poison, you're free to live life fully. Is there tension or
unresolved issues with your partner? Clean them up, and get back in touch with
the love that brought you together. What is life about, if not love?
3. Focus on the Good. Ever notice how when something upsets you, you
focus on it and suddenly it becomes such a huge part of your life when in
reality it's only one tiny bit? You can't control what's coming at you, but
you're in total control over how your react. Better yet, try acting instead of
reacting, by refocusing on all that you have to be grateful for.
4. Make a Difference. How can you best share your talents, gifts,
experience, and wisdom? Which of the myriad of problems on the planet could use
your genius to solve? How can you make the world a more beautiful place by
expressing yourself creatively? What legacy can you leave the next generation?
Put your attention on how you can best serve, and do it. You'll be happier. I
guarantee it!
5. Cherish the Day. Even as you're fully engaged in your life, remember
to slow down, breathe, and be present. When was the last time you watched the
sunrise? Or, stopped at the end of the day to enjoy a beautiful sunset? Welcome
the gift of each day, and embrace each moment with gusto. See the opportunity
gift in each situation, and take pleasure in the time you have left.
And finally…
6. List 60 Things You Want to Do in Your 60s. Use the five criteria above
to form who you want to be in your 60s. Next, add where you want to go, what you
want to see, whom you want to meet, what you want to create, and where you want
to live.
Remember how quickly the last 60 years have gone by? Don't waste a minute. Start
dong the things on your list today! WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you keep it intact and include this blurb with it: Certified Retirement Coach Lin Schreiber, author of the popular ABC's of Revolutionizing Retirement, helps self-reliant women reinvent themselves in the next stage of life, formerly known as "retirement." To claim your copy of her free popular Revolutionize Retirement Starter Kit, visit her site at http://www.RevolutionizeRetirement.com. |
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 Lin Schreiber is a Retirement Revolutionary who loves helping self-reliant women reinvent themselves in the next stage of life, formerly known as "retirement." Like Lin, her clients have a positive vision for the future, and the idea of riding off into the sunset for the next 30-40 years isn't in the picture.
She is a sought after speaker, Professional Certified Coach and Certified Retirement Coach. Through her business, Revolutionize Retirement(TM), she delivers her comprehensive coaching programs to individuals over the phone, and to groups at her Boot Camp live events. Combining her contagious enthusiasm, non-stop energy, and passion for her subject, Lin creates a fun, dynamic learning environment that energizes and inspires her audiences.
Lin is featured on the PBS series Boomers(TM): Redefining Life After Fifty, and is the author of The ABC's of Revolutionizing Retirement.
Contact her at www.RevolutionizeRetirement.com.
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I'm
back from my delicious R&R trip to Kripalu Yoga & Health Center just down the
road in Stockbridge, MA, and I want to share with you the annual birthday ritual
that I've been doing for all but one of the past 24 years. 
I've just joined an increasingly
not-so-exclusive club, when on average 13,680 people will turn sixty every day
over the next twenty years. I don't mind. The more the merrier!
, and it's filled with great ideas. Everything from Gloria
Steinem's "Rediscover Yourself at 60" and Dr. Ricardo Munarriz’ "Seduce
Someone", to "Get R*ch Qu*ck" by Lorel Langemeier and "Ask the Big Questions" by
Tina B. Tessina. You'll find humor and inspiration in these pages, and some
great ideas!
