From Changing Diapers to Changing Lives

Hello there my friends!

I think we can agree, we may not fit into those size 2 jeans we once did but we have a better sense of how we fit into the grand scheme of things.

Amidst all the crazy changes that we encounter in midlife, there is a wonderful awakening of self. Dr. Christiane Northrup, author of The Wisdom of Menopause sums it up beautifully. This second half of our lives is often filled with a surge in creativity, vitality, new found ambition, and the need to be of meaningful service.

Our concerns no longer include how things look on the outside and those annoying look good programs that run in our head, but instead they are replaced with a need to look within, for answers to why we are here and what footprint we will leave behind. Sound familiar?

Starting in our forties our inner voice tell us it’s okay to use our outdoor voice and that we have a say in how the world is shaped. We can make a difference and our purpose in life goes beyond recipe exchanges and changing diapers.

Don’t get me wrong. It’s not to say that we don’t love being the nurturing female creatures that we are, but in our middle years, we want to take that nurturing into our communities and give back.

In my twenties and part of my thirties I was busy making my way up the ladder of career success, trying to make lots of money and a name for myself. Fast forward to my early fifties, two babies later (they are both full-fledged teenagers now) and a marriage of 24 years years, I wake up to find that fame and fortune does not look like I thought it would two decades ago. Instead, it is much more meaningful and in my own way I have become an architect of change in my own little world.

Has this got you thinking about what change you are causing in your universe?

Meanwhile, what does it look like for me? I re-invented myself as a Lifestyle Coach a decade ago and by taking the driver’s seat with my health and my finances I hope to be that positive role model. I am on this exciting path to teach others how to protect our biggest asset, our health. Tall order but I am up for the challenge! I am seeing the ripple effects and I have to say it is darn exciting!
Of course it doesn’t mean we have to be a wellness coach to make a difference. There are many other areas besides health and wellness to give back to.

In case you are looking for a little inspiration, here are some other ways we can create change and give back to the world.

• Focus your energy on things you care about. Learn how to leverage your passion and creativity. Even the busiest people can make a big difference with very little effort. Start by changing your perspective. Recognize that you have a lot to offer. The challenge is to find a way to employ your gifts creatively.
• If you have a talent then donate that as well, if you own a business donate your goods or some money so that some children can go on a field trip they otherwise wouldn’t have gotten to go on.
• If changing the world seems a little daunting, how about starting with your own back yard! Improving our own community means improving the lives of our own children and those generations to come. You can help make them the best places they can be.
• Volunteer your time by serving meals to the homeless, or help them prepare resumes for future job applications.
  • Volunteer to tutor a child during the school year, or use your bilingual abilities to help a child in some way.
  • Volunteer with your young or older children and teach them the value of giving back and helping others while they build their own character and sense of compassion.

If fitness is your thing, why not have your children join you in a 5 km race where the money goes to a charity in your community.
• If your children are old enough to shovel snow or rake leaves have them volunteer to do that for an elderly person on your block or in your neighborhood and help them with it!
• Donate your time to your children’s school or your local citizen’s council and be the voice of change in your community.
• Start a neighborhood women’s association and organize Christmas caroling for senior’s homes or food drives for your needy neighborhoods.

A basic need for us humans is contribution. Sure, I hope to leave this earth having had fun enjoying all the pleasures of life, but the more wrinkles I reveal, the more my purpose becomes apparent. I am here to make a difference in this great big world…one person at a time.