Everyday either through consulting or giving talks, or at booksignings, I meet people who are miserable about ageing. Some of these people haven’t even reached forty-five, yet already they have taken on an ‘ageing mindset’. Part of this ageing attitude derives from our culture’s obsession and media marketing of youth equals success in careers, finances, relationships and …life.

Yet, youth is missing wisdom, something the marketers capitalize on to easily capture profits. Wisdom is a precious gift bestowed upon those who live many years here on the planet and is far more valuable and enduring. For with wisdom, gained from experience, we can grow and expand in ways that were denied us in our youth.

Sure, our bodies change, but with raw food nutrition, a ‘youthing’ mindset, enjoyable exercise and indulging our passions, growing older can mean seeing more and doing more, with a greater confidence and contentment far and above what we had when we were much younger.

YOU ARE NEVER TOO OLD…. for anything
An ageing mindset is beset with fears on approaching ‘middle age’. It believes it is all downhill from here – its goodbye to your figure, your physical capabilities, your health and sex appeal and…… there is nothing that you can do about it. Some people even expect to get whatever illness took out a family member. I hear it all the time.

” Oh I’ve just been diagnosed with high blood pressure and need to take medication”. A shrug of the shoulders. “Oh well, I gotta expect it, my dad had it and heart problems… and his dad had it… and my uncle - it’s in the family …there’s nothing I can do about it”

And if a person hasn’t ‘made it’ in life, then a resignation sets in from the belief that they have somehow missed out on life’s opportunities. And again… the belief goes – “ Oh well, I should have taken that job/ opportunity/offer/ years ago I’m too old now ….. there is nothing I can do about it…..

Surprisingly, research indicates that people who become millionaires did so after the age of 55, and many people have founded major businesses after the age of 60 ,but how many older people know that?

And even if they do, the average person is powerfully conditioned to believe if you ain’t young - it ain’t fun.

With this common, typical ageing mindset – it’s no wonder people become miserable. Dreams and talents are shelved and a person’s unique gift to the world remains locked away in the mindset of “I’m past it”. A person dies without knowing the deep joy of using one’s passions to share with the world.

The time has come for change. The time for people to live out their entire lives with health, vitality and passion.

Cultivating An Ageless Passion
People are always asking me “Where do you get your enthusiasm and energy from?” The answer - Enthusiasm comes from passion. Because I am passionate about helping others to help themselves, it generates a free flowing enthusiasm.

The key to fulfillment and success in your work as you age is that you must love it. And only you can know what you love. This is what cultivates passion. A love for what you do. Many of us have experienced the frustration of doing work that we’re good at but not passionate about. And others have felt the despair of being excited and enthused about something but lack the required skills. If you are receiving a prompting or an impulse to follow what you would like to do with your life, go ahead and do it even if you can’t see how you could make a living out of it. Get curious and get involved in learning as much as you can about what excites you. You will be lead to the right information. You may need to develop your skills further to present them in an updated way. Whatever it takes, it will be enjoyable.

This is how you flex your passion muscles.

Being passionate will ignite passion in others. It lifts the lid off an ‘aliveness’ that needs to be awakened. It also helps to extinguish fear. The more deeply passionate you become about a project, the braver you become and the more you inspire others to do the same. Passion begets passion. Passion creates the energy and drive to do what others think is impossible. Your commitment, intensity and aliveness is inviting and alluring. You become more attractive to be around and therefore attract others who also have a revolutionary spirit to make a difference.
To engage with our passion as we age we need to ask:

• What are my gifts and talents?
• What arouses and excites my spirit?
• What needs to be done?

Each day think about how you can help people with your passions and you will draw people into your life to do so. Your life will become more fulfilling and more meaningful and you will love it!