Embracing Change

Once you have decided where your heart and values lead, you may decide to make a major change in your life.  Change can be a fresh and exciting experience.  As Boomers, most of us have gone through one or more life changes. Some of the changes we’ve made have been life-enhancing, opening up new opportunities and experiences.  But there may have been times when we rushed into change too quickly, without thinking ahead. We hadn’t considered the potential impact on our financial, social and emotional lives.  

It’s true that embracing change is easier when you’ve had good experiences with it in the past.  But every change, even a challenging one, can be seen as a learning experience. And as a Boomer, you can use what the past has taught you to guide you into the future.  Choosing a new direction in life, whether it be entering into a new relationship, becoming an entrepreneur,  moving to a different location or changing your lifestyle, involves making a plan. 

The first step in any plan is to gather information.   After all, you wouldn’t take a trip, especially to a place you haven’t been before, without doing some research.  For example: Would it be better to drive, or to travel by train or plane and how much would it cost?  Where could I stay? What is the weather like at the time I plan to be there? 

What information do you need as a first step towards putting your plan into action? How would you get it.  Think about it.

Transitions

Many Boomer Women are either facing, or contemplating, life changes.  We may want to become an entrepreneur as many Boomers are doing. We may find a new love. We may suddenly find ourselves in charge of a parent or spouse who needs help. Or we may be contemplating a move and a new lifestyle.

Life changes normally involve a time of uncertainty as we consider transitioning into a new role, or have it thrust upon us. If the prospect of change is our choice, what are our options?  Do we cling to the old and familiar, if we can, even if it is not what our inner voice knows that we want? We may have been taught to always be prudent and cautious and the familiar may feel safe, if not satisfying.   Or do we embrace the change and begin to plan for it by setting goals and establishing the steps that will help us with the transition?  What would you do?

Think about it.

Choices

There are many choices at the Boomer stage of life. What do we want to react to, what do we want to ignore. Who do we want to reach out to, who do we want to leave out.  What do we want to include in our lives, what do we want to discard. Just our own debate- no judgment, life according to our own values, curious, thoughtful, caring, practical, wise and smart.

How to make the right decisions for ourselves?

Think about it.

YOU CAN HAVE IT ALL

So we recall hearing during the first flush of the Woman’s Movement that indeed women can have it all. We can successfully manage career, relationship and kids. Well, many of us found out that it wasn’t so easily accomplished- at least not all at the same time.

Now, as female boomers, who may be widowed or divorced, or in a good stable relationship, having had a satisfying career-or not; with your kids grown, if you had them, maybe it’s time to think about it again.

But, what comes to your mind as your goal for having it all as a still vital woman with decades ahead to go after it? What do you really want? Do you know? Your heart, your inner self may know, but have you learned how to listen to it and hear it? Women often don’t.  The demands of life, of work, of taking care of kids and relationships, have compelled us to defer what we really want for ourselves, our own true selves.

Now is your time to really "have it all".

Think about it.