“Start small. If you’ve lived in chaos your entire life, create one oasis of order for now–no matter how small–and maintain it for one month before moving on.”
–Julie Morgenstern

Some time ago I put together a workshop called Midlife & Beyond: Delight and Despair. The two “D”s seemed very appropriate since we are often freer in midlife and beyond. Most midlifers have gotten to be more comfortable with who they are and where they are. They have also, however, started to face their own aging as well as the old age of their parents, neither of which is particularly easy.
The Baby Boomer generation is at midlife and beyond right now. This generation includes almost 78 million Americans born between 1946 and 1964. The Boomers are the largest generation in U.S. history! They have had major impacts on American society as they have passed through every life stage.
Taking time to assess how life is going in midlife and beyond can have many benefits. Just a few of these positives included:
Identifying and intensifying your inner strengths
Finding your own voice and expressing it your own way
Finding ways to reduce stress
Learning to simplify your life
Accepting the physical changes of aging
We’ll talk more about this stage of life and about how it impacts us in another blog entry soon.

“Today is for observation. Where does your mind wander naturally–into fear or fantasy, humor or stress? Follow your mind, and observe where it goes to feed itself. Do you like what you see?”
–Caroline Myss and Peter Occhigrosso

Letting go of the past tends to be really hard for most people. We look back and think ‘what if…..’ or ‘if only I had…..’ or ‘my life could have been so much better but I did – or I didn’t …….’
All too often we regret what we did or didn’t do in the past. Regret is one of the most frequently expressed reasons for not being able to let go of the past. Regret is an emotion that feels very similar to depression or sadness. It also feels kind of like guilt but it really isn’t any of these.
As long as regret is not resolved, it is very difficult to move forward. So it’s really important to find ways to identify your regrets about the past and release yourself from them. There are many ways to accomplish this. You might want to journal if you like to write or read a good book about moving on. There are many out there that are really good. One of my favorite moving on authors is Louise Hay. Her classic book is You Can Heal Your Life. You might want to join a group where you can focus on letting go or find a qualified counselor/therapist (preferably a Licensed Clinical Social Worker).

“If the way you feel depends on anything outside of you, you’re in trouble–but if you depend only upon your connection with your own Inner Being, then everything in your experience falls into alignment.”

–Abraham-Hicks

“Find the courage to ask for what you want. Others have the right to tell you yes or no, but you always have the right to ask. Likewise, everybody has the right to ask you for what they want, and you have the right to say yes or no.”
–Don Miguel Ruiz

“When you accept the fact that the only constant is change, you’ll no longer be willing to do damage to yourself and others by refusing to accept it. Welcoming change is welcoming life.”

–Anne Wilson Schaef

1.) I am a confident and positive person, and confident and positive persons gravitate toward me everyday.

2.) I know who I obviously am and what I like in personal relationships.

3.) I am attracting powerfully positive and healthy people into my life.

4.) I am caring, smart, supportive, loyal, and fun to be with.

5.) I feel completely at ease and comfortable with all types of people.

Did you ever notice how life can kind of get away from you? Because of the fast paced life you probably live, you sometimes realize that time has gone by and you haven’t kept in touch with people for whom you care. Or maybe you have some important stuff to do and you’re procrastinating. Maybe you aren’t taking really good care of yourself and allowing yourself live your passion.
This is when it’s time to take a break and get centered. You really, really need to take care of yourself first. So maybe you’ll want to take a walk in the forest preserve. Here you have the path along the Fox River that is a wonderful place to find yourself. So is wandering around Geneva’s historic district You may be someone who needs to go within, to meditate or read a good book.
Think about it. What do you need to do for you that will allow you to find the needed peace and comfort to relax, reenergize, and focus on your own personal ambitions? Remember joy in life is necessity not a luxury!

Try saying these affirmations outloud and to yourself on a daily basis!

“The joy in my life is overflowing. My life gets better all the time.”

“When complimented, I smile and say ‘thank you.’ I do not say another word to diminish it.”

“It is only change, and I am safe.”