Ignite Your Year: How Awe And Wonder Can Refresh You And Help You Find Your Midlife Purpose This Holiday Season

Episode 14 | (0:00):

Hey friends, I'm so glad you decided to join me for today's episode because it's all about awe and wonder and refreshment, and how all of that can help you find your midlife purpose.

Because you know, a lot of the time we hit midlife and our purpose might be a little blurry. We may have become empty nesters or retired, or maybe we were caretakers for our parents at this point. But it is important for you to have a purpose no matter what stage of life you're in. And you may have been very clear on that purpose when you were younger, and maybe things aren't quite as clear now.

So let's think a little bit about awe and wonder, and how it can make such a difference in our lives.

This is the fourth episode in the Ignite Your Year series, so if you haven't listened to the previous episodes — I believe it's episodes 11, 12 and 13 — go ahead and listen to those. They'll give you some ideas as we move into the new year, as we're setting goals, as we're thinking about setting goals. Because the way that we set our goals is huge in helping us achieve our goals, so check those out. Come join me today as we step into awe and wonder. You ready? Alrighty, me too!

Hey there, Easy Ager. Before we get started today, I wanted to make sure you picked up your gift, The Three Steps To Rediscovering Your Identity So You Can Thrive In Midlife And Beyond. Because once you understand who you are at this particular phase in your life, it's pretty simple to figure out what you really and truly want...at this particular phase in your life. So go ahead and pick that up at TheEasyAgingShow.com, and let me know if you have any questions.

This episode is airing Christmas week and it got me thinking about the season, and about awe and wonder. And I must tell you that as a woman of faith, you know, I am a believer in Jesus Christ, I am just in awe of this little baby that was born in a humble stable. And then he grew up to offer a place in Heaven for every single individual in the world. When I think about the enormity of that and the immenseness of that, I am seriously in awe of that. And I just stand in awe of the fact that God did this for us.

I'm sure if you're following a different spiritual path, you are more than likely in awe of something within your spirituality. But wherever you are, I do encourage you find something to be in awe of, because awe and wonder is refreshing. It helps us feel alive. There is a newness to it. It makes everything look new, it gives us new perspective.

You know, when we were little, we were in all of everything, right? It was all so new and so different. We'd say, "Oh my goodness, what's that? Oh, look over there. I must go explore,...

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I must find out what that is." We were asking questions. We had a curiosity that was insatiable at that age, when we were little bitty kids. And that is a wonderful way to look at life.

Because living with a higher level of awe and wonder... when you do that, life just becomes lighter, it becomes more inviting, it becomes much more manageable.

Some of you, by midlife, you're thinking, "Michelle, I've seen it all." Well, I am going to challenge you on that. No matter what you've done, no matter where you've traveled, how many places in the world you've traveled, no matter how much money you've made, or how many marathons you've run, or how many times you've climbed Mount Everest, any of that...

I have to assure you, there is so much more to discover. There is so much more to explore in this wonderful and amazing world of ours. There is a ton to discover in other people and there is a ton to discover within yourself. I mean, especially within yourself.

Because self-discovery is one of the most beautiful places to find awe and wonder.

After doing this work for over 25 years, I continue to discover the awe and wonder of me. I mean, quite frankly, I find myself absolutely fascinating. I mean, honestly, I'm the most fascinating person I've ever met. ;)

And while that may sound silly, it's true. Every time I go deeper, when I go to a new level, I learn something new about myself. Sometimes I'm like, "Whoa, that is so intense!" Or sometimes I'll surprise myself and I'll say something like, "Wow, really? Seriously? I believe that? I thought I believed this other thing. Oh, that makes sense."

You know, it's just like the onion. You keep peeling off the layers and peeling off the layers to find out what's underneath. Awe and wonder in midlife is interesting. It makes life more interesting, let's admit it, right?

Because after 40, we're all craving awe and wonder. We just don't know how to get it.

Within this journey of self-discovery lies our midlife purpose. Because let me tell you, if you're still breathing, you still have a purpose on this earth. God still has a purpose for you. Having a purpose is important. It makes you feel excited and gives you hope.

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But maybe that's what's missing right now, hmm? Maybe that's why you're feeling a little, you know, a little blah. I'll be the first to admit COVID, the pandemic took us out of the norm. It did a number on all of us, and we all went into the state of numbness. So awe and wonder wasn't something we were actively looking for. It certainly wasn't at the top of our list, was it?

But now, doesn't it kind of feel like we're in a new time? We're in a new beginning? So don't you think it's time to start living with the awe and wonder that life itself has to give you?

Don't you think it's time to start giving some attention to your midlife purpose?

I mean, this is your why. This is why you get out of bed in the morning. It's your unique contribution. It's unique because there's no one else like you. No one else in the world has the same life experience, the same skill sets, the same heart, the same passion, the same vision as you do. So your contributions are uniquely yours, and they are desperately needed in this world.

When you apply awe and wonder to your midlife purpose, you open yourself up to new ideas and to new possibilities into what might be.

Just think about it: What will the world look like if you realize this midlife purpose, if it comes to pass? Will the world look better? Will lives improve? Your life, of course, will improve because you have purpose. But will it impact other people in this hurting world who really need your particular skills and life experience and heart?

Step into the awe and wonder of yourself. Open yourself up to possibility because we all need to be inspired. We all need to feel fulfilled. And just as importantly, or maybe even more importantly, we all need to be living in integrity...with ourselves.

I do hope you're hearing this during the holiday when you're out of your routine. You're off autopilot. Maybe you're traveling and you're in a car or on a plane, or maybe you're in the kitchen getting ready for family to come over for the big Christmas dinner.

Whatever it is you're doing, I do hope you take some time to think about your midlife purpose so you can live or start living fully... living intentionally... living a life of intention and joy.

And if you're not sure what your midlife purpose is, I have a program specifically around that. Email [email protected] so we can have a quick chat to see if it's a good fit for you.

That's it for today. I just wanted to give you something to think about over the holidays so you can really start looking at 2022 with a new level of excitement and enthusiasm. I wish you a very Merry Christmas and until next time, peace, love and blessings to you and yours. Take care. Bye-bye.