Some Things Make Perfect Sense

We can all agree that there are some things that just make sense – there is no denying their truth and predictability.

We all have:

1. A brain (mental)
2. A body (physical)
3. A spirit (emotional)
4. A contribution (job)
5. A life (administration)

Reading five blogs each day is challenging. I get that.

Living a great life is challenging too.

But neither one is impossible.

Feed your midlife temptation to transform to a more balanced life.

(next blog)

Light's Out Everybody

Has your life been hectic in the last couple weeks? It’s challenging, isn’t it?

And I don’t want to go one more day…

…without asking, “Did I give it my all, or was I simply going through the motions”.

The 2nd anniversary of Randy Pausch’s death is tomorrow.  Lorie Sheffer’s Guest Blogger post is a fitting tribute to all of us – remember what’s most important, before our lights go out.

*scroll down for next post, or click here to move to next blog*

Many Judge People, By Their Clothes

Exercise is often thought of in the physical sense.

But let’s do a 1-minute personal branding exercise right now.

How many reputations do you have? (answer = 1 with each person you know)

You’ve asked people this before, right, “What do you do?”

And they’ve asked you the same.

How do you like your answer?

And, listening to others answer it, how many answers do you recall?

But what if you did?  What would it take?

Even better, of all your answers, how many can recall yours?

But what if they did?

Now I think we’re getting somewhere.

The answers come to those that pursue them.

What do you do? (the answers tomorrow)

Scroll down to read yesterday’s post or click here to move to the next blog.

Did You Curse Us?

Guest Blogger Lorie Sheffer:

My mother and I were leaving the hospital a few days ago, and she wondered out loud who put a curse on our family. I knew what she meant, but I asked her to explain anyway. Within the past two years, her sister died from Alzheimer’s, my brother was diagnosed with colon cancer and had to go through two surgeries and six months of chemo, my mother in law died, a beloved family friend died, my husband’s cousin (my good friend whom I have blogged about) died, and now my father has been in the ICU for four weeks and a regular room for one (so far). Believe it or not, that is only a partial list.

“What do you mean, who cursed us? I think we’re blessed.” She looked at me as though I were slightly out of my mind. Then I gave her my take.

She had her sister as her best friend for 76 years. My brother recovered and has been given really good odds that he is cured. My mother in law lived to see her grandchildren grow to adulthood and she died at home as she had wished. Our family friend was a robust 85 years old and died suddenly without pain or suffering in the exact same spot where her husband had died years before her. I feel fortunate that I got to know my husband’s cousin and share such fun times with her; she taught us things about life we otherwise would never have known.

As for my dad, we just spent the day with a man whose surgeon said had a less than 50% chance of surviving only 5 weeks before.

We were told to gather the family and call in anyone from out of town who may want to be with us; now we call one another to see who was going in to visit him and when.  I told Mom we can’t lose sight of the positive. My husband can’t run since he had his stroke 14 years ago. He misses it. But if he dwells on having a hitch in his gait then he misses the blessing of being able to walk and to ride his bike. He can’t run, but he can ski. His arm is stiff, but it is functional. He lived to see everything that has happened in the last 14 years with his family. He is blessed. We are blessed.

Bad things happen. That’s life. I’m not saying I haven’t had my share of tears and days when I don’t feel like I can manage to put one foot in front of the other. I’ve had to dig deep lately, that’s for sure. I also know that things are what they are. One day, while driving to Baltimore for my husband’s physical therapy, I saw a billboard with an advertisement that has stuck with me. Wisdom from unexpected places, I suppose. It said, “You cannot change the direction of the wind, but you can adjust your sails.”

AMAZING!!!!!!!!!

I’ll tell you more, later today (hopefully in a few hours).

Have a very busy morning.

Be well and do GREAT work!

World Record Best Selling Author

Daily Bear Hugs Are Under-Rated

What are the joyous moments in your day to day routine?

Do you have them?

Are you conscious of them as they happen?

Are you willing to work for them?

Is it worth the effort?

Do you have any idea what I’m talking about?

Every Monday for the past four years after school, on the way home, our son (9) and I stop at Twistee Treat for ice cream.

But before we get in the car at the school parking lot, we do our daily bear hug.

Mid Life Celebration is when…

Weekly Tradition

Twin Sons Of Different Mothers?

While attending my annual writer’s retreat last week, there was time off from the writing, blogging, networking and publishing agenda to spend time on the beach.

Who doesn’t like getting out of work to go to class, to learn, network and have a nice continental breakfast and “free lunch”?

And by the way, when you go to professional development conferences, there’s nothing wrong with trying to find a great location you like that includes a lot of amenities that suite your style.

Enlarge the above photo and you can see our son (9). I wonder if he’ll go the corporate route, run his own entrepreneurial business, or maybe a bit of both.

Will he turn out just like me?

Crisis Town Or Celebration Bound?

Mid Life Celebration’s catalyst is to help us answer the wake up calls we get, as we journey through life.

These midlife wake up calls can happen at any time, but tend to be in the middle part of our life.

It’s possible you can experience more than one wake up call in your lifetime, and sometimes, you may have more than one at a time.

As Lorie Sheffer described yesterday, an untimely death of a loved one, or the sudden health crisis of a loved one (or even ourselves), can all lead to a reevaluation of our path.

Do you have an example of your mid life celebration (or crisis)?

Ok, So It's Not Red

There’s a midlife stereotype of the middle-aged man getting a red, convertible  sports car and a younger woman.

Mid Life Celebration isn’t traveling that path.

Mid Life Celebration is for those that experience this – you spend your life pursuing your big, important goals, only to reach them.

And the first thing that comes to mind?

“This isn’t what I wanted!”

“Now what do I do?”

www.TheDisneyDrivenLife.com

Mid Life Celebration is also when you show up on other people’s blogs.

If you don’t use Google Alerts, you’re missing a great opportunity to know what’s being said and by whom.

Go Ahead, Use Them

Mid Life Celebration is when Best Buy’s Geek Squad delvers on their promise to help people with Internet and Technology challenges.

Purchased a wireless router, wireless printer and Geek Squad installation package here in Orlando, Florida and they installed it yesterday, in Pennsylvania.

There’s now a 71 year old in Pennsylvania who’s wirelessly connected to the world.

Are you using technology to it’s (your) full potential? Or are you lamenting about the good old days?

But Not Too Busy To Pray

Busy as a Beaver!

It’s an American expression used to describe how busy you are when asked, “How are you doing?”

I’ll be back here at Mid Life Celebration, hopefully later today.

So much to share, so little time.

Ever feel like that?

We're All Looking For This

Finding your purpose in midlife is a beautiful thing. And it may be as simple as the exercise described in yesterday’s links.

As I was reading them and reflecting on them, it occurred to me why I still had a reservation about the whole idea of writing down, and re-writing until it made you cry, your life’s purpose. A brilliant idea, by the way.

It reinforced Mid Life Celebration’s approach as solid, valid, and important. I was very grateful for the opportunity to have my thinking challenged.

Here’s the secret no one wants to admit. While setting a goal as important as your life’s purpose is critical work, pursuing it with passion and tenacity for the rest of your life is a completely different story.

It reminded me of lofty and meaningful New Year’s Resolutions. They usually fail.

And that’s why this midlife blog is helpful to all of you facing an impending midlife crisis, or those of you smack dab in the center of one right now.

Here, everyday, you’ll find a small insight, tip, or story – in real time – to help you pursue your life’s purpose with passion and tenacity. Every day. Got it?

Tribes Add Everyday Value

Mid Life Celebration is:

• An idea
• One of Life’s Big Four
• A Business
• A Website
• A Blog
• A Way Of Thinking
• Our Mental Responsibility
• A Movement

You may not realize this yet, but if you read Mid Life Celebration regularly, and especially if you’ve read every post – going back to when this conversation first appeared on the Internet, then you know a tribe is gathering and being formed here.

Internet tribes are helping change the world shape a better tomorrow.

Crazy Bicyclist?

Are you crazy enough to dream BIG? I mean “Change the World” BIG!

Mid Life Celebration’s vision is to inspire just three percent (3%) of the male Baby Boomers to do something GREAT before they die.

From mending a Family relationship before someone dies, to helping to find a cure for an incurable disease, or something in between.

With roughly half of the 80-million Baby Boomers being men, that’s a target market of 1.2 million.

And then we pray and bank on the ripple effect.  Any idea why?