Benefits of Midlife
The following list is from Baby Boomers Seek to Understand Our Aging Minds from Baby Boomer Magazine online.
Gerontologists tell us that as Baby Boomers age, they develop:
• A superior perception of reality
• Less interest in material things
• More interest in having experiences
• Increased acceptance of self
• Increased wisdom
• Higher capacity for humor
• Increased spontaneity
• Increased appreciation for friendships
• Increased desire to do for others
• Increased sense of fair play and fairness
• Increased creativity
• Changes in their value systems
Although this research was done to find out how best to sell to Baby Boomers, it is still interesting to consider how these qualities show up in our own lives. Ask yourself how much of the above is true for you, and celebrate these developments. For me all of the above is true, and I am very grateful to experience these wonderful changes.
If you are a Baby Boomer who is consciously growing in maturity, you might have become more accepting of yourself, less critical of your shortcomings and therefore of the shortcomings of others, and more forgiving.
Since you are less interested in acquiring things for status, you have more time to think higher thoughts and see reality more clearly. You understand on a deeper level that time with family and friends is more important than material wealth, and are more likely to give them priority than before. You understand that what enriches your life are experiences of love, joy and beauty. Your appreciation of nature and art has skyrocketed. You might find yourself wanting to experience a new type of dancing style, new activities, traveling to exotic places, making love in new ways and in different places.
Since you have become wiser, you can take yourself more lightly, and your sense of humor has increased. I believe that once you can laugh at something that seems contradictory to your logical brain, you have integrated the duality and therefore you are more enlightened than before. Laughing is good for you. It makes people happier, strengthens your immune system, and helps you also heal faster when you get sick. I remember how impressed I was reading about Norman Cousins, who shocked everyone in the hospital by healing 50% faster than any other patient because he was watching funny movies and made incredible funny jokes with the nurses.
You have probably noticed how it is easier to be spontaneous now than when you were trying to appear ‘mature’ and therefore were afraid of appearing childish. Wise people hold spontaneity in high regard. Lao Tzu, one of the greatest Chinese philosophers as well as the founder of Taoism, said, “The Tao’s principle is simply spontaneity.” Spontaneity is the key to healthy longevity. Spontaneity is the natural built-in mechanism in each living organism. We had it when we were babies and then we needed to suppress it to be ‘mature’ and fit into society. In Midlife, we start noticing that spontaneity creates balance and harmony.
As you become free of the fear of criticism you also become more creative. You allow yourself to think outside the box more. And your creativity tends to go toward creating value for yourself and others. In fact, Baby Boomers spend more time thinking how they can help people in crisis and how to contribute knowledge to younger people without shoving it down their throats.
Mature Baby Boomers are also more generous with their time. You are more able to enjoy helping others without pursuing your private advantage. You are probably experienced enough to see that if you are generous in giving to others your instant advantage is feeling better about yourself. You might start wanting to give more generously of your time to your grandchildren and enjoy a closer relationship with them. You might volunteer your time to worthy causes.
I believe that if we as Baby Boomers focus more on the positive aspects of getting on in years, we actually have our Golden Years in front of us no matter what the economy is doing. We are the source of our own richness.
© Carla Tara 2009
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