Aging like a guru: A new lease on life at 70? Who me?

— from Rosie Kuhn —

Harriet and Daniel met while working in the financial industry. They’ve been married 20 years. Both in their mid-70’s now, they clearly state that who they are now is so different than who they were 20 years ago.

Harriet shares that she was all business – saying that that is what the banking world is – all business and very little heart.

About eight years ago, they came across a particular network marketing company, which they initially took on as a business, with the mindset of serious business people. And over a very short period of time, the experience they were having with the company and the people they were serving opened their hearts. Harriet shares that Daniel isn’t the person he used to be. He would never hug anyone before and didn’t really smile much. Now he is incredibly happy getting out of bed and seeing what the day brings. 

How I came to meet Harriet and Daniel is through this network marketing organization that they are passionate about. When I met Harriet almost three years ago, her eyes sparkled and her whole being vibrated with love and generosity. And she still does today. She is very clear this isn’t who she was in her previous life as a banker. Harriet remarks that she had no idea she had such a capacity for love and connection.

Harriet and Daniel weren’t looking for a new lease on life. They weren’t interested in changing their attitudes or participating in any self-discovery programs. But here they are, thrilled with their lives and going strong. Harriet shares, “I wake up every morning feeling younger than I did the day before. I’m so excited to see what life has in store for me today!”

So why am I sharing this story about Harriet and Daniel? It’s not to suggest you quit your job and join a network marking company. I’m sharing this story in support of saying that there are so many people who are happier later in their lives than they ever expected to be. They found themselves. Is that really possible?

Are Harriet and Daniel lucky? Are Harriet and Daniel blessed? Or, did they somehow make choices later in their lives that brought about this possibility of discovery and living into happiness? I believe it’s the latter!

My belief is that luck and blessedness are available to every one of us. What allows for what we call luck or blessedness to show itself, in all the ways it does, is the attitudes that empower luck to be perceived and acknowledged.

If I don’t believe luck exists, if I don’t believe blessings rain down on us all the time, then I will never recognize their expressions in the world.

I hear quite often from clients, “Oh, I believe luck exists, just not for me.” So when good thing happen to them — which is so much more often than they can acknowledge — they are blinded by their belief: “It doesn’t exist for me.”

Our Guru within would probably see it differently!

A few years ago, when I was on the Mainland, there was a barrage of experiences in which I experienced a sense of blessedness. Little things like traffic lights turning green instantly, getting the perfect parking spot, getting an unexpected super deal on what I was buying, and even seeing a traffic jam on the highway and somehow finding my way through it all effortlessly. This happened a number of times, so I came to the conclusion that, when I went off Island I was blessed.

Well, my curious mind said, “well if I’m blessed when I go off Island, am I not blessed when I am on the Island?” At first the response was, “well I have no evidence that I’m blessed when I’m on the Island, when I’m home.” Then my guru within asked: “Well, it sounds as though you assume you aren’t blessed on the Island. Could that keep you from experiencing the blessings that are present?” Hmmmm!

So, I decided to practice anticipating the presence of blessings and luck. I chose to see anything out of the ordinary as a blessing — an eagle in the sky, seeing a friend at the store. I opened myself up to seeing beauty and delight where before I was closed. Even when things didn’t go the way I anticipated, I chose to see this as a blessing – that somehow something greater would come about. And inevitably, something good came out of what seemed to be impossibly not good.

Harriet and Daniel are blessed and lucky because they choose to be open to the possibility that luck and blessings are always and everywhere. They were open to exploring potential abundance and found an abundance of love and joy to exist within their hearts. I think that is pretty cool.

Leaning into the possibility that joy, fun, and abundance are available for each of us, regardless of our age, allows us to begin to look into our world for what is good, what is joyful, and what is a blessing or a lucky coincidence.

A newfound lease on life is then available to you. Who me? Yes You!!!

For more blogs, books, videos, or if you are interested in coaching or training with Dr. Rosie, check out her website: www.theparadigmshifts.com, or her podcast at aginglikeaguru.podbean.com.