I like to watch business news. (Actually, it’s the only news I can stomach anymore.) The world of business has always captured my interest in a way that celebrities and gossip and politics can’t – I think it’s about the innovation and the possibilities that are inherent in business – these are the people that are really doing things that matter, and I love learning about them.
I’m thinking about this now because of the news last week that Sumner Redstone died at age 97. For those of you that don’t know him, Mr. Redstone was the man behind the media empire Viacom/CBS. He had all kinds of drama in his life, not just around his business but with his family, too. (Most billionaires have quite a bit of drama! It seems to comes with the territory.) But that’s not what I want to talk about.
I think Sumner Redstone has something to teach us regarding menopause, though he might be surprised to know that.
You see, he didn’t make his big break in the business world until he was 59 years old. That’s when he made the deal that put him on the map and brought him into the public spotlight – a time of life when most people are in the sunset phase of their careers and actively planning for retirement – but he was busy setting the stage for the next 38 years of astonishing growth and success. I find this incredibly inspiring, and we can learn something from it.
At menopause, we women are in a similar place. We have been working at our careers and our lives for several decades and have probably already hit many of the milestones or goals that we set out for ourselves. It seems natural to view this transition as a winding-down, a tying up of loose ends and preparation to kick back and relax – we’ve earned it!
But what if it wasn’t the ‘beginning of the end’ at all? What if menopause is simply the beginning?
I think we have an incredible opportunity here: to set new goals, to start a new career, to create a whole new life. What we wanted at age 25 might not be what we want at age 50 – those goals, that life path, that purpose somehow don’t quite fit anymore. We’ve been there, done that, and now we have a choice: we can look back at how far we’ve come and decide that we are at the end of the road, put our feet up and pour a margarita; or we can plot a new course.
What if you looked at menopause as an invitation from the Universe to start anew? Make some new goals – what do you want to do? Do you want to make a fortune? Found a company? See the world? Who do you want to be? You have incredible power at your disposal, and the hard-won wisdom and experience that you racked up over the last several decades can be leveraged to help you succeed at anything you put your mind to.
I don’t know about you, but I have no interest in getting to the place where all of my goals are checked off. I fully intend to keep adding to the list, keep learning, keep reaching for something bigger. Maybe I’ll even become a media mogul. ?
Here’s an idea: sit down right now and make a list of all the things you have accomplished: milestones you have hit, successes in business, personal goals achieved, family accomplishments – nothing is too small or insignificant. Think of this like a reverse bucket list. When you’re done, look it over and see what kind of themes emerge. Write them all down.
Now make a new list: write down that crazy dream, those ideas that keeps bouncing around inside your brain: are there career paths you always wish you would have pursued? Places you never got to visit? Inventions that you know would be worth a million bucks? Experiences you wish you’d had? Put these lists side by side, and I am willing to bet that you see some connections. How do all your amazing accomplishments, big and small, build the foundation for achieving some of those paths not followed?
There are no accidents in life. We can’t always see the connections or the value in what we do day by day because we are too close – we are in the weeds and it can be difficult to see a way forward. But pull back a bit, look up, and the path will emerge.
I challenge you to get on that path, whatever it is – you are just getting started.
Find out more about how to THRIVE through this transition and find the community and support you need at www.MakeMenopauseCool.com.