60 and Out of Work?

The “Baby Boomer” generation encompasses almost 80 million people in the United States. It is one of  the largest segments of our population, eclipsed only slightly by Millennials.  Demographically they are defined as those people born between 1946 and 1964; that boom of children born of the returning soldiers from World War II. (Those soldiers got really busy when they got home.)

It's one of the most influential generations in history; a true phenomenon.

Now aged between 57 and 75, these Boomers are also more and more out of "traditional" work.  They can be replaced with a younger version, far more technically adept, costing half as much. Most will never return to a job again.

Of course, I am a “Boomer” myself, and I haven’t had a job in a lot of years. I have had a business.

This is the hope for all Boomers: self-employment! The problem is that many of my Boomer clients are afraid to have their own businesses. Some of you may not have really considered it because you didn’t know where to begin - and you’re used to having a job. But Boomers can actually be well suited to the entrepreneurial style. Boomers tend to appreciate independence, they do mistrust authority, and they are at a time of life when they are highly skilled.

My opinion is that whether or not you return to corporate life, starting a small business is an excellent step because it keeps you in the game; it gives you focus. We are still the most influential generation in history, and we need to be active and involved in commerce.

Also, a lot of people think “starting a business” is like starting Apple.  This is not about empire building; this is a survival technique. In this Covid era it is usually home-based and requires at least a passing knowledge of Zoom.  We are in an era that is not focused on "jobs," as much as "projects," “outsourcing," and "part time."

This group is not actually "entrepreneurial;" but it is truly "enterprising."     

Having an "enterprise," teaches you about leading, time management, marketing, and presenting - all of which are important in the marketplace today. Also, when you start to look at your work life as comprised of "services you are offering" is more empowering and allows you to think in terms of 2 or 4 "clients" you serve as opposed to serving only one: a boss.

Making money keeps you in the game and makes you feel younger and more vital.  When someone is willing to pay you good money, it makes you feel valued, and pumps so much self-esteem, you won't even need Botox!!  

Are you a Boomer looking for support getting up and running?  Let's chat.  

https://bookedin.com/book/fired-up-for-success 

Mary Lyn 

 

Free tele-seminar: The Power of Conscious Creation

I invite you to join us for an eye-opening 75 minutes for a lively conversation with me and the amazing Mind Trainer and Hypnotherapist, Duncan Tooley for

The Power of Conscious Creation:

3 Steps to More Confidence, Freedom & Success

Tuesday, June 7, 6:30 PDT/9:30 EDT

(can’t make it? Register & get the recording)

* Learn the #1 Reason you may be too busy, too distracted, and too overwhelmed to really achieve your potential success…and it has NOTHING to do with your schedule!
* Understand the Law of Alignment and how you can use it to get everything you want with so much less effort!
* Master your mental control center to overcome your fear and negative beliefs….
* This is a live call where we do take questions and have conversation!

For more information and registration:

Click here

PS: If you can’t make it, be sure to register above to so you get the recording! You can always listen later.

The 90 Day Effect

If you’ve ever watched an infomercial, you’ve probably watched fitness guru, Tony Horton, sell his “P90X” muscle building program: 90 Days to a fantastically built body.

Dr. Oz espouses his “Live Longer, Feel Younger 90 Day Diet Plan.”

Addiction recovery programs focus on “90 meetings in 90 days.”

Even the first days of a new presidency is observed for its “First 100 Days.” Yes, it 100 IS 10 days more than 90, but it is close.

So, what IS this 90 Day marker? Is it more effective than, say 21 days? What about 30 or 60 days? Are they less remarkable?

As the founder of the Fired Up for Success 90 Day Program, I am happy share to my opinion.

It takes 90 days to build a new habit. Yes, you can have awareness almost immediately. You’ve gone to the workshops, or had the coaching session, or gotten cutting edge information, and been incredibly inspired. Ideas flowed. Insights popped.

Then, you went home. Incorporating new insights and ideas into your existing life or business is the hard part. “What am I going to DO with this idea or insight?” That’s trickier. Often we don’t KNOW what to do, and, if we do, we’re apprehensive about doing it. The act of “DOING” often triggers fear and resistance which manifests as perfectionism and procrastination. “Doing” is often a very new habit. It takes some direction to learn how to move past fear and procrastination.

There are some primary tools that help with that, but the real key to success is consistency. Whatever you do over and over is what produces results. The 90 Day marker allows you to have had the time to embrace a new behavior, get used to doing it over and over, and, by 90 days, have it become a new pattern.

It also allows it to work. In 90 days, you CAN see that your life is changing. The neuro-pathways of your brain are actually in place for a new way of being. But, that doesn't happen without repetition. It takes 90 days to experience real results.

We live in a world where we want instant gratification and expect too much too soon. Whatever you want in your life, you have to give it a minimum of 90 days.

The 90 Day program is a terrific format for delivering a wide variety of services, education, coaching and change management. If you want to know more about the magic of the 90 Day Program and how you might incorporate it into your product or service, be sure to join us for our upcoming call next Monday!!

By the way, good marketers already know this secret. I just signed up for Vonage, where they offered me a low introductory rate for….guess what….90 days!! They know I will be thoroughly hooked and have embraced Vonage as my phone company by then.

So, I hope to connect with you some of you soon.

Probably on my Vonage phone.

7 Benefits of Finding your Purpose

We often talk about finding your purpose as a personal growth exercise or a spiritual quest which may feel somewhat removed from our daily life. While purpose certainly can be spiritual and growth oriented, a strong sense of purpose has infinitely more practical applications which promotes well being in all areas of your life.

As a teacher of life purpose and coach helping clienys create purposeful, passionate careers and businesses, I have seen the remarkable transformation when one find their purpose.

Here are just a few benefits to connecting with your purpose:

1) Self-Esteem
When you truly understand our purpose more fully, you more fully realize what you have to offer. You realize your value, and not only feel better about yourself, but are more equipped to communicate our value to others whether it is in a job interview, self-promotion or marketing a business.

2) Belonging
Purpose helps us to find our place. Once we realize what we are here to do, our sense of competition and insecurity is lessened. We have something to do that is our own. We are unique. It allows us to be more connected to ourselves and to others.


3) Clarity/Direction
Opportunities and information abound in today’s world. Without a clear sense of how and why you operate the way you do, you really can’t really grasp a solid direction. Direction does not come out of learned skills, but more out of passion, joy, a sense of calling and love. The more you know about what this means for you, the more direction you will experience.


4) Passion
Passion and purpose are inextricably linked. Purpose is defined by your passions. It’s the energy and fuel that allows you to fully express your purpose. The outcroppings of passion are laughter and fun which, interestingly, are powerfully transformational. We don’t do it nearly enough, and yet laughter and fun alone can change our lives.

5) Energy
Living with passion and purpose results in a more energetic, fired up way of life. (In case you wondered where my name came from :) Energy is the natural signal of purpose. An energy spike in your life for any reason is a positive indicator that you are headed in the right direction and living in alignment with your purpose.

6) Opportunity/Money
Purpose is a magnet for opportunity and fulfillment. Purpose and its related passion and energy become a powerful attracting force for anything on which it is focused. Despite what we've been taught, hard work is the WORST solution. Seek inspiration and flow. Flow is the key to successful, effortless living and requires letting go, relaxing and allowing. We talk about cash FLOW. Flow rarely happens if you are not grounded in a sense of purpose. We find that people who are purpose/passion powered attract everything they need, as they need it.

7) Fulfillment & Spiritual Connection
Focused purpose and expressed passion is a powerful formula for happiness and fulfillment…which is the purpose for all of our lives. The sense that we are a part of a much larger universe and that all things are orchestrated in our higher good offers a sense of trust, faith and staibility so terribly needed in tough times.

And, there is so much more!

I was thrilled to find out recently that the Beach Cities Health District designated my "Discovering Your Life's Purpose" class one of their "Live Well" classes and the featured class for Emotional Well Being.

If you would like the CD or MP3 of one of my past Life Purpose classes, go to www.firedupforsuccess.com/store

5 Secrets to Happy Holidays

Here are my 5 secrets to the happiest of holidays.

#1) Slow down.
I'm a rush type person, so my speeds are "Quick...Zippy....and Speedy." Slow it down. Keep it simpler. Enjoy whatever is going on, and rest between bouts of parties and visits. The simpler I have made this time of year, the more I have truly enjoyed it. My family does a secret Santa rather than buying tons of gifts for everyone. Even Mom's table is going to be a little simpler this year. It puts the focus on being together.

#2) Be extraordinarily kind.
In the rush of gift buying and mall shopping, sometimes we forget to be kind. This is not always an easy time for people. Take notice and perform a random act of kindness, and your holiday will be brighter.

#3) Take some time alone.
It's so easy to get distracted by the to do list. This is also a great time to stop and smell the candles and listen to the angels sing, and a great time for a heavy dose of gratitude.

#4) Get involved.
Oh, I know this seems counter to what I just said. It's easy to be shallow, surface and not really present this time of year. But, who needs you? If you're alone, who else is alone that you can help? Get involved with the people you care about or need you. Make an effort to really connect.

#5) Let go.
Nothing is gong to happen on schedule. The dog may eat Grannie's gift. The weather won't be what you want. Let it all go. It's part of the holiday experience...and actually what will make it memorable. Laugh about it. Laughter is an amazing spiritual energy. Enjoy it all. Focus on being happy and loving no matter what.

On that note, I can't tell you how important all my friends, clients and subscribers are to me. I thank you and appreciate your involvement. Here's to a wonderful holiday for you and yours!!

The Gratitude Game

As Thanksgiving approaches, it’s a good time to be thankful for the good things in our lives.

While most of us view ourselves as thankful for our blessings, we determine what we believe to be a "blessing" and what is not. However, some of your greatest blessings may not initially look all that positive in the beginning. For instance, my experiencing Cancer is what turned my life around and opened the door to a good health consciousness and rewarding life work. Today I always give thanks for the gift of Cancer, but at the time it was fearful and overwhelming. The first thing to understand about gratitude is that it is not a selective process.

The Gratitude Game begins with the premise that genuine thankfulness begins with being grateful for everything..yes, absolutely EVERYTHING in your life. Yes, your business challenges, your work struggles, maybe even not knowing what might be next. Here are the steps to the Game:

1. Make a list of anything you perceive as positive in your life. The people who love you are a good start. Anything good about your work, your relationships, special advantages or support you've received, anything nice someone else has done for you. Just write down everything you can think of that is good about your life. Be truly grateful for it.

2. Next write down everything ordinary that you take for granted: the roof over your head, your sight, your hearing, the ability to chew, your health, and so forth. When you really think about it, there are so many small, inconsequential conditions that conspire to create a good lifestyle. This is a good time to recognize them.

3. Finally, write down any painful, uncomfortable thoughts, feelings and events, some of which may feel uncomfortable or difficult right now…and get grateful for them. Why? Difficulty is how we learn the lessons of life. No one said it was all going to be easy. But, gratitude opens you up. It helps you release the resistance (oh, why did this have to happen to me?) and embrace your difficult circumstances and allow the most good to come from them.

What creates your reality is not what happens to you, but how you RESPOND to what happens to you. Life does have challenges, but there is a positive side for each and every one of them. Be grateful for the gift inside of every heartache even if you can’t see it right now.

4. Give thanks for those blessings that are on the way. Feel them coming. Expect success. Expect the best and be grateful for it.

After completing this little game, how do you feel? Everyone who plays is a winner because I'll tell you a secret, gratitude allows you to receive more; it is the foundation of all abundance. An open, gracious heart is a powerful magnet for good. Money, opportunity, and joy flows toward gratitude. Try it and see. Let me know your results.

How to Control Overwhelm

“Overwhelm” seems to be more the norm than the unusual today. We’ve grown used to being “overwhelmed” as a way of life, but did you know it can rob you of your motivation, your health, your relationships, your financial stability and your overall well being?

When we are facing a career change or major life transition or thinking about what we’re going to do next, we can feel overwhelmed even when we are doing nothing. The thoughts in our head just take up so much space!

But, you CAN do something about it. It’s not HAPPENING to you. It is the result of certain behaviors and mindsets, and I’m going to talk about some of them over the next few weeks so that you can join me in DECIDING that this is no longer a useful coping mechanism.

Are you ready to do something about it? I am. You CAN change this destructive habit, and in the next weeks we’re going to tackle this together.

So let’s start by discussing the concept of “time.”

Yep, when we’re overwhelmed, we feel a constriction of time. Time is like having a limited amount of space in a drawer, and an infinite amount of things to put it in it. Everyday people around us are constantly making up new things for us to put in our 24 hour drawer. The list is growing and expanding as we speak. (Well, I’m writing.) Yet, there is still only the same amount of space in that drawer.

In fact, our language is often about feeling “jammed up,” “tight,” and, well, “overwhelmed,” because our drawer is overly full.

It’s important to note that mental energy has the power to really fill up the drawer! There’s nothing like a solid negative thought to get your drawer filled to the brim.

The drawer is the same for everyone, by the way. I have the same 24 hours in a day that you do. But, those who are centered, focused, satisfied and fulfilled make different choices than some of us who are rushed and overwhelmed all the time. They choose wisely what they put in their "drawer," and what they leave out of it. And, they make no attempt to do it ALL. They are content with choosing less in their drawer – and enjoying it more.

According to Jeffrey Davidson, a time "attitude" consultant, "the mega-realities of life in America are that there are too many people, too much information and limitless choices. The one thing that isn’t limitless is time - there is only so much a person can accomplish in a day. Those ever growing realities make learning to ’manage’ your time only a short term solution," says Davidson.

So, you can see, that tomorrow, next week, next month next year, the demands on your time are going to be greater. You no sooner get a handle on your current situation then 6 …or 20…. new things show up, and your time management plan is a shambles.

Now let’s go back to the drawer. The quality of your life is determined by what you choose to put in your drawer …and what you leave out every day.

What qualifies as a “choice?” You have made a choice when you say “Yes, I’ll do that.” Or “yes, I’m going to buy into that negative idea.”

So, how do you determine what goes in and what gets left out?

Passion goes in. Dreams, visions, fun, laughter and creativity go in. Anything that captures your imagination and makes your spirit soar goes in. Time with family, Disneyland, nature and self-renewal go in the drawer.

For some amazing reason, passion, joy, balance and play actually increases space in your drawer. That energy creates more energy.
It also keeps the negative thinking quiet as well.

But most of us fill up our 24 Hour Drawer with less than meaningful activity, stressful work, and bland relationships in hopes that somehow, someday there will be "extra" time to pursue something we care more about. It doesn’t work. It only makes you feel more hopeless and helpless…which starts another round of space filling negative thinking.

So, make a note to start to remove energy draining activity, meaningless tasks and anything that doesn’t inspire you…OUT of the drawer. If you are wondering how to determine that, sentences that begin with “I have to, ought to and should” tell you what needs to go out.

These are all things that you are resisting and don’t make you feel good, and will trigger negative thinking which triggers even more overwhelm.

But you may be thinking, “What will I do about my responsibilities?”

In my next article I will talk about exactly that.

But, right now, I suggest you begin to become aware of your drawer. What are you putting in your drawer and what could you leave out?

This is the beginning of releasing overwhelm.