Decorating your life by cultivating joy and fulfilment.
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"The most important thing is to enjoy your life - to be happy - it's all that matters." - Audrey Hepburn
And that's exactly what we are going to be working on up as we uncover and then "decorate" your life with things that bring you joy and fulfilment.
Welcome Back
Hello again!
I'm Angela Rettie, and I'm so glad to welcome you back for the fifth instalment of our "Midlife Makeover" series.
It's all about setting you up for an enriching, joyful life where you feel fulfilled.
We've built a solid foundation, established healthy habits, and now it's time to decorate your life with joy and fulfilment.
Think of this stage as the equivalent of decorating a newly renovated home.
The walls are up, and the roof is on. The basic structure is complete.
Now it's time to add the personal touches that make the house a home, the elements that bring joy and warmth, reflect who you are, and make your life fulfilling and uniquely yours.
As no home renovation is complete without the final touches, no life is truly lived without joy and fulfilment.
In the same way, a perfect shade of paint or a cherished family photo can transform a room; cultivating positive emotions and experiences can change our lives.
Midlife Makeover: Cultivating Joy and Fulfilment
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This isn't about surface-level joy - we're talking about a deep sense of fulfilment that comes from a life well-lived, from the inside out.
Brené Brown, renowned researcher and author, says, "Joy comes to us in ordinary moments. We risk missing out on joy when we get too busy chasing down the extraordinary."
Let's explore how to cultivate these moments and experiences daily.
Time For a Check-In
Feel like the idea of finding joy and fulfilment in midlife seems out of reach, pie in the sky or is simply unattainable?
Let's talk about the uncomfortable - Change, Retirement & Empty Nesting.
As we navigate this stage of life, it's common to feel a sense of loss or confusion.
The term "empty nest" can spark excitement or fear, and retirement can be daunting.
Instead remember that after years of dedicating ourselves to our families, it's time for something new.
It's time for YOU.
It's time to discover what brings you joy and fulfilment and make those things a part of your daily life.
To quote the well-known writer, Anais Nin...
"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage."
Embracing this time of life, finding joy, and being fulfilled requires courage, but the reward is a life that expands with possibilities.
The Importance of Joy and Fulfillment in Midlife
Let's start with a question:
Why are joy and fulfilment essential in our daily lives?
The answer lies in its ability to elevate ordinary moments into extraordinary ones.
Joy is not just a feeling. It confirms that we live and love our life. It's the spark that ignites a sense of purpose, making our journey more rewarding and meaningful.
On the other hand, fulfilment is the deep sense of satisfaction that we derive from our accomplishments, relationships, and personal growth.
It's that feeling of contentment we experience when we realise that we are living in alignment with our values and aspirations.
Infusing our daily lives with joy and fulfilment enhances our well-being and positively impacts the lives of those around us.
In this way, living in our joy and fulfilment inspires our children for their futures. It shows them how to live well; in doing so, we create our legacies.
How are Joy and Fulfilment like the decorations of our home?
Joy and fulfilment are not mere embellishments in our life's journey. They are as crucial as the rooms in a house.
A house without decor, without those personal touches, may provide shelter, but it lacks warmth and personality.
Similarly, a life without joy and fulfilment may function, but it lacks that spark that makes life worth living.
And you are here and reading this because you are a woman who wants more out of your life.
A beautifully decorated home is welcoming and inspiring, and a life filled with joy and fulfilment radiates positivity and love.
Your elegant home is more than just walls and a roof, and your fulfilled life is more than just going through the motions of daily routines.
It is about experiencing joy, meaning, and a sense of accomplishment in our actions.
Maya Angelou, "My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humour, and some style."
Just like Maya Angelou, our mission should be not merely to exist but to live fully, love deeply, and thrive with joy and fulfilment.
Let's explore some strategies to help us cultivate joy and fulfilment. Because, after all, a house is not a home without the personal touches that bring warmth and happiness.
Strategies For Cultivating Joy and Fulfillment In Midlife
We've discussed joy and fulfilment through our emotions, relationships and experiences. So where do we start looking for strategies to cultivate more joy and fulfilment in our midlife?
You've got it!
We look at what you love, what brings you joy and comfort, and reflect your personality and style.
I'm a practical person who likes to move things along. So, it's time to grab a piece of paper, a notebook or journal and a pen so you can take a few moments to explore how you can start cultivating joy and fulfilment in your life by remembering some of the things that have brought you joy before.
Here are just a few questions to get you started:
Find What Brings YOU Joy & Fulfilment
- 1Think about your favourite memory. What were you doing, who were you with, and why was it so enjoyable?
- 2What are three things you're deeply passionate about? Why do these passions excite you?
- 3Recall a time when you felt a deep sense of peace and calm.
What were you doing then? - 4Are there people with whom you feel especially happy, thrilled or delighted? What qualities do these relationships have that bring you joy?
- 5When do you feel most connected to yourself? What activities are you involved in at those times?
As you answer these questions, look for patterns or themes that may indicate sources of joy in your life.
There is no right or wrong answer here. The aim is to gain insight into what truly brings you joy, happiness and fulfilment.
In the same way that a dress pattern helps us replicate what works, patterns in our lives give us an opportunity to notice what we want more of and recreate it over and over. (or NOT!)
And if you are an overachiever (like me), you may want to follow up by asking yourself:
How does that make me feel?
I've done this exercise many times, and the interesting (and exciting) thing is that you will remember more and more examples over time. Is it because you remember more? Or is it because you allow yourself to see the joy and fulfilment in things you couldn't see before?
If you have done this exercise, you will have some key moments, experiences, and relationships that make your life meaningful.
And if you are thinking, yes, Angela! These are all in the past! What about my future?
You are standing in your newly renovated home, and it's a blank canvas waiting to be decorated.
And it is the same with your life - a chance to start fresh, paint and decorate your life with joy, fulfilment, and more.
Another way to practice this and get even better at it and raising your awareness is by taking my FREE 7 Day Envision & Experience Your Future Class.
It is a bit like a seed, we have to plant it, water it, nourish it, tend to it, pull out any weeds that try to grow and stifle it and it will grow and flourish. We just have to be patient.
"Patience is not simply the ability to wait - it's how we behave while we are waiting."
~ Joyce Meyer ~
6 Steps To Adding More Joy & Fulfilment into Your Midlife
It's a process to add more joy add fulfilment into your life, which I have broken down into six simple actionable steps. We've just completed the first step above by asking and answering the questions. Here are the all the steps together, so you can see what's next for you on your journey.
1. Identify What Brings You Joy
The first step in cultivating joy and fulfilment is identifying what makes you genuinely happy. Is it spending time with loved ones, engaging in a hobby, or perhaps being in nature?
2. Incorporate More of What You Love into Your Daily Routine
Once you've identified what brings you joy, make it a point to incorporate more of these activities into your daily routine. Treat these activities as essential appointments with yourself that you cannot miss.
3. Practice Gratitude Daily
Gratitude is scientifically proven to increase happiness and reduce depression. Keep a gratitude journal and write down three things you're grateful for daily.
4. Invest in Relationships
Our relationships with others are key sources of joy and fulfilment. Make time to connect with the people who matter most to you deeply and meaningfully.
5. Learn Something New
Learning something new stimulates our brain, keeps us engaged, and brings a sense of accomplishment. Whether it's a new hobby, a language, or a skill, the joy of learning can add a new dimension to your life. Years ago, I remember a very successful businessman saying to me, 'You are either green and growing or brown and dying'. Be a lifelong learner.
6. Find a Cause Greater Than You and Contribute
Contribution is not always about money or time. Contribution can be through your presence, prayers, thoughts, energy, skills, strategies, know-how, shortcuts, or simply living your best life and being a role model to others.
Live ~ Love ~ Thrive ~ Give
Decorating Your Life - An Ongoing Process
Just as home decoration is an ongoing process, cultivating joy and fulfilment is a lifelong journey.
Each day offers a new opportunity to add a dash of happiness and a sprinkle of satisfaction to our life.
Decorating a newly renovated home is an exciting process.
It is about personalising the space, adding colours, textures, and items that reflect your tastes and make the space yours.
Similarly, decorating our lives with joy and fulfilment is about personalising our daily experiences, adding elements that reflect our passions and values, and making our lives uniquely ours.
As we add joy and fulfilment to our lives, we decorate our present and envision and create our future. Our lives become a reflection of who we are and who we aspire to be.
Envision & Experience Your Future
Would you like to learn to incorporate more joy and fulfilment into your daily life? Join my FREE 7 Day Envision & Experience Your Future Class. Delivered straight to your inbox, this class provides actionable steps and strategies to help you cultivate joy and fulfilment.
Key Takeaways - Making Space For The New You
Like decorating an elegant home, a well-lived life is a journey of joy and fulfilment.
The vibrant colours, the textures, and the personal touches all reflect who you are and what makes you happy.
Likewise, the activities, relationships, and experiences that bring you joy are the decorations in your life.
As we transition through our midlife makeover, it's essential to remember that life isn't just about surviving; it's about thriving.
Research suggests that by experiencing joy and fulfilment daily, you can improve mental and physical health, longevity, and quality of life. And who doesn't want that?
Helen Keller, "Joy is the holy fire that keeps our purpose warm and our intelligence aglow."
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Join us next time on the Midlife Makeover Series as we tackle the elephant in the room! While we have been working towards the change, making the change can be a whole other issue, and by now, you probably realise I will not leave you hanging!
Until then,
LIVE LOVE THRIVE
Angela
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