Over 60 Exchange

During periods of the greatest changes are the greatest opportunities! Do you believe this? You should. It is happening right now. We are living in just such a time. During these times when everything around us is rapidly changing there is much confusion causing most people to become frozen with inaction hoping for things to return to normal. While most people will stand still, it is during this confusing time when the door of opportunity swings wide open for new ideas, new inventions, and new ways of doing things. It is at this time when any individual with initiative and a good idea can jump ahead of the crowd regardless of age. It is not your age that will hold you back in trying times. It is your attitude!

If you recognize that things are challenging or even worse, you see yourself gaining momentum in the wrong direction also understand that you are the only one capable of making a directional change. Changing directions is not dependent on your age. Many people hit a certain age and feel like life has passed them by and that their best years have come and gone. For some this could be age 30. For others it could be age forty, fifty or sixty. It is important to understand these are only numbers. Your real age is determined by your attitude. And, if you attitude causes you to think that you are capable of more; you are regardless of the events surrounding you.

Today's economic and life altering events should be looked at as opportunity to change your life regardless of age. Further, history is filled with examples of people who did not reach their true potential until late in life. People like Ronald Reagan, became the governor of California at 61, and later also became US President; Sam Snead , golfing great known as "Slammin' Sam" winner of seven major championships and a record 81 PGA Tour events. He won a Par 3 Tournament in 1974 when he was 61; Gandhi, when he was 61, and he and his followers marched 240 miles across India in 24 days to make their own salt from the sea in defiance of British colonial laws and taxes; William Jennings Bryan, began his furious campaign against the teaching of evolution in schools when he was 61; Benjamin Franklin, At age 70, in 1776.

Franklin played an instrumental role in drafting and signing the Declaration of Independence. At age 81, Franklin signed the Constitution of the United States of America; Frank McCourt, the author who wrote the bestseller "Angela's Ashes" began to write first in his sixties; Chaucerwrote his CANTERBURY TALES between the age of 54 and 61; Ogilby, the translator of Homer and Virgil, knew little of Latin or Greek till he was past 50; Socrates learned to play on musical instruments at age 80; Columbus was well over 50 when he discovered America andGrandma Moses achieved her fame and success after age 90.

Deepak Chopra writes: "A baby girl born in America today is expected to live just less than eighty years; an infant boy has a life expectancy of almost seventy-four. Historically, there are many people who have lived to ripe old ages and have made major contributions to civilization.Leonardo da Vinci was drawing sketches in his sixties, Leo Tolstoy was writing novels into his seventies, and Michelangelo was sculpting in his eighties. Winston Churchill, with his fondness for cigars and Scotch, was active and productive until his death at age ninety. '(SOURCE: Deepak Chopra, Grow Younger, Live Longer, Part 6)

Here's the bottom line. We can all sit around and 'belly ache' about politics and who is getting what. We can watch television and point fingers as to who is to blame and who is not. What good does it do? What good does it do for you? This is the time for action not complaining. This is the time to get up out of the reclining chair and make decisions about what you are going to do about your life. Look around and see what is needed. Help someone else. This will deflect attention from yourself and focus your energy on something outside your personal world. In this process you will gain perspective and new ideas will flow. You may even come up with that one singular idea that will change your life.

In bad times there are always good times. It is up to us to have the eyes to see them and the attitude that we deserve to pursue them.