SOUL INSPIRED TUNE-UP

For these women it seems that being 50-years-old is a threshold.  This milestone is a marker for personal transformation from taking care of the family and their financial security  -  to  - moving into work and lifestyle options that reflect their own personal inner Self.   Be in Love Today!

It's time for ME! I had a wonderful time coaching at the MGM Leadership Conference.  An incredible two days of inspiration with a few hundred women present.  There is so much leadership exhibited by these incredible women - mothers, wives, executives, and business owners.  WOW! My sessions hosted a diverse group, from a young mother emerging into her career to a majority who were over 50. For these women it seems that being 50-years-old is a threshold.  This milestone is a marker for personal transformation from taking care of the family and their financial security  -  to  - moving into work and lifestyle options that reflect their sense of their own personal inner Self.  For most, this is a time of accomplishment and celebration.  For others, the transition was forced, not of their choice, so understandably it is a time of contemplation, reflection, change and fear. It was not like they were saying I gave something up to be here.  The feeling was more that it is now my time.   Even the youngest stated, "I don't want to look up and look back to find that I didn't take any ME TIME!" The big questions seemed to be how to make a change into a lifestyle, work-style or heart-style that included more time for my Self-style.  Here were some of the concerns and transitions: "I'm 50, I have been passed over twice for promotions. I want to grow and expand." " I'm 50+ and my children are more independent, I don't have to worry about money so much anymore, I want to do the work that I always wanted to do." " I'm 50 and  I want to contribute and make my community/world better.  This is a total career do-over. I don't know where to start." "I am 50 and I am making a lot of money, I want to retire and do the business I always wanted to do" "I'm 50 and I don't know what happened.  Suddenly I feel dated, my skills seem outdated, I feel old." "I'm 50 and I am African American, Latina, Asian now I'm old too... who is going to hire me?" "I'm 50 and I am a bundle of energy.  I have all of this knowledge and I need to be able to make sure my company knows my value." Are you relating to any of this? The purpose of this blog post is not to go into "fix it" mode or "You can do it" cheer leading or to give you a list of non profit organizations that can help.  The purpose of this post is to say, if you relate to any of this that you are not alone. I recently got on my "soapbox" with a group of my friends.  There are five of us.  We were thinking, small.  It takes the same amount of steps to run a conference for 10 as it does for 100.  Move your body so that you know that you can do that 3 day retreat without collapsing. One of my friends implores me to "REST!" We do some of our spiritual work together.  We love each other.  There is comfort here and we challenge each other.  We know that we are not alone.  We talk about our fears.  We acknowledge our gifts.  We talk about our professional experiences and skills. We help each other. Between us we have a educator, a marketing professional, an IT / social media - "do It on a shoestring" whiz, and a diversity expert / facilitator leader. We know each others dreams. We make sure we stay focused. We cheer for each other.  When I had to go through my first ever garage sale preparing to sell my home - they took shifts a nd each showed up to make sure that I was not alone. When I was trying to figure out how to save money on marketing my new product  my social media / save money on-line friend walked me through. Maybe that's the point... You are not alone. These precious four are women that I have known for only a year or two.  In some ways they found me.  In other ways we found each other.  The transformation through professional evolutions are profoundly personal but they get in my business.  They gift  hugs to me, compassion, understanding and a good quick kick in the caboose.  This is the company called, "Sisterhood"  it has institutional history that is in our DNA. It is not easy to be vulnerable, to have a safe place to talk, be honest and real. As you move through your networking, conferences and business meetings build relationships. A good coach will give you an honest point-of-view, accountability and expertise. A good group of friends provide all of this and more. They provide the ultimate bottom line profit..Love! Thrive! Achieve! Prosper! Be in Love Today! Mercedes © 2012 Mercedes Warrick. All Rights Reserved.