How do we find purpose in our lives, even when we’re considered “medium-old”?

Recently an item appeared in my email from a national retirees association, definitively labelling my age group as “medium-old”. I ask you?! According to this retirees’ newsletter, the senior years are broken down into “young-old” age (65-74) and “medium-old” age (75-84).  The author left out what comes next; perhaps he or she figured that the next group, presumably “old-old” age (85+), no longer reads newsletters!  I have to admit to not liking these labels very much; I prefer the softer – and remarkably accurate – go-go, go-slow, and no-go categories. And without specific age limits attached. But however you label it, there’s no doubt that this phase of life starts out for most of us as exploring new or renewed interests with few if any limitations, then slowly but surely those limitations start creeping in.  And, of course, that’s why it’s so important to follow any retirement dreams you have well before the limitations part kicks in.

Once the newsletter clarified our old-age categories, it passed along some wise observations from John Helliwell. John Helliwell is professor emeritus at the University of British Columbia and editor of the UN’s World Happiness Report, which each year assesses the “happiness” of every country according to a comprehensive list of metrics, and then produces a full report along with the annual World Happiness Index. I love reading this report, which always makes for interesting reading. The World Happiness Index draws its inspiration from the Gross National Happiness measure developed in the small Himalayan country of Bhutan, whose former king determined that quality of life and social progress is just as important as economic progress. How can you not embrace that concept? ❤

20 happiest countries in recent World Happiness Report

In the retirees’ newsletter, some of Helliwell’s key elements of well-being and happiness are listed: social engagement or membership in a community, a sense of common purpose, social support, trust in the benevolence of others, and involvement in pro-social activities. We are told that these are all elements that can make an enormous difference to how well we oldsters (young-old, medium-old, and old-old) traverse our post-working lives.  And it strikes me that these elements are also keys to success in living lives of purpose and well-being at any age.

Around the same time that I found this retirees’ newsletter in my inbox, I also found a blog post from fellow blogger Andrew at A Life of Virtue: Philosophy as a Way of Life. Among other things, Andrew reminded his readers of the age-old philosophical questions central to human existence:

– How can I live a good life?

– What is the purpose of my life?

– How can be we build prosperous, moral and ethical societies?

Interesting to be reminded of these fundamental questions that have been posed through the millennia.  These are questions we ask ourselves as individuals from time to time, when we realize there is something missing in our lives or when some things becomes unpleasant or even hostile in the world around us.  These philosophical questions about leading a good life and finding purpose in our lives are, sadly, at loggerheads with society’s current ideological focuses on consumerism and individualism. And you can see how happy those ideologies have been making people and society recently. Not!

It turns out that our national retirees association newsletter was providing answers to those very same fundamental philosophical questions.  It’s all very good advice, and, as I mentioned above, it’s advice that’s equally important for every single age group, not just retirees. [Perhaps those groups include young-young, old-adolescent, and medium middle age!]  Everyone’s happiness, well-being, and sense of purpose is enhanced by:

• Feeling part of a community or social group (social engagement)
• Having a shared sense of purpose with others
• Having social support, both providing it to others and making sure that you have social support you can call on
• Trusting in the goodness and generosity of others, just as you demonstrate those qualities to others by example
• Being involved in helping others, in other words being part of the solution of building community.

Yes, when we are retired we have to be more pro-active in making sure we reach out and stay engaged, since work or school is no longer available to provide a ready-made community. And, yes, when we are retired we have far more time to become involved in activities and their accompanying communities of interest. But someone can feel isolated long before they reach retirement age. Belonging to a group and feeling part of a community comes far easier to some people than others, at any age. So if you know of anyone – of any age – who you think might be struggling with loneliness or self-worth, it’s good for your health and well-being as well as theirs to reach out to them. Introduce them to a community of interest. Follow up from time to time. There’s no better purpose in life than helping others. Give it a shot!