Anticipating Fulfillment After 60 - Analyzing Reality

Anticipation vs Reality Testing

Life after sixty is often viewed as the start of a winding down phase, a time for retreating from and leaving behind active engagement in our professional lives and even our personal lives. We begin to hear more prompting and inappropriate questioning about our plans for "retirement".

My favourites are "When do you plan to retire?" or "Haven't you retired yet?"

Contrary to social expectations, many women business owners and executives approaching the crossroads of sixty embrace this era in their lives with anticipation and excitement. With so many resources available to help create a meaningful and rewarding existence, approaching and entering a new stage of life can be an opportunity for growth and fulfillment instead of decline and disappointment!

Whether you’re just entering your sixties or are well into this exciting decade already, let's consider how the next chapter can bring about positive change, allowing for personal growth and fulfillment that transcends age barriers. On this journey of discovery and realignment towards self-actualization after sixty let’s begin with the concept of reality-testing in envisioning what fulfillment looks like.

Beware of the Lifestyle Purveyor

In the 1970s, we received between 500 to 1,600 marketing messages per day to influence our perception of fulfillment. In 2021, it is estimated that we encounter between 6,000 to 10,000 marketing messages every single day. Sites and articles are now promoting the value of targeting the hidden (aka "invisible") demographic of women over 60. We can expect to be bombarded once again by marketing messages and influencers telling us what will make our life complete after the age of 60.

Many of us have daydreamed about a certain purchase, venture, or lifestyle. Most of us can confess that in the past, we have taken the plunge and accepted the "false bill of goods" targeting our generation and our gender. We can’t help but wonder - was it worth it? In a way, it was worth it because we are now wise to the intent of the message peddled by lifestyle purveyors and we, more than any other demographic, are more likely to trust our own wise counsel.

The Art of Anticipation and the Wisdom of Reality-Testing

When you anticipate something, there's a certain level of excitement associated with that feeling. It could be because you've been looking forward to an event for months (or maybe for years) or because you think all your needs and wants will be met. Either way, anticipation puts a smile on your face and makes life's day-to-day challenges and difficulties more bearable. Anticipation in this context contributes to optimism.

However, the flip side is reality-testing. Reality-testing is an emotional intelligence skill that serves your best interests by alerting your wise self to assess alternative scenarios, advantages, and disadvantages before committing to any lifestyle change, project, or purchase. Your research based on your resources, expertise, and experience together with being open to learning from others' expertise and experience can help you to ensure that you are making an informed decision - the decision that is BEST for you. When the time comes for you to make important and life-changing decisions, your expectations are realistic and manageable. Reality-testing in this context contributes to your self-regard and self-trust and adds a superpower element to your decision-making process.

Happiness and Well-Being

We know that no purchase or activity will bring perfect happiness every time. To protect our state of well-being, we try to find a healthy balance between anticipating something with enthusiasm and doing some research so that our expectations aren’t too high or too low. In this way, we give ourselves a better chance of enjoying our decisions without setting ourselves up for disappointment.

None of us wants to experience disappointment or struggle with regrets as we live through a precious phase of our life when our primary goal is to engage in meaningful pursuits and to appreciate that every moment matters.

Reality-testing is a valuable emotional intelligence skill to develop as you analyze what is attractive to you in this phase of life¹ and what fears and concerns can be addressed to change the narrative and find opportunities for taking control, planning action, and finding fulfillment.^{2, 3}

References and Resources:

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1. Anticipating Fulfillment After 60 – Analyzing What Attracts Us, Executive Encore Blog, February 24, 2023
2. Anticipating Fulfillment After 60 - Analyzing Our Fears and Concerns, Executive Encore Blog, March 10, 2023
3. Do We Need to Plan for Fulfillment After 60?, Executive Encore Blog, February 17, 2023 

 What's On Your List? Analyze List of Attraction and Your Fears and Concerns

• The previous posts ^1,2 encouraged you to create your list of fears alongside your list of what you find attractive about the next phase of life. Review both lists for what aspects are a reaction to work. Explore with skills for Reality-Testing. How can you change the narrative of fear and concern to opportunities for taking control, planning action, and finding fulfillment?
• Read previous and future blogs for enhancing your awareness and taking informed action to minimize our fears and concerns and addressing stereotypes that undermine our joy.

 Your Next Steps

• Explore strategies for finding fulfillment after 60. Schedule a 30-minute complimentary call to explore possibilities. On this call, we will get acquainted and discuss what outcome is important to you. I will explain the application process for working directly with me and provide options that might better serve your needs. By the end of the call, you will have a "quick-win" action plan.
• Listen to the Executive Encore podcast. Women Finding Fulfillment After 60! 
• Receive Maestro's Encore blog in your inbox with VIP content and specific exercises, self-assessments, and self-assignments related to this topic and to accelerate your emotional well-being and resilience. Start with your 90-Day EQ Mini-Plan or the mini workbook Emotions Drive Performance: Triggers from Thinking to Results - Predispositions, Self-Handicapping, Self-Sabotage