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What Can You Do To Get Ready For Your Extended Mid-life?

This article is more than 7 years old.

Did you even know that there was a second mid-life? It’s good news for Baby Boomers and Gen x’ers who believed, that once they received that dreaded letter from AARP at 49.5 years old, their glory days were over. Rather than sitting back and golfing your days away, those born in the mid-1950’s and later are choosing to continue to stay in-the-mix well past their 50th birthday. And because we are living longer a new age group has emerged between 50 and 70 years old.  JoAnn Jenkins, the CEO of AARP, noted this shift and calls it extended mid-life. Her new book, Disrupt Aging, defines the trend and reveals how people are redefining and repurposing these additional years of healthy productivity.

The 3 P’s

Jenkins says the disrupt aging model revolves around updating the view in the 3 primary p’s in our lives; the public, personal and private. The public refers to how national and state policy makers see and respond to the extended middle-agers. The private refers to those who must address issues such as financial wealth and health insurance. And of course, the personal refers to how we see and take responsibility for ourselves.

Personally speaking

Baby Boomers and Gen X’ers are battling aging with an unparalleled ferocity . They compete with their younger peers on the basketball court, in the gym, and for that matter, in the bedroom (there are more cross-generational relationships than ever before.) Beauty regimens, skin care and injectables support the effort to maintain a youthful glow. Service businesses have been created, expanded and blossomed to accommodate the endless need. This 50+ group spends far less time working the basics and a lot more time enjoying leisure pleasures. It's easier now than ever before to pick up a great “homemade” meal at the grocery store and spend those otherwise 2 hours preparing a meal engaging in a physical activity.

Rethink your 5-0

According to Jenkins turning 50 has been a gut-wrenching affair. In the past, expectations based on perceptions of what someone should or should not be able to do at a certain age predominated. Disrupting Aging says that these perceptions are outdated. Our chronological number should not define who you are or who you should be . Fifty no longer means retirement. Extended middle-agers are redefining this twenty year period as a time to dig deep and become involved in important work. It’s an opportunity for continued vibrancy and the option to offer something valuable to the world whether that be in your original workplace, a new field or in a legacy space.

The Millenial Perspective

While the previous generation viewed their elders as past their prime forcing them out of the workplace millennials are allowing extended mid-lifers to utilize their skills and knowledge in purposeful ways.  Current research states that millennials find value in the knowledge and contribution Boomers and Gen-xers bring to the table. Think Robert DeNiro in The Intern. The inter-generational opportunity to collaborate is fertile.

Moving on

Understanding that you potentially have an extra 20 to 30 years of life you have the opportunity to create new goals for personal fulfillment. “As more people live longer and better, incorporating an extended middle age into their lives, we are discovering that aging does not equal decline but instead offers new opportunities for growth and development, new chances to pursue happiness and more time to live the good life," says Jenkins.

What are you going to do to bring yourself joy, fulfillment, purpose and meaning in your extended middle-age?