In recent years, there have been a number of studies about the relationship between purpose and aging. A Sense of Purpose Promotes Healthy Aging is one example. Research suggests that living with a sense of purpose not only adds quality of life but years as well. It also is associated with less risk of Alzheimer’s.

But what is ‘purpose’? What is it like to not have a sense of purpose in your life? How do you find purpose? There are many ways to describe the impact of living life without purpose – languid, meaningless, without soul, etc. No wonder it is so important!

When you look at various definitions, purpose is really about having a driving force in life or sense of meaning. So, you could say that purpose is what gets you out of bed in the morning. Or, from a quote in Jennifer Louden’s book Why Bother, “Meaning arises from loving life…” What can you create so that you love your life even more?

Purpose Is in the Present

Are you in the “one plan and done” retirement trap? Living into your 60s and beyond is a phase of life with many transitions. Sadly, one aspect of ageism is that retirement is seen as a static life phase with decline over time. It is time to disrupt this view, and we are the ones to do it!

When we plan for retirement, we often create just one vision for what we believe will bring contentment and satisfaction. Many of us have already learned that this phase of life is much richer and varied than that.

Think about it: If you retire at 65-ish and are blessed to be healthy and active, your retirement years may last as long as your professional ones! What provides satisfaction today may not in another 10 years.

It might be satisfying for you to decide on one path and then follow it over the retirement decades. Or you can make it an adventure and learn about what brings you joy, continue to