Design a Life You Love TODAY!

Are you ready for a reboot that brings you more fulfillment, fun and a life you love?

Let Your Imagination Run Free!

We’ve got a plan for that! You’re going to want to see our 4 easy steps to starting over after 50. What are you waiting for?

Download our FREE Workbook – “Kickstart Your Second Act – Design a Life You Love TODAY”

Starting over after 50, 60? Just need a reboot? 

We’ve all been knocked off our game in the past few months.  Losing a job after 50 is never great, but add the current economy and yikes! I get it.

Divorce? Ditto. It’s hard to move on when you’re confined to your digs. 

Starting over after 50 can be easier than you think, and lots more fun!

Maybe things are tracking ok for you, but you want to “fix” something in your life – like a total health revamp, or creating a new WFA (working from anywhere) gig. 

Got it.

Whether you’re over 50 and starting over from scratch, trying to work through a rough patch, or are just in a funk and want to shake things up, you’re in the right place. 

 “New beginnings are often disguised as painful endings.”  Tao Te Ching

By the end of this article, you’ll have designed the life you want, and know exactly what you have to do to kick it off.

Yep – You’ll hold in your hand a visual of your Second Act, and a plan that starts…..drum roll, please… TODAY.

By the time we reach our 50’s, we’ve done lots of living. Life has been wonderful and life has been crappy. It’s rewarded us and it’s hit us hard.

And as sure as the sun rises and sets, the hits will keep on coming. 

Many of us are facing major life changes or a loss that can bring you to your knees. 

And some just know it’s time to change things up. The spark is missing and the runway’s getting shorter.

Whatever your circumstances, we’re going to take that on today. 

Cuz, well, change is good. Besides, starting over after 50 or 60 is amazing! 

Go from “someday” to today!

Who hasn’t said a gazillion times, “Someday I’m going to….”  

Spoiler alert: Someday is here.

Is this you?

• You’re dreaming about moving back “home” to be closer to family and friends.
• You need a side gig to top off your finances for retirement.
• Your job “ran out” and you’re ready to start an online business where you call the shots.
• You’ve suffered an emotional set back and you need to find some peace of mind and find a way to get past that excruciating pain.
• It’s time to chase your dream and you’re ready to write that darn novel, learn to paint like a master, or sell all your stuff  and tour Italy?
• You’ve always wanted to give back and you want to volunteer helping the four-legged friends in your community?

There are as many dreams as there are peeps in the universe.

But there’s only one way to make them happen.

Yep – that’s right. Jump in and do it.

What are you going to do next with that big bad life of yours?

Cuz there’s lots more for you out there. (That’s why you’re reading this.)

And it’ll be magnificent!

Stop dreaming and start doing! 

 Your great new life isn’t going to make itself happen.

Let’s get you on track for an exciting, fulfilling second act –  or third or fourth! 

Stick with me and in just a few easy steps, you can have an action plan for your life reinvention today.

Daydreaming is great. But taking action is better.

What  brings you joy?

Getting a life you love is within reach. 

Need some help pinning down just what your perfect life would look like? 

We all do. 

Great. Let’s spin out that amazing life that awaits you together.

If you’re facing a pain point right now like divorce or loss, it’s easy to be consumed with that and to singularly focus on just getting past that. 

Healing takes time.

But there’s a lot more living to do on the other side of that noise.

Tough love here!  (And I can say this because I’ve been there)  

You WILL get beyond it. 

But you’ll get beyond it lots quicker if you’re building a big, bodacious life for yourself. 

So, let’s go beyond that pain point just for the next few minutes and create a life you’ll love.

It’s now or never babe!

And yes, you are more equipped than ever to know what you want your life to be, and to go out and get it.

Need some inspiration for just what life can bring you? Check out “Off the Couch – A Survival Guide to Starting Over After 50.”

For more ideas, take a look at “Try Something New Today! Tips to Kick Start Your New Life”

Two Rules

The internet is full of systems, courses, tips and tricks to help you “find yourself,” “discover your inner warrior,” “live your authentic life” and rule the universe.  Blah, blah, blah.

That’s all great.

But it’s just not for me right now.

Age has made me more practical.

I need it dumbed down. 

Designing a life you love is pretty simple. 

Two rules.

• What are the things that bring you joy? Do more of that!
• What are the things that suck the everlovin’ soul out of you? Stop doing that.

Dialing in your reinvention – 4 easy steps to starting over after 50, 60 or more! 

Whether you call it your second act, life reinvention, or starting over after 50, it can be amazingly simple and fun. 

There are three easy steps to designing the life you’ll love. 

• Step 1: Take Stock. Figure out what lights you up and what doesn’t. 
• Step 2: Create a clear, fun visual picture of your new life, and the goals that will get you there. You’ll love this part!
• Step 3: Put it all together. Create your Second Act Story.
• Step 4: Choose your starting point and get at it. 

Voila!  A life full of fun and purpose waiting for you to jump in. 

If this all sounds like homework, relax!  It’s not.

We’re spending a few minutes thinking about your favorite subject – YOU! 

And we’re drawing – with colored pencils.

To make it super easy, I created a Free Mini-Workbook for you. Enter your email on the opt-in at the bottom of the page to get your FREE copy. 

Enter your email in our opt-in form to get your FREE workbook.

Do you want to create an amazing next act enough to start today?

Design the life that will light you up

When my life imploded a few years ago, it seemed there was no starting point to rebuilding it. Finance, career, personal relationships, family. 

It was all broken. (And so was I.) 

After months of inertia, I pulled out an “old school” whiteboard, and a bunch of colored markers and started drawing out the possibilities, the solutions, the things that needed fixing.

Within hours I felt better. For the first time in months I felt empowered.

I worked through every aspect of what I needed to get whole and happy again.

That whiteboard in my garage reminds me of how far I’ve come.

Well, now I’m a little more streamlined. 

I pull out the markers, and draw out my issues or goals and exactly what I need to do to get there, chunking it down to steps I can follow.  And then it goes in my planner. 

I do this every single month. Or if a project or challenge pops up. 

It’s a practical and super simple way to lay out what’s on your mind, set goals, solve problems and figure out how to get what you want – my visual brain dump.

This process is a creative, freewheeling way to take a drone’s view of things, and figure out your next move. And you’ll end up with a masterpiece that’s a personal representation of the stuff in your brain. 

In just a few minutes, you’ll be holding a very personalized plan to break the inertia and get you started on your journey.

Use the templates from the Free digital workbook you downloaded or plain ole paper, and you’ll have something that looks like this. This is another look at Sue’s crack at it.

Change can be scary and the first step can be the toughest. 

No sweat. 

We’ll break it down and have you on your way.

Let’s get started.

Anything here feel familiar?

• You’ve lost your confidence. Life has knocked the crap out of you and you need to get back to you. Time to lick your wounds and get back in the game. 
• It’s time to get serious about your health and well-being. After 50, health is no longer about those three digits on the scale. It’s time to protect and restore your one and only body. Take a break from alcohol, (and quarantine drinking!) get lean, cut back on stress and get better sleep. Do whatever it takes for you to feel strong and whole again.
• Finances are freaking you out. Finances over 50 are no joke. Especially if you’re wrestling with a divorce and oh, there’s a pandemic shutting the economy down. It’s time to get a handle on exactly what you have and what you need. This is a must for everyone. Kick in and put your eye on the prize – Financial Freedom.
• Got those career blues. Career changes after 50 are equally amazing and frightening. Your goals and values have changed. Satisfaction and fulfillment were irrelevant when we started out. Today it’s everything. You may still need the “do-re-me” (most of us do) but that doesn’t mean you can’t explore the tons of new opportunities out there. 
• Whether you’re trying to make ends meet, or have been thinking about that big idea and know you have one more killer move in you, there has never been a better time. Jump into the virtual world. Harness your background to do consulting or tutoring, or dream big and create a mega online business that talks to your passion.
• Lifelong Learning. Love to learn new stuff? Nothing trumps personal growth. The great thing about education now is that it’s so accessible, and this time we’re doing it ‘cuz we want to. Learn how to create your own website and preserve your family legacy, master your Italian for that trip to Capri, become a master chef, or grow a “cocktail” garden.  

           Mojo Tip – YouTube is everything!

• Ready to make a social impact. The need has never been greater. Give back, mentor, volunteer. 

If you don’t see your situation above, no problem. 

Take a minute to jot down what’s on your mind. 

I’d love to hear about it below in the Comments section at the end of this article 

The “Kickstart Your Second Act” workbook is self-guided, but if you don’t have the download or want a little inspiration, read on!

STEP 1

Taking stock and a moment for reflection

Start with a quick and honest look at where you are right now. This is for your eyes only, so let it rip.

• Grab the “Taking Stock” worksheet or a few sheets of blank paper, some markers or pens, and an open mind.

(To make it easier, you can download the FREE Second Mojo “Jumpstart Your Second Act” templates and sample completed plans I created for the Second Mojo community. CLICK HERE) 

• Put a timer on your phone for 5 minutes and do a brain dump of the things that make you happy. Your “Happy List” is the stuff that lights you up and brings you joy, satisfaction, or fulfillment. 

Your list might include spending time with family, reading self-help books, cooking amazing Italian family recipes, taking online classes, the thrill of completing a work project, or selling stuff from your garage. Don’t overthink it. Just spill it out. 

• Take a minute or two more and make your “Soul Suckers List.” These are the things you wish you could stop doing – the stuff you dread, that leaves you flat or bores the “bejesus” out of you.

You know the stuff.

Mindless, time wasting commute to an office, doing work that has lost its meaning, overeating, over drinking, spending too much time alone, living away from friends and family, sleepless nights, and 24/7 stress.

Just list it all out!

STEP 2

Map It Out! 

Design a Life You Love

Design your ideal life.

Dream a little. Stretch a lot. 

Think “New Year’s Resolutions on steroids.”

But remember – unrealistic goals won’t be helpful. Your chance of being a supermodel or winning an Oscar may be slim. Not saying never, but….

Take out your “Design A Life You Love” worksheet or another sheet of paper. 

For inspiration – Take another look at the image of “Sue’s Second Act ” in your workbook or above. 

• Draw a circle in the center and leave space. That’s where you’re going to add your “Second Act” Story later.
• Think about the key areas of your life and list your top goal for each. Be descriptive and focus on that one big goal that would improve your life or get you closer to the new life you’ve been imagining.
• Take your time and get creative if you have it in you. 
  • Color code, get artsy, give yourself time to think about each of them, and lock in your expectations and goals. 
  • This is a picture of your life and a view into what’s in that brain of yours!

Some common primary goals for us over 50’s might be : Financial Freedom, Get in Great Health, Create a New Social Life, or Launch a Profitable Business

• Go back and list a couple mini-milestones under each one. Some examples:

Financial Freedom

• Mortgage paid off
• No credit card debt
• Income of $3K month from business

Get in Great Health

• Lose 15 pounds
• Stronger and leaner from pilates
• Sleeping better
• All physical exams current
• Give each area some thought and circle the one win that will change you in the most positive way. If you must, pick two. We’ll get to all of them eventually.

STEP 3 

Put It All Together

Spell it out and commit

Grab our “Put It All Together” worksheet or another sheet of paper.

What will your amazing new life be like when you start crushing your goals?

Spell it out!

Create one sentence that describes the life you want. This is your Second Act Story.

Examples:

“Within 2 years I’ll be lean and healthy, living debt-free back home in Vermont operating my online tutoring business” 

“By July of 2021, I will be downsized, living in Florida and volunteering with Boca Art Museum and pursuing my work in watercolors. This will give me time to help out with my grandchildren”

Read it, revise it, and read it again. 

Does your Second Act excite you?

Can you commit to it?

Tweak it until it feels right.

Commit to it. 

Print it out, make a screensaver, stick it on your mirror.

• Go back and put your Second Act Story in the center of your Design A Life You Love worksheet. 

Step 4 

“SOMEDAY is Today”

And now we get to work. 

(We said we’d start today!)

Last step.

Write your “Second Act Story”  in the center of the “SOMEDAY is Today” worksheet or a new page.

• Bring over the two goals you chose to work on and put them on the page in the circles.   
• Grab a worksheet and start listing any action steps you can take to start knocking off your goals.
• Add a date to each and you’re done.
• Focus on the things that need to happen within the next month and add them to your calendar or planner now.

Here’s what Sue’s Action Plan looks like. 

Schedule your first task for today. 

Congratulations!!!  

You just designed your second act. Let the reinvention begin!

The FREE Second Mojo “Design A Life You’ll Love” Digital Mini-Workbook is available on Secondmojo.com. Sign up so you don’t miss it. You’ll get more info, examples, and a set of worksheet templates.  Sign up here.

In future articles on secondmojo.com we’ll take a deeper dive into exploring second act careers, and great health after 50. Let me know what you’d like to hear about. 

Share with us the life you designed. What is your most important change?

Thanks for stopping by!

XOX – Cynthia