Are You Twenty Or Sixty and Feeling Crappy? Try These Five Simple Tips To Live a Happy and Meaningful Life

Investing In Self-Development Works

After my Day-1 Prompt was published, within a few hours I was excited like a baby to read the comments from The Challenger Ann Venkataraman, and the amazing writers GnanVi_Speaks, and Donnette Anglin whose work I shared and/or mentioned their contribution.

We may be in different time zones and while I am fast asleep, someone else is reading and clapping and commenting. This is truly Divine and amazing, right? In other words, someone is giving her/his valuable time and attention, which is the most expensive currency, these days.

Coming to the topic of the Day-2 writing challenge:

“Share your thoughts on turning 20, 30, 40, 50…”

I am smiling to myself saying:

“Lalitha, yesterday you were nervous and doubtful about having enough content and making it to five hundred words and you eventually were able to articulate to your best and churn out one article. Today’s prompt, being a Sexagenerian, you have lots to say, and don’t go overboard.”

OK, let’s strengthen our “Recalling Events and Experiences” muscle!

When I turned twenty, as a girl who had lost my father after twelve years, I was very serious, No-nonsense, and more mature for my age. I had to make the tough decision of letting go of a possible Ph.D. all-expense paid offer to accept an Offer as Admin in a Nationalized Bank in India.

I also am very fortunate for having understanding and compassionate Professors who allowed me to complete my final year of my Master’s in Chemistry, as a Topper, while I was doing my job in the Bank.

Having made a personal choice to switch from the Scientific to the Banking industry, I was very career oriented and wanted to weave in the commitment and discipline from the Academic world to my career domain. I did that by clearing Banking related exams and getting promoted to the rank of an Officer.

Turning to my thirties, taught me lessons from living in a joint family, going through the roller coaster ride of experiencing a Stillbirth and birthing two wonderful boys, and moving to two different cities. I had to let go of my attachment to being individualistic.

At forty, it appeared that I was at the peak of the mountain after the trekking experience of accepting and serving in a rural area as a Bank Manager, staying away from my family, weekend visitor to my under-five-year-old boys, migrating to the United States accompanying my Husband who got a lucrative Job Offer, me becoming jobless due to Dependent visa, exploring volunteering, learning and switching from banking to Immigration law, getting my Work permit to work in a Law firm and making it through to managerial position in Corporate America. I had to let go of a lucrative banking managerial position in India.

At Fifty, I lost my mother and when I scan through the years from forty-one to fifty, I realize that I had become an expert in letting go of what got me to the position or place or experience that I cherished the most. One can’t be at the peak for long and you have to allow other mountaineers to experience that. These mountaineers could be your family members such as your spouse or kids or parents.

For me, it was a career peak, but for my hubby, it was his career peak and the assurance peak ( Being assured that in a foreign country, his kids are brought up well). For my children, it was getting the proper education and nourishment peak. Within two years of being in Corporate America, I experienced, a Spin-off, Acquisition, and layoff. That is it, I was forced into a valley of Self-Employment and Self-Development. I had to let go of my attachment to a seemingly assured regular paycheck mentality.

While in the valley from fifty to sixty, I did my best to embrace and enjoy my trials and tribulations as a Self-employed professional, while seriously pursuing Self-Development. I was learning to overcome the shame/fear of marketing, and money conversations and run a decently low-key profitable business. With Divine grace, I was able to give my helping encouraging hand to my husband’s trek to his Career peak facing Layoffs and job hunting.

Both my boys are happily married after experiencing their trek in their academics, moving to different cities/countries, and job hunting. I am thankful to God that now at sixty-two I am a mother-in-law and grandmother. I am also thankful for my parents, siblings, in-laws, and friends for being there for each other in both good and bad times. I am very thankful to my past employers, colleagues, Service Providers, and clients.

Based on my experience, here are Five quick tips to live a happy and meaningful life:

Be ready to let go of what you cherished the most trusting that the best is yet to come.

Instead of saying I sacrificed, try to bring an analogy as I did with mountaineering. Please be OK to be in the peak and valley happily.

In life be a consistent and bold test taker and learn the lessons from the test.

Just as we prepare for Winter while we enjoy Summer, embrace and enjoy your twenties, while preparing for your thirties, embrace and enjoy your thirties while preparing for forty…and so on.

Be bold to lovingly, live as a single person, as a couple with your spouse, as a nuclear family member with your spouse and kids, and as a joint family member with your parents and in-laws.

Thank you all for reading and sharing your tips.

Shout Out To these amazing writers Shaney Crawford, Jono Burcham, and Susie Kearley for sharing their insights through the following articles:

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