Going back thousands of years, society has celebrated rites of passage as a means to show community support to people going through a pivotal life transition, whether that be puberty, commencing adulthood, marriage, welcoming a baby into the world, or death. Rituals provide a “rest stop for the soul,” recognizing the end of one thing often marks the beginning of an exciting new start.

How often do you take a “rest stop for the soul” to signal something new and exciting in your life?  I like the notion of setting the tone myself rather than a cruel “aging sucks” Hallmark card!

This past year, many of my friends and I turned 60.  I found out that Japan and Korea celebrate “kanreki,” when someone experiences a second childhood at age 60.  I like that!

Whether you are becoming a quinquagenarian or a sexagenarian, it’s a big deal!  Funny that no country or culture in the world that celebrates turning 50.

At 50, we’re halfway to 100, a significant milestone as the number of centenarians is projected to increase eightfold by 2050.  Here’s what else I have found:

• The U-curve of Happiness research shows that life satisfaction starts to increase after age 50, following a quarter-century decline that begins in one’s early 20s
• This is the age when people most need their “Great Midlife Edit,” shedding what got them to 50 in order to embrace a new life mindset from here forward
• Harvard’s Dr. Robert Waldinger has shown that the most important variable of living well at 80 is how much we invested in our social relations at 50
• Many researchers have shown that age 50 is when our body is still limber and sturdy enough to try all kinds of adventure sports without much risk of injury
• Richard Rohr has said, this is the age when our primary operating system moves from our ego to our soul, but no one gives us operating instructions

Are you with me? Do you see the value in creating a new ritual dedicated to helping mid-lifers cross this milestone age threshold and into a bright and fulfilling future? I think it’s time we tried something new.

Over the next while, I’ll be developing a workshop on Midlife Transitions.  Because YOU are important to me and why I do what I do, let me know how you feel about the next phase of your life – what would you like to explore?  What is calling you at this stage?  What is informing you of what is next?

I’m excited to co-create a new experience for this next phase of our lives.  Let’s develop a Wisdom Culture together 🙂

Let me know what you think below.

Mindfully,