Life Begins at 50

Imagine a man, 75 years old, with dementia, unable to speak or show emotions, a shadow of his former self. Would you like to be in his shoes, dear Reader? Certainly not! A lot can be done to prepare the way for a better life! Of course, there’s work involved, but fun too! Are you in?

Here are a few tips on how to grow old s-l-o-w-l-y.

50 Plus is No Big Fuss

Maybe you’ve heard that the older you get, the faster time flies.  When we were teenagers, we thought 50 – year-olds were ancient. Unbelievable how fast we got to the big 5-0!

Best Agers

The elderly have become an increasingly important target group for many businesses. The world of finance calls them Best Agers or Golden Agers. It has been recognized that doing business with people over 50 is good business. A study by Mercer Oliver Wyman shows how the European Market could increase its gains with us old folks by about $15 billion. 

In many banks and insurance companies today, every second client is over 50. This makes us very interesting customers for many branches of business. We older models can now be seen in advertising.

Many Best Agers are buying houses or building condos. They care for their appearance by eating a balanced diet, dressing in style and doing sports. They also travel extensively and are always increasing in knowledge.

Time and Money

Retirees and clients over 50 have two valuable assets: They often have time and money. In addition, this age group is growing!

Exhibitions and other services are becoming more and more popular on the subjects of health and personal care, free time and relaxation, travel and wellness, house and home, medical achievements and specific investment opportunities for your capital, work and study.

The Famous Midlife Crisis

When we think of a midlife crisis, the first images that come to mind are sports cars and blondes. A classical midlife crisis curve generally follows on the heels of a more or less straight and narrow life. It is the visible expression of a desperate escape to freedom. Most people over 50 have already overcome that phase. 

Life Begins at 50

Life lasts much longer than most people think.
Between 20 and 50 there are 30 years.
The time between 50 and 80 is exactly the same - 30 years.
The difference is that at 50 we have a much better starting position than we did at 20.

At 50, you know things about which a 30-year-old has no idea.
At 60, you can say things a 30-year-old would be better off not saying.
At 70, you can do things a 30-year-old would be better off not doing.

...

Instead of moping around, we could actually celebrate life! Why not let the joy of having a mature heart inspire you to rise to new heights and new experiences?

Some people begin to reduce their activities when they hit fifty. When the first pains come, they slow down, thinking they “deserve it”. The problem with that is, the more you slow down, the weaker you get. The less you move, the less you are able to move. On the intellectual level, the less you think, the weaker your brain gets. What we really need to do is fight the urge to slow down and reduce our activities, both physically and mentally. How can we fight back?

Do Something New! Remember Old Dreams

There are many fun and interesting things you can do to add joy and excitement to your life. You can read or listen to interesting books, join a club, learn to cook, take part in seminars to gain wisdom, go walking or do something for your health, make music, learn a language or travel. We will now have a brief look at the two last examples.  

Learn a Language After 50 – Possible?

There is no learning without motivation, and learning a language is no exception. 

The great advantage of learning a language after 50 is that our motivation is different. When we used to learn something, it was to satisfy our parents and strict teachers or to get good grades, but now we are internally motivated. Because we want to learn, the necessary discipline and stick-to-itiveness are naturally on board. Today many recognize the advantage of learning a foreign language for better job opportunities or for purely private purposes.

In addition, the many and varied life experiences of older individuals help them understand and sort the many rules and correlations involved in learning a foreign language. Many expressions in other languages are similar in English because they come from the same common language. If a person has already learned a bit of a foreign language in earlier years, they will be surprised at how much has stuck over the years and comes back with renewed use. The human brain is a wonder of creation, and learning a language after 50 might be easier than you fear!

Travel: When you travel to a new country, learn a few phrases of the language and experience the joy you produce in others when they see you are trying to speak their language!

Music Makes Us Happy

Here in my little town in Switzerland there’s a group called “Music for 60 Plus”. Individuals with various instruments get together and enjoy playing their favorite kinds of music together. Some actually come with the desire to fulfill a lifelong dream and learn a specific instrument. Doing this makes a positive impact on their quality of life.

Challenges – Notice Given – Notice Taken

Because many businesses are in a constant state of change, they often let their older, more experienced employees go. Generally speaking, it seems more difficult for people over 50 to find jobs. Employers often choose younger, less experienced people in order to save money.

But we older individuals can fight back! We need to hold on to our trump card: Experience. If we keep our minds flexible and fit by continuing to learn as we get older, we can become indispensable resources for our employers.

Retirement

Having so much free time on their hands is sometimes a shock for retirees.

Their “hard-earned retirement” can develop into a veritable nightmare. For this reason it is important to prepare in advance, and not just financially, for this phase of life.

Finally I have time and freedom! I can go where I want whenever I want! That’s the way many view retirement, BEFORE it happens! What that actually translates to in real life is often a completely different story.

What about self-esteem?

For those who have defined their lives by their work, retirement is an especially difficult time. These people have built their sense of value on their achievements. (See BLOG)

Even if all material needs are met and there is no financial need to work, to suddenly feel no longer needed is a painful experience for many.

The free time one has at one’s disposal as a retiree can suddenly become a vast impassable expanse with no structure and no goals.

How to Structure Your Free Time

Retirement is often looked forward to and dreamed about as a right that one has earned. We can see pictures of strapping seniors, smiling, with full heads of hair, riding their bicycles beside a lake. The truth of the matter is, many retirees struggle with depression and thoughts of suicide.

If you are more stressed in retirement than before, you are definitely doing something wrong. Burnouts and bore-outs are not reserved for the working class alone.

Spending time and energy on other meaningful activities while you are still employed will make the transition easier when the regular job ceases.

An especially difficult transition is in store for people who are in the habit of being reachable from work 24/7 or of checking their email every 15 minutes. The sudden silence is deafening. It seems no one needs them anymore.

Sometimes it is possible for retirees to continue working past retirement age. Part-time work might also be a good way to soften the blow.

Health – the Most Important Thing

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to live the next 30-40 years being as healthy as possible? People who decide to do that must have a special interest and love for truth, because not everything that claims to be healthy is actually healthy.

A Prime Example

Throughout the world, people have been trained to believe in the importance of drinking milk and getting enough calcium and protein through milk and cheese. Many doctors still believe and teach this line of logic. The facts, however, if one cares to check them out, prove the opposite. It is a known fact that countries with high milk consumption also have a high percentage of osteoporosis and other unnecessary chronic conditions. (T. Colin Campbell, The China Study p. 217-222)

If You Want to Get (and Stay) Healthy

If you are really interested in a holistic healthy lifestyle, have a look at these important BLOGs: NEW - START - Plus.  We see “miracle after miracle” at our vacation and health center SONNMATT in the eastern Swiss Alps when our guests adjust their lives to live according to the principles described in these three blogs. Using only natural remedies to strengthen the body’s own immune system, quality of blood and emotional balance, healing transpires in every area. Praise God for these simple, natural remedies!

Here is a view of Sonnmatt (the yellow house) and its surroundings. Fresh air and sunshine make for a stronger heartbeat.

Members of the 50+ Club are a privileged class; they have many opportunities that others don’t have. The knowledge and wisdom they have acquired in the first 50 years can help them make decisions that will guarantee them a higher quality of life in the next 50 years! If they take these positive measures, they will be enviable indeed.

How to Bring Balance into your Family

My home is my castle. Home is the place where we get programmed for life. It is also where the most important battles are either won or lost. Those who are aware of this important fact can take steps to positively impact the destiny of family members.    

Home Sweet Home

It is easy to furnish a house; but few understand the art of creating a home. Each individual in a house either promotes or hinders the process.

In Africa they say every road eventually leads home, and in Russia, those who feel at home everywhere are actually never at home! What do you think? 

When I was a little boy in Berneck (eastern Switzerland), an older lady lived at our house with us. Whenever she got a chance, she would recite the following poem: 

When old “Aunt Marti” died, my father continued the tradition until he died. Now it’s my turn, and I hope my children will carry the tradition into their homes. As parents we don’t raise children; we raise adults who will one day have their own homes and write their own stories. 

Three suggestions for a balanced family:

1.     Get to know your own story better

o   We are often unaware of how our reactions appear to others. Our high volume, hurtful scolding, ugly comments and emotional unavailability are all linked to our own personal history.

o   Christian Morgenstern once said: "Home isn't where our house is, but wherever we are understood." This shows where our ability to understand is developed. Those who understand their history understand themselves better, and those who understand themselves better can understand more.

o   So, if we will take the time to track and ponder the fears that show up in practical ways in our interactions, note our observations and speak about them with a friend or partner, we may learn to replace our negative thoughts with positive ones. If parents worked through their fears in this way, their children would benefit greatly.  

2.    Understanding and Being Understood

o   In order for others to understand us, it is important for us to understand them. Conversely, the better we understand others, the easier it will be for them to understand us.

o   Behind every difficult person (or child) is an element of misunderstanding. Low self-esteem and the inability to accept authority are generated by this feeling of being misunderstood.

o   When children or adults make trouble, it is usually a sign that they have a problem with themselves, i.e. they feel misunderstood. (see BLOG). The Bible says, ‘He that loves others loves himself.’ So if I don’t like myself that will influence my social interactions.

o   Relationships can be transformed by showing concern for others. When we take interest in the concerns of another, we can make a friend of our greatest enemy.    

3.    Grace and Truth in Balance

o   Understanding the difference between conditional and unconditional love is crucial. (see BLOG).

o   Children need both. In a balanced home truth (conditional love) and grace (unconditional love) will be equally visible.

o   When grace is too generously applied, truth suffers and vice versa.  

o   A child’s relationship and access to truth must be exercised.  He or she must learn that life contains consequences, causation and conditions, and that there is great benefit in considering these when making decisions. Example: Living within the laws of health promotes a high quality of life.

o   An experience with grace is also essential. We are not advocating spoiling a child; discipline seasoned with grace, a loving attitude that softens the unavoidable consequences demonstrates one’s unshakeable friendship and goodwill. Your reasonable actions, your interest in doing what’s best for the child will awaken a sensible response in the child. This balance of grace and truth – love and justice – can help children feel good about the discipline and instruction they receive.

o   We should never sacrifice our relationship with our children for the sake of forced compliance. Relationships are paramount. In order for a certain behavior to be achieved, a corresponding measure of understanding, background, logic and values must all be in place. As adults we are sometimes negligent in supplying these and expect too much of our offspring.

o   Many adults are tempted to force obedience using great pressure to produce quick results. A farsighted and careful construction of values in a child requires time and compassion, but will eventually produce lasting results.

o   Comprehension and counsel should precede discipline whenever possible (see BLOG).

o   In order to ascertain whether our impatience springs from our personal background or not, we should look inside ourselves and analyze our feelings. This process will help us make better decisions. Personal fears and deficits in parents can cause irreparable damage in children and should therefore be given as little influence as possible.

o   Let’s do a better job – for the children’s sake!

A family that sticks together through thick and thin is great publicity for the value of a solid family and a source of never ending joy. If only there were more! Will you help raise the bar?    

 Some Quotes and Proverbs  

The strength of a nation derives from the integrity of the home. Confucius

Love begins by taking care of the closest ones – the ones at home. Mother Theresa

The future will be determined by the home and the school. The child becomes largely what he is taught; hence we must watch what we teach, and how we live. Jane Addams

There’s no place like home.

One goes home with every care, while another fears to show up there.

Home is where you are loved in spite of your mistakes.

Love makes every house a home.

Home is where the heart is.

A family is like a bank: The more you put into it, the more you’ll get out of it.  

What is Really IMPORTANT to You? - a Poem

Who has time to think about this question! We are ready to give everything. Who is it for ? For ourselves ? For our family? For the employer? For other people ? For God ? Who else is it for ? With all this giving, isn't there a risk that we might lose ourselves in the process? That we may have neglected ourselves ? Here is a poem that asks some unusual questions.

After a poetry slam from www.liveworship.de

Please wake up !! The day begins. Life takes shape from us. It wants to be lived.

What do you think about when you wake up in the morning?

No, I mean before the stress of appointments, planning, worries,

What do you think about, what is important to you?

Or - maybe I could say rather:

What makes your heart beat faster

what things, things or people,

what would you be ready to fight for?

What would drive you on the street?

What would you show the flag for?

What to write your name under?

What is important to you ? I mean, right - important?



What loss would it hurt you immensely?

At what time the beat of your heart

maybe the word nibbling is petty, somehow almost embarrassing.

The question is, what is sacred to you?

What is so sacred to you

that you yourself fight against 30 men

and defend it with your life



What are you attached to

What defines you

What do you never want to lose

I also keep asking myself what my goal is

a lot is somehow given,

and the question just seems:

How good are you at this game?

So what remains is

What is sacred to you



Sometimes a generation says about the next

that nothing is sacred to them anymore,

is that evidence that something is sacred?

does not remain holy, becomes profaned over time?

I believe every generation, yes every human being, things are sacred

even if it is of course not the same for everyone, I know that

sometimes we are even petty that there is an argument.

From the other's sacred we create an enemy image.

What would you sacrifice your life for? For the state ? For justice? For your work ? For your partner and children maybe?

What is important to you?

I mean really important?

Who or what do you miss when you are alone?

Is there anything that will get you this far?

What is sacred to you

Which sun does your world revolve around?

And is it worth it?

And by value I certainly don't mean money.

But what is it that is holding you on your breath?



And what does HOLY mean anyway?

Such a foreign theological word, antiquated and dusty,

and I know that I believe, or I think that I know

GOD is holy. And that it shows.

That his being is reflected in his creation.

Despite the impermanence.

For example, I'm standing in the middle of cliffs at the edge of the sea,

seized with beauty as if it were a wave

The most important hour in our life is always the moment; the most significant person is always the one who is facing us; the most necessary work in our life is always love. Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910)

And I know artists

People I really admire

but does not go in any of her pictures

the sun more colorful

than it actually does.

And I don't mean 'good'

I mean 'excellent',

Memory of the eyes,

for whom the mouth does not know words

not just a feeling that when I go I feel

If something like admiration

but how do you deal with miracles?

Enjoyable amazement and this world,

the creator's photoshop is so much better than mine,

a pot writes from the potter and imagines

that the view of a piece of clay seems more important.

And while I stand here praising his works

I'm really celebrating the ONE

the INCOMPARABLE, the greatest artist of all,

the creator of heaven and earth,

Draftsman of landscapes that he created with his hand,

Painter of sunsets, architect of the Grand Canyon and epic mountains,

Designer of flowers, organisms and animals,

Coloring agent for leaves, ice crystals that freeze,

reflect the artist who presents his work.

And he created his most beautiful work of art - in me!

And that sounds almost crazy

that he took himself as a template,

for his work of art pro Jema, for his masterpiece.

A masterpiece, in fact - one of a kind,

that the master himself created with his hand.

HE is different from the standard

because HE has the world in his hand.

DEIN NAME,

geh gern nochmal zurück in der Zeit

setz bei jeder Frage als Antwort deinen Namen rein,

das ist Freiheit,

das treibt IHN um, und mich an,

IHN kennenzulernen, IHN anzuschauen, IHM zu vertrauen,

Und wenn ich weiss, dass ich sein Kunstwerk bin, macht es Sinn,

mein Leben so zu leben, dass andere diese Schönheit sehen, und verstehen,

HEILIG heisst, hinein zu gehen in Seinen guten Plan des Lebens,

Und dann ist dieses Gebots-Ding irgendwie zu verstehen,

Gott zu lieben mit allem was mich ausmacht, mit meinem Wesen,

und meinen Nächsten wie mich selbst.

Ich bin IHM heilig.

ER ist mir heilig.

Du bist mir heilig.

For Everyone Who Is 40+

Life begins at 40+. Many are not aware of this at our age. What a potential there is in this age group !! Man, something good could be made of it !!

Life takes longer than you think

• Life begins at 40

• At 50 it means, now let's go

• At 60 you know what you can do

• at 70 it's still really good,

• at 80 it gets colorful again,

• at 90 nothing is too late

• at 100 you - maybe - retire.

• What comes after, who can say that

• you have to ask Heavenly Father.

Karl Pilsl - slightly adjusted

Dear 40+ readers

How are you? Are you still on it, motivated for important deeds or have you buried your dreams and only think about retirement or enjoying the evening of life? Where do we stand today as older generations?

Let us dwell on this thought.

We know it: the body reports with a little ailment. We think: "Aha, my age. I have to be more careful. Can't move so much and be adventurous."

And then it happened. We reduce ourselves! Just the wrong thing! We withdraw from our world of performance and think that we now have the right to cut back, to be OLD and to demand consideration. How nice. And with that we give ourselves the 'death sentence'. Our health is torpedoed with boredom and rest, until it can no longer and can be replaced with diseases of all kinds. That couldn't have been it! Is it?

How about a counter-proposal:

Let's do things that others don't do at our age, then we can make mistakes that others can't. We can learn from mistakes that others cannot. With what we have learned, we can do things and have experiences that otherwise would not have happened! Is that what?

That’s to say that at our age we don’t need to do everything the way it’s common everywhere. We can choose to STAY YOUNG inside.

If we decide to keep our dynamic from before, to see the positive, despite adverse circumstances or precisely because of it, then we have a great advantage:

• We already have a wealth of experience

• We know what is important in life

• We know our talents and gifts

• We are informed about our limits and our potential

• We learned that life is and belongs to learning

• We can easily see the needs of families and fellow men

Let's consider briefly:

The Five Phases of Life

1. 0-19 years

The following sub-phases can be mentioned:

1. Birth after 9 months of pregnancy (this time has the greatest impact on the child)

2. Years 1-3 (with 1st puberty - "I live, therefore I am" - realization; "NO" phase

3. Years 4-6 is pre-school, the most important time for EQ development

4. Years 7-12 are elementary school, define yourself in the school context

5. Years 13-19 is the 2nd puberty - when the young person defines himself in relation to the environment

At the age of 19 you have mostly oriented yourself professionally, have 'grown up' and try to weigh up your future prospects and arrange for them.

In this phase of life, a lot goes through your head. That can lead to overpressure and corresponding reactions, right? But it will be better if we don't give up. It is important that you can let off the steam somewhere !!

2. 20-39 years

These years are very challenging years. Professionally and socially. Many choose to start a family. The wedding should be the highlight. Then it is flittered and finally the youngsters register. Some things are unplanned and unintentional. It's the learning years. Around half of them are getting a divorce because they didn't really know each other and thus their partner. Expectations of the partner and oneself were not congruent.

As beautiful as the childhood years are, the challenges are constantly growing. The children are constantly changing. Parents have to constantly adapt and thus change. This phase is very intense. Who can draw wisdom from it, can win.

We are granted the privilege of creating and shaping human life. The responsibility is great, so is the challenge. This phase of constant change and self-education costs a lot of selflessness and devotion. Those who are not ready for this will fall by the wayside with their offspring. Whoever recognizes this is called upon to get help.

3. 40-59 years

This is usually the best time in life when the midlife crisis (3rd puberty) has not hit too hard. The moment when the children leave the home and become independent often leaves a void that many do not know how to compensate for. Sense of life is required. Is it a sporty car, a new acquaintance, a change of job ...? Such questions can arise.

Men like women also change physiologically. Getting on the scales is avoided. The body no longer burns the same number of calories. Many men are proud of their new belly. Does not have to be. Those who do not only live in the moment, but with foresight, know how to react correctly and efficiently.

Once such challenges have been mastered, the sun moves into life. The experiences have a positive effect on social life.

• You no longer take unimportant things so seriously because you can classify them.

• You don't have to prove yourself anymore.

You see more clearly and are no longer so self-centered. This makes you more attractive and appealing. Such people are desired everywhere, are interesting. The ability to love can now really bear fruit.

Whoever has the privilege of being called 'grandpa' or 'grandmother' has received one of the greater human privileges. Although it is said that grandparents are allowed to spoil their grandchildren, it seems to me that the responsibility lies more in a balanced upbringing. Young parents can learn a lot from yourselves if they provide themselves as a sensible mentor.

4. 60-79 years

Many are already talking about old age. Does not have to be ! Shouldn't be, because the accumulated quality, life wisdom and experiences can now be turned into a social benefit.

Instead of withdrawing more and more, personalities can become involved in society and become a great blessing. Most fears have been dealt with in many ways, the most important values have been recognized and in some cases implemented, loneliness and egoism have largely been overcome, one has become emotionally more intelligent.

Dear Reader. This is the right time for you to come up with something. Pray for an enlightenment, a fruitful idea. Include your partner in this.

Feel and think for one another. How nice it can be to experience this phase of life happily together. Those who 'have to' do this alone are advised to deepen their relationship with God and ask for the balance from there. He is happy to give them.

5. 80-100 years

If you have lived according to the most important health rules, then this time will also be an interesting and beneficial time. You can read about these rules in the NEWSTART Plus blog.

Now they have become the MENTOR for many of your descendants. Although times have changed, your life points to a successful way to meet life's challenges and create something wise out of them. This will make them irreplaceable.

Your offspring will no longer leave you alone. The potential hidden in your personality is too big and interesting.

Because our life will now come to an end, you can seriously prepare for it. For some, there will be an eternity that will totally overshadow our lives here. Those are perspectives !! You sure want to take your family members there with you, don't you?

Using one's talents and gifts for one's friends and fellow human beings also meets one's own needs. Those who have taken important things out of life are happy to pass them on again.

Product => Industry => People

There are also "quantum leaps" within these 5 phases.

Most people first learn to be product specialists in their job. Everything about your product is learned, despite the fast moving time. It often happens that you move from product specialist to branch specialist because you have worked your way up and taken responsibility for a special area. Well, the quantum leap that is often missing is the one that leads to the human specialist.

Those who have not missed this jump increase their attractiveness. In other words, those who have worked on their emotional intelligence (see EQ Blogs) become real added value for the family as well as for society.

"At the age of 66, that's when life begins" Udo Jürgens had sung. The following shows whether this succeeds: If you celebrated your pension with many guests on the occasion of your 65th birthday, then you will not be alone at your 70th anniversary. By then you will have developed your social network well and your attractiveness means that you are simply loved to be seen and heard. You have become a kind person who has taken care of the concerns of your fellow human beings and still cares.

How many young people are looking for guidance and help? Are you ready to provide support in your community? That would be great!

The 50th year is the jubilee year

Bible connoisseurs are familiar with this expression. The 50th year in Old Testament times was always a special year, a year of freedom for slaves, a year when property was given back (one could not enrich oneself on the weaknesses of others), a year of new beginnings in different areas - just a jubilee year.

If you are on your way to the 50th year, we suggest: Think about how you want to approach this event. Think about how you could give something special to your family, friends, and those around you.

The 50th birthday party can be something special. You can also do something for the community from other birthdays.

The Sense of Life

Anyone who has developed into a human specialist has found the biblical meaning of life, namely to be there for fellow human beings, to give optimized help, to think, feel and act for others. Our Creator provides us with all the tools for this. Yes, HE supports us wherever HE is invited. Do that and you will have eternal happiness.

Outside, on a clear, starry night, thinking about your tree of life and the meaning of life and deciding to make any corrections can only be beneficial. Our life is extremely interesting, but also fragile. It is worthwhile to deal with it sensibly.