As you probably know, my whole mission is to help women over 50 create an effortlessly energised life they love.
Part of that involves reflection to gain clarity about what you want your future life to look and feel like.
One of the first questions I ask my clients when they start working with me is:
When have you felt the most energised, joyful and truly alive?
It’s also a question I’ve asked myself. Interestingly, the memories that immediately came to mind weren’t big achievements or milestones. They were simple moments.
One memory takes me back to a beach in Tasmania. I was maybe around 8. I remember wearing a floral dress (I don’t think it was warm enough for swimwear.) Being a bit defiant (which was unusual for me because I was definitely a goody-goody), after dipping my toes in for a while, I skipped my way into the ocean fully clothed. I can still remember the cold water hitting my legs before my dress became completely soaked.
I remember the excitement, the freedom and the sheer joy of it all.
What made it even better is that my mum didn’t even get angry. Generally, that would have been exactly the sort of thing she wouldn’t have been impressed with. But somehow, on that day, none of that mattered. I felt completely alive. The cold water. My wet dress stuck to my body. Doing something a little risky (okay… risky for me). Laughing. And it all being okay.
Actually, not just okay, but truly energising and joyful.
Another memory is from a camping trip. It was late afternoon and we’d set up near a creek. I declared that I wanted to swim across to the other side. Again, I was quite young. I remember entering the water, mud squishing between my toes and the cold taking my breath away as I immersed myself. I remember the adrenaline pulsing through my body as I swam to the other side. (I’m sure it wasn’t that far, but it seemed like a huge distance at the time!) Then the excitement of making it across and climbing out the other side where my Dad was waiting for me.
I felt brave.
I felt free.
I felt full of joy.
And, I felt totally energised.
Then there’s another memory that you might also relate to.
Running through sprinklers on the lawn on a hot summer day.
Such a simple thing, but something that was so much fun. Bare feet on the grass. The sun shining down. Sprays of cold water hitting my body as I ran through. Shrieks of laughter. Pure joy.
As I’ve been reflecting my memories, what suddenly became apparent was that every one of them involved cold water, movement and left me feeling energised, joyful and fully alive.
Even now, just writing about these experiences makes me smile. I can feel the emotions.
Isn’t it amazing how our minds and bodies can reconnect with feelings we experienced decades ago? In fact, I think that’s one of the reasons I’ve started finishing my morning shower with a burst of cold water. Every time I feel the cold water hitting my body, I’m reminded of those childhood memories… the beach, the creek and the sprinklers. Yes, there’s some science behind finishing with cold water. But I actually think, for me, it’s something so much more powerful than that.
It reconnects me with that energising feeling.
At the same time, I’m wondering how many women over 50 have stopped feeling that way. I know there have been times over the last few years when that applied to me, and it’s part of the reason why I created Energised Ageing.
We’ve spent decades with responsibilities. Doing the right thing. Looking after everyone else. Sometimes simply surviving. Somewhere along the way, those joyful moments and that feeling of being energised and fully alive can disappear. One day we wake up and may wonder…
Where did that version of me go?
I had a client once tell me she couldn’t remember the last time she felt healthy and truly alive. She said it had been decades. That conversation has stayed with me ever since because I don’t want that to be any woman’s story.
I want all women over 50 to experience feeling healthy, alive, joyful and energised.
And do you know what? If you are struggling with all this. If you’re feeling low on energy and enthusiasm for life, I know for a fact that it’s still possible to turn things around, regardless of your age or current circumstances. That girl. The one who experienced those joyful, energising moments. She’s still there. Yes, she might need a reset. And she might need to start doing things a little differently. But that doesn’t mean a total life overhaul.
Often, it’s simply about reconnecting with that side of you that may have been bogged down with… well… life.
Tapping back into your memories can help with that and allow you to create a more aligned future. And no, that doesn’t necessarily mean running into the ocean in your clothes or swimming across a creek… or through a sprinkler. Although if that’s your thing, go for it! It means finding your version of that feeling today. Maybe it’s walking barefoot on the beach, or hiking somewhere you’ve always wanted to explore. Perhaps it’s dancing in the kitchen or simply trying something new.
Laughing until your stomach hurts.
Watching a sunrise.
Saying yes to something that excites you.
Whatever it is, I don’t believe joy or energy has an expiry date. I believe that until our very last breath, we have time. Time to create a life with more energy, more joy, more adventure and more connection. Of course, it won’t happen by accident. It takes intention. It means we may need to look inward and look after our health a little better. It takes creating small, sustainable habits that give us more energy instead of zapping it.
And that’s exactly what I’m chasing. Not just for myself. But also for every woman I have the privilege of working with.
So I’d love to know…
When do you remember feeling the most energised and full of joy?
And, a reminder that these memories might not just be nice stories.
They might be some of the biggest clues to helping you create an effortlessly energised life you love.
Shine bright
Tania
(Photo from our family trip to Tasmania – we were always very neat and had the whitest socks! Needless to say, there weren’t many times it was ok for me to swim in a dress in the sea! I’m the biggest blond.)
Do You Remember When You Felt the Most Energised, Joyful and Fully Alive?
