“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up”.
“It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child.”Pablo Picasso
The older I get the more I want to create my life intentionally. It has become my mission to have reverence for my time left, whatever that may be, to embrace life. This is my journey and I get to decide what it looks like.
And I want to take other women on this ride, or I should say on their own authentic ride. I want to help them see that anything is possible and it is never too late to create what they want.
What about you? What do you want your precious life to look like? What would make your heart sing?
One of the things that I know for sure is that I want my daughters to see a woman aging with joy for life, someone who embraces every moment and carves a path for other women to celebrate themselves. I want to model a new kind of ageism-one that celebrates the mature woman. I am laughing as I say “mature woman” because there is that part of me who still feels like a kid and frankly, I never want to lose that childlike wonder.
As I celebrate my parents 60th wedding anniversary in Campden Maine with my whole family I am reminded that we can learn so much from children. Holding my niece’s baby today, I watched him explore my hand with fascination. Time stood still as I watched the moment to moment transition of his face as he went from wide eyed fascination to total curiosity and immersion in my hand.
He was “all in”. He was both living in the moment and striving for something bigger-to explore and learn about my hand. He wanted to see, feel touch my hand and even see if it worked like a teething ring. His intensity for this mission was fascinating to watch.
I want to be “all in”.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could look at the moments of our life that way? As a Baby Boomer woman I feel that so much of my life has gone by in a blur.
Watching the video that my daughter Jasmine created for my parents and seeing their life in a snapshot reminds me how quickly our lives go by. And now I want to slow down time and get back to that childlike wonder, that willingness to explore and learn and grow-as if the whole world is ahead of me. There is more urgency now and that is both a blessing and a curse.
I want to be someone who enjoys all the small moments (that are really big). My Grand Nephew was rocking back and forth on his belly trying to crawl towards a toy that I purposefully put a little bit outside of his reach. His total attention was on that toy and you could actually see him striving with every motion, to get to that toy.
I want that childlike wonder and determination to reinvent my life and go after that vision. I want to stretch beyond my reach.
Do you remember the you you used to be before fear set in?
I want that back! I will demand and command that she comes back. Or I will tease her out playfully.
And she will come back with all of the wisdom accumulated through the years- all of the golden nuggets that life has bestowed. However, I know now that none of that wisdom will spread very far if I let fear stop me from living my life authentically.
Knowing and doing are 2 different things.
I will call fear out for what it is and act in spite of it, not in a reckless way, but in a way that feels exciting and dangerously interesting .
I will carve my own path and lead instead of follow. I will inspire other women to own their authenticity and push the boundaries on what is possible for them. I will revel in the joy of watching other women shine their beautiful light.
And I will defy the inevitable by looking fear in the face and going after my vision anyways. I will love all of the small beautiful moments of life while striving to make a big difference on the lives of others.
What about you? How will you create your one magical life?
P.S. Leave your comments below. I am rooting for you!
P.P.S. I am working on a program for the fall that will be geared towards helping Baby Boomer Women who are tired of playing small and want to start owning their magnificence-inside and out! We will address how to transform your life so that you will feel great, look great and own your power. Stay tuned……..
Marianne Cherico helps Baby Boomer women create a life filled with joy, passion and purpose so that they can create a Smokin’ Hot Second Half. She is proud to be a member of this generation of women who changed the world for women, presenting future generations with limitless opportunities to thrive and grow into lives that are meaningful and authentic. It is Marianne’s sincerest pleasure to help these women find their purpose, work through limiting and self- sabotaging beliefs and step into their own brand of magnificence. You can get a taste of Marianne’s teaching by downloading her free report “How to Plan for a Smokin’ Hot Second Half” on her website here: https://www.coachingbymarianne.com.
