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IS IT TIME TO RENEW YOUR SENSE OF PURPOSE?

You may be at this time of life where you are just beginning to realize that the foundation of values, priorities and roles you have had all your life is beginning to shift.   You may be wondering what life will be like- once the kids are FINALLY GONE, or when you decide it is time to move on from the job you have had for 25 years.    Teenagers and recent graduates are faced with the question- “What are you going to do once you graduate??   Well here we are- wondering what are we going to do once these major roles or priorities, or milestones have shifted in our life?   Am I too old or is it too late to think about a new sense of purpose??

A recent article on “Finding Your Purpose in Midlife” did a deeper dive into the importance of finding your real purpose and how to get started. (even if you are into your 50’s, 60’s or 70’s!)

One of the research studies done by Stanford Longevity Center and Encore.org found that 31% of the older adults surveyed were actively pursuing purpose while 20% have a desire for purpose but something is holding them back.   One of the primary ways that respondents had found their purpose was by volunteering.   

Jim Emerman, VP of Encore.org and co author of the Purpose Study  has recommended three questions to just get you started on the path of identifying your purpose:

  1. What are you good at?
  2. What have you done that can give you a skill that can be used for a cause.?
  3. What do you care about in your community?

As I was reading this article- I realized that these were in fact, some of the most important questions I asked myself when I was in the “wandering/ wondering” stage.  It played a big part in my decision to start Encore Tampa Bay!

  1. I was very good at connecting people to people or people to resources.  (Connector- Encore Tampa Bay Network)
  2. For over 30 years I have helped individuals and organizations navigate through change as an organization Development consultant. (Advisor in the Encore Movement)
  3. I care deeply for my community, most importantly the amazing non-profits who are desperately in need of resources, such as the human capital of older adults! 

Renewing your sense of purpose could change your life!!

  • What is holding you back?
  • What are you waiting for??

Start by asking these three questions and let Encore Tampa Bay help you connect to your purpose or your next meaningful engagement! 

Bevan Rogel
Encore Tampa Bay 

 

 

 

MENTORING IS NOT A ONE WAY EXPERIENCE

The National Generation to Generation campaign has just launched a three month effort to specifically mobilize older adults to become mentors in their community.   There are over 9 million young people in need of mentors and 100 million adults over 50 who have the time, talent and wisdom to offer to these children!!

Stanford Longevity Institute did an extensive study about the results of older adults mentoring young people. That research showed that the presence of a caring adult, committed to their development, is the critical success factor for dealing with the obstacles and challenges confronting young people.

It is important to understand the profound impact that a mentor can have on a person’s life.  The best way to understand that impact is to go personal-to think back to a time when you were impacted by a special mentor in your life.  One of the most important mentors in my life was a college professor in graduate school.  I was at a critical point in my life trying to decide what my career path would be and whether I had what it took to complete my graduate school education.  I was working full time and going to school full time and dealing with some pretty serious family drama.  Dr. Jerry Harvey saved my life.  He saw more in me than I saw in myself.  He had a way of challenging me, while pointing out my strengths and achievements.  He told me that failure and big potholes were an important and necessary part of my life.  Through the next two years I learned to stop beating myself up and questioning my abilities, allowing me to recognize and embrace the career path I had chosen. This is just one example of what is happening with children everywhere- trying to figure out who they are, not aware of the gifts that have.  They do not have the tools and support that they need to navigate all the challenges of growing up!

“Every child needs at least one caring adult who is irrationally crazy about him or her” –    Urie Bronfenbrenner  (founder of Head Start)

BUT WAIT- MENTORING IS NOT JUST A ONE WAY EXPERIENCE!

Here is the amazing thing about mentoring…  as  you are helping that child- there is a tremendous impact and benefit to YOU in this mentoring relationship.  Mentoring is actually a two way street where the old are helping the young and the young are helping the old.  I love reading the stories and testimonials from adults in our Gen2Gen Campaign, where people report learning more about themselves and life.  Mentoring helps them see things differently from a child’s perspective and teaches them skills they do not have!  Most important, mentoring gives you a purpose, a reason to get up in the morning, to feel needed and valued as an older adult.

BUT WAIT- THERE IS MORE!!

Recent research has shown the mental and physical benefits that older adults experience as a result of mentoring and working with younger generations.   Scientists have begun to document that close and caring relationships are undeniably linked to health and well-being.  (Read about all the benefits from the Milken Research Report here).

  • Older volunteers/mentors experience a reduced risk of hypertension, delayed physical disabilities, enhanced cognition and lower mortality rate.
  • Harvard Medical School reported that people involved in mentoring activities were three times as likely as their peers to experience joy instead of despair and isolation.
  • Scientists have found that purposeful activities may slow down the rate of decline of Alzheimer’s.
  • Mentoring can address one of the biggest issues facing adults today – depression and isolation.

MENTORING IS A WIN- WIN- WIN – WIN

Mentoring can make a tremendous impact on a child’s life, the mentor’s life and family, youth serving organizations and the community as a whole!! Marc Freedman (founder of the Encore Movement and the Generation to Generation campaign) recently did an inspiring TED Talk “How to Live Forever” where he talked about how helping future generations truly is the key to living forever.

“It turns out that the Fountain of Youth is really the “Fountain WITH Youth!!   – Marc Freedman

 WHAT IS MY FIRST STEP?

If you have been thinking about volunteering and getting involved in the community but have a million reasons or barriers that get in the way of that first step, NOW is the time to push aside those excuses. NOW is the time to take the first important step of finding the opportunities or ways that you can get involved.  GOOD news- there are over 100 Youth Serving organizations eager to connect with you.  The children in our community are desperately in need of a caring adult, whether it is for 4 hours a month reading to a child (Reading Pals) , or 6 hours a month helping with an after school program or 8 hours a month to be a Big Brother or Big Sister.

WHERE DO I LOOK FOR THESE OPPORTUNITIES?

 With over 800,000 adults over 50 in our Tampa Bay area, think about the tremendous impact that we can make for the children in our community.  What are you waiting for??  Do something for YOU and your community!!

 Bevan Rogel

Encore Tampa Bay

REFRAMING THE IDEA OF NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS

For the last four years, I have sat down during this holiday “mid week” to write a New Year’s blog.  Today, I was very inspired and excited to read Ken Druck’s blog, which aligned exactly with my own thoughts regarding New Year’s resolutions.

This year I have decided to reframe the whole idea of making New Years resolutions.  I believe that before we charge ahead setting new goals and figuring out the best actions for self-improvement, that we step back and reflect on what we have learned about ourselves (and life) over the last year.

For me, this last year was full of very big changes and challenges.   So instead of charging into action to deal with or recover from these challenges, I decided to pull the plug for a short while and get off the crazy gerbil wheel with the three-page single spaced to do list.  I admit this was very difficult as a Type A overachiever, who is super passionate about her calling!   Once I unplugged, I was able to clear my head, be still and go within.    As the grip loosened on my head and heart, the insights about myself, the opportunities and the ideas began to emerge.   By slowing down, and taking time to reflect and journal, I became more present in the moment and began to open up to new ways of thinking and being, about myself and my work with Encore Tampa Bay.

My big “ah-ha” moment, was realizing that this is the journey that we all face at some point in our lives.  At one time or another, we all hit the wall with an overwhelming challenge, we lose our job, our loved one, we lose interest in our life or we become empty nesters.   Our natural tendency is to react quickly and find an immediate solution or safety net.   However, if we don’t stop or slow down, we fail to allow what might already be unfolding within us.  In other words, we get in our own way, instead of letting the true inner wisdom of who we were meant to be enter our consciousness.

Why do you think 80% of all people making resolutions, never achieve their goal?   A big part of that resides in what we need to learn about ourselves and what we are doing to self-sabotage or prevent reaching our goals!    I challenge all of you this year, to commit to some dedicated “me/quiet time” to reflect on this year.

  • What were the lessons you learned about yourself and life in general?
  • What do you need to clear in your mind (including those limiting self beliefs)?
  • What can you release that is not serving you (including people, roles, habits)?

Be still and listen to what bubbles up for you.  ONLY then will you be ready to take the next step of looking ahead to what you want for the New Year. I can tell you from personal experience, this is your MOST important first step to figure out what matters to you and what is your true purpose and passion in your “next chapter” AND your next year!

Wishing all of you a joyous and purpose-filled new year!

For those who are interested in getting started on that reflective and exploratory journey of “What’s Next”, Encore Tampa Bay is partnering with Donna Rippley of the Center for Career Transition to offer a “Reinvention Retreat” on St Pete Beach January 13.  For more details download the flyer at our website.

To register for the event click here.

 

BUILDING STRONGER COMMUNITIES THROUGH CIVIC ENGAGEMENT

Several weeks ago I attended the Florida Civic Advance Summit, where public, private and independent sector leaders gathered together to advance community innovation and build civic capital.  Did you know that Florida ranks lowest in the US, when it comes to civic engagement, (this includes volunteerism and philanthropy) while being one of the largest and fastest growing states?  The question was posed:  How do we expand community service and impact for the greater good?  How do we engage this large new set of residents in our state?

There were over 40 speakers, national civic experts and authors who offered ideas and innovations for enhancing civic life.   The conference focused on four of the eight areas of civic practice:

1. Strengthening volunteerism and philanthropy
Reasons for big decrease:
o   Economic obstacles (time and resource scarcity)
o   Structure for recruiting/ engaging volunteers
o   Nonprofits don’t see the value or potential of volunteers
o   Transportation

2. Civic Education: Empowering future generations
o   How do we increase the circle of care beyond your own personal bubble?
o   Civics education programs are disappearing
o   We must keep civics education nonpartisan/ nonpolitical.

3. Connecting Generations through community service.
o   Obstacle- Older adults are our largest human capital resource yet we have difficulty keeping them motivated and engaged.
o   We are lacking leadership and there is limited evidence based research on the impact of intergenerational work
o   Not a clear cut plan to implement intergenerational program
o   Lack of funding

4. Involving Citizens in local government.
o   How do we get the word out effectively about the many opportunities for civic engagement?
o   Where are the collaborative, authentic elected political leaders?

Under each area of civic practice we learned from a panel of experts, followed by civic showcase examples and finally brought the wisdom of the room together with workgroup discussions.  Donavan Lee Sinn, of The Children’s Trust of Miami, shared a great community engagement project in Riverside Park, Little Havana, in Miami Florida.  A group of concerned citizens wanted to change a dangerous run down park into a much needed safe space for the children and families in the neighborhood.  They started to engage everyone in the community by starting out with a survey that was given to every person in that area.  Not only did they get a great return on the survey but over 71% were willing to help in whatever way they could to turn this park around!

The highlight of the conference was listening to my hero and leader- Marc Freedman (founder of Encore movement), talk about “The Solution waiting to Happen”. He also mentioned our most recent national Generation to Generation campaign and the research showing the potential benefits for all generations lifting each other up.  Marc’s final words:  The secret of living forever…  “The real fountain of youth is the fountain WITH youth”. 

The Florida Civic Advance Network has created specific work groups under each of the civic practice areas.  Each group will take all the incredible information gathered at the conference along with their own research and documenting of best practices and models and come up with some real solutions.   I will be working with the Intergenerational Civic Engagement group over the next year and will continue to share with you what is being learned and tested across the state.

Jeff Johnson, AARP State Director has now been named as the new chair of the FCA Coordinating Council.   Jeff summarized the conference quite well when he said, “This summit served to rally civic leaders from the FCA to do more to harness the power of people and tap their talent and expertise to solve problems for the good.”

The question I ask all of you…. “Have we done enough to be a part of the solution and to address the most pressing problems in our community?   What are you doing to strengthen the lives, organizations or local government in your community??   It is time for all of us to step up and get involved.  Find your passion or an urgent pressing community challenge!!

Bevan Rogel
Encore Tampa Bay

Brain Health- You Have More Impact Than You Think! Guest blog by Mary Webb Walker

Mysterious. Complex. A three-pound super computer that functions beyond our imagination.

The adult human brain is a fascinating network of around 100 billion nerve cells (neurons) with branches connecting at over 100 trillion points, according to the Alzheimer’s Association Brain Tour. Memories, feelings, and thoughts are formed by signals traveling through this “neuron forest.”  Awe-inspiring. Capable of unimaginable feats. But with potential to go wrong.

What is the biggest health fear of Americans today?

It’s no longer cancer.  It’s not stroke or heart disease. According to the Marist Institute for Public Opinion, it’s the fear of developing Alzheimer’s disease. A national poll by Research! America and PARADE magazine showed that adults were more than twice as likely to fear losing their mental capacity as their physical ability.

So how do we alleviate those fears? Is an aging, diseased brain all part of growing older?

Overwhelming evidence says no!  Dozens of studies support the fact that lifestyle choices can keep our brains healthy, even overcoming genetic predispositions in some cases.

There has yet to be discovered a single magic bullet that insures brain health as we age. Yes, we Westerners love to search for the instant miracle pill to solve our health issues. But our brain is not that simple. Keeping our synapses humming comes not just from consuming Omega-3s daily, or exercising five days a week, but from a combination of factors all working together.

We have choices, plus data from reputable studies to guide those choices!

You may have heard it said that what’s good for your heart is good for your brain. Brain health experts agree. Controlling blood pressure and embracing healthy heart guidelines helps both these critical parts of our human bodies.

Here are some proven tips:

  1. Feed your brain healthy nutrients.
  2. Deliver oxygen to your brain cells through exercise.
  3. Work hard to get regular, good quality sleep.
  4. Embrace new mental stimulation.
  5. Reduce damaging stress through daily meditation and prayer.
  6. Enhance existing social connections and explore new ones.
  7. Laugh and lighten up! Your brain will love you for it.

In addition, we can stack the brain health deck in our favor by controlling our blood sugar.

While our brain depends upon glucose to operate efficiently and keep our neurotransmitters humming, too much, as evidenced in people with Type 2 diabetes, is harmful.

Check out this article from Harvard Medical School Department of Neurobiology regarding sugar and the brain.

Then there’s the gut-brain connection.

Researchers at Johns Hopkins have found that digestive system activity may affect cognition, both memory and thinking skills.  They report evidence of a “second brain” contained in the walls of your digestive system. The scientific term is ENS – the enteric nervous system – and it’s not to be taken lightly. The ENS contains more than 100 million nerve cells that line your gastrointestinal tract – another reason that nutrition is critical to healthy brain function.

Thankfully, an important characteristic of our brains is a relatively recent discovery: Neuroplasticity.  A landmark 1998 study building upon research conducted since the 1950s dispelled the notion that our brain cells are fixed at birth and die over time, a revelation considered by many as one of the most important discoveries of the 20th century.

Brain plasticity is our ability to change our brains, grow new neurons and connections, and repair damaged ones, through learning, experiences, and actions.

So take heart!  Explore healthier choices for your brain.  It’s never too late!

Mary Webb Walker is a healthy lifestyle and well-being educator, focused on brain health and caregivers. After caring for her mom with Alzheimer’s, she co-founded Caregiver Sanctuary, an Alzheimer’s care partner support group. She also co-founded AccentHealth, a prevention network in U.S. medical waiting rooms. As a Brain Dame, Mary Webb is helping launch Memory Mondays, a social/educational program for people with early stage dementia.

The Power of Informal Mentoring: Guest Blog by Donna Rippley

Have you ever watched someone pull off an impressive feat and thought, “That was great, how did he do that?” When that happens, think: Mentor Power!

We are all surrounded by people in our personal and professional lives who do awesome things. Perhaps you’ve been in a meeting where the leader is able to engage everyone in the process, secure consensus, reach the desired outcomes, and everyone walks out of the room feeling good. To lead a meeting like a conductor leading an orchestra — wouldn’t you love to be supported in learning those skills at the hands of a master? Think: Mentor Power. Your mentor might be standing right in front of you, and he or she might be more approachable than you imagine.

Or maybe you’ve watched a colleague take a three week vacation while her business runs beautifully as she totally checks out and unhooks. You are amazed when she returns to the office and the folder of items for her attention only contains a few sheets of paper. Again, wouldn’t you love to learn the steps and processes put in place to pull that off, and then receive some support as you implement some of those processes adapted to the way you work in your own business? Think: Mentor Power — your savvy colleague might love to share her secrets.

With practice, you can build Mentor Power into your everyday workflow. The endless list of possibilities for informal mentoring experiences includes networking, building relationships with your clients, and discovering and working your niche to build your book of business.

Engaging in informal, short episodes of mentoring within your workplace can create a rich world of continuous growing, stretching, and spreading your wings. Become reflective about what you would like to add to your current work as an advisor, and be bold in asking for small episodes of mentoring from people in all arenas of your life and business.

A mentor can be a peer, a leader in your business, or a new associate who has a set of skills or knowledge that you do not have. You might also seek a mentor outside of the financial industry to grow in an area that supports your work as an advisor. Keep in mind a few key secrets to help you create lots of mentors in your life:

  • Be respectful of the mentor’s time
  • Be very targeted in what your desired outcome is for the mentoring experience, and
  • Keep interactions focused and succinct.

Pinpoint exactly where you want your growth to occur, then ask a potential mentor for support on one topic — you will be much more likely to receive a “yes” to your mentoring request.

You may be surprised to discover that Mentor Power  extends in more than one direction. Just as you are moving forward by receiving mentoring support, you will also move forward by mentoring others in turn. Mentoring is an experience that provides insights for both the mentor and mentee. The rewards are many and with a little strategic planning and management, informal mentoring will give you a great “return on investment” of your time. Your encore is a great time to experience mentoring in a new way.

Donna Rippley is an accredited coach and consultant specializing in strategies to support clients in retirement planning, leadership development and programs to support teams in achieving business success. She has worked in the financial, non-profit and corporate sector as well as with small business owners.

She has been seen on NBC, CBS, ABC and Fox affiliates around the country and has presented at national conferences and on a variety of panels. She has taught at the university level at several universities and was a project leader for a state task force on best practices in professional development design.