My Cup Runneth Over When I Have a Purpose

By Susan “Honey” Good

Last night we attended a festive birthday celebration. The party was given by two wives, best friends, for their husbands, also best friends. There were about 100 people at the affair and everyone was dressed to the nines with happy smiles on their face as they conversed nonstop with each other.

During dinner and in between table conversation, toasts were given by the wives and husbands and their respective children and grands. The delightful toasts added an additional feeling of positive connecting between the crowd.

As I interacted with several friends and acquaintances, not seen since my ultimate concierge and I left for California last November, I thought to myself, “I am happy. I feel emotionally AND physically happy interacting.”

I made a mental note to write a story about how uplifting it is to be connected with people.

People Need People

Speaking as a layperson, I believe two important factors, strong social relationships and a purpose in our lives, contribute to good health and a happy lifestyle after 50.

I do not like to write or think about the negatives of aging. But unfortunately, it is a passage we cannot escape.

As we age, loneliness and isolation become more common. We lose a spouse or partner and are faced with living alone. Dear friends or family members relocate, creating a void. Many women retire from their careers and lack purpose or meaning in their lives.

Therefore, women over 50 should make every effort to combat loneliness and isolation.

OMG, my mood is going down just writing about this, so now on to the positive, darlings.

What Can Help?

Get connected, darlings!

Many of my friends spend their day connecting and building friendships through different means of interaction. They have the time because they are empty nesters, to play cards, join book and movie and travel clubs, volunteer in their community, play a sport, go to lunch with the girls or start a new hobby or career.

There are other women friends of mine who blend careers and friendships. Many of you, like me, fall into this category. I am never bored because I have a purpose. I am not lonely because I interact with friends and business people. And, I am constantly interacting with my husband.

For you darlings who do not feel compatible with the ideas I mentioned, there are so many other means of staying connected and having a purpose.

Ways to Have Purpose

Be the best grandmother. Spend time with your grands exploring museums, going to the movies, spending time at the library, stopping into an ice cream shop, traveling with them or babysitting. What a great purpose! And, the love exchanged between you and your grands will be fulfilling and prevent loneliness and isolation.

Keep your mind alert and active. Take a course or finish up a degree. Your adrenaline will be at full and positive speed because you will proud of yourself and expand your intellectual horizons.

Love a new pet. If you enjoy peace and quiet and prefer to spend time alone and away from the tumult and the roaring crowd, consider buying a pet. The love and devotion you receive will give you a great purpose and prevent loneliness and you will stay healthy after 50!

Go online. Corresponding and reaching out to your friends by email or text or FaceTime is another means of healthy interaction that will prevent loneliness. My friends and my grands email and text me and I usually drop everything to begin an exchange of friendship and love over the web. If you are not Internet-friendly, I have been told local libraries often teach courses.

Kindness and Love Warm the Heart

If you have an acquaintance or friend or family member who you sense is lonely and becoming isolated, reach out and help them. You will be benefiting yourself as well!

Susan “Honey” Good is the founder of HoneyGood.com where this blog originally appeared. The site is a collection of lessons learned, life advice and insights from not only her, but from a fantastic group of contributing writers, each adding their own spice to the recipe. Honey Good.com representing “a family tree of women” — wives, mothers, daughters, granddaughters, mothers-in-law, daughters-in-law, sisters, aunts, cousins and girlfriends — coming together to talk about what makes them tick as well as what they have in common. Honey Good discusses life experiences with wisdom, humor and intellect, enabling all to attain a “Honey Good Style of Life.”