where women celebrate their ageless authenticity

What's Your Why?

Like most little kids, I used to drive my parents crazy with a constant barrage of questions beginning with why. They even nicknamed me Windy, relentless as an unstoppable wind, in my never ending quest for answers.

Seems we’re all born with a thirst for knowledge. But when was the last time you asked yourself why you do something?

If we are living intentionally, we understand the reasons for our actions, and are aware of how they make us feel. But what about those days when I feel like I’m moving through life on autopilot? Perhaps it’s time to redefine my why by updating my habits and practices in ways that may better serve me.

Whatever your approach, it’s important we stay curious and purpose driven.

A recent Forbes Magazine study revealed that “as we grow, we shift from curious learning to knowing, and as an adult, we can reach a learning plateau. As we age, we find it easier to live as the expert who knows, than the student who grows.”

 

Curiosity Killers:

• Knowing: An acquired skill with aging — we’ve been there and the learning is complete, or maybe we don’t want to have to prove ourselves any more.
• Ego: We all want to feel competent and safe, not vulnerable and small. From the ego’s standpoint, it’s all about achieving balance.

Curiosity Builders:

• Being open: Seeing others as a mirror who have a new or different perspective we can learn and grow from.
• Fostering space: It’s on us to create a safe space to ask questions from a place of deepening our understanding, without feeling less than or having to measure up. Being humble we can absorb new ideas and grow richer from people that inspire us.

 

When it comes to cultivating a life of purpose, it may look different to each of us, but it’s similar in a sense of direction and connection to something bigger than ourselves. Like being of service to our family and community. My 93-year-old mother in law is an inspiring prime example. She takes pride in being self-sufficient and keeps herself mobile so she can someday soon hold a great grandchild in her arms.

Purpose can even improve our health because it helps handle stress; we’re more adept at focusing on the big picture rather than getting overwhelmed with everyday issues. Research shared by Medical News Today found that women with a strong sense of purpose lowered their risk of mortality by 34%, compared to men whose risk was reduced by only 20%.

Penning this article a week before my 65^th birthday really got me curious about what my why truly is. I mean, “Why am I here?” I can only answer that question through my actions, but putting it out there helps keep me connected to that little Windy girl I was. With time, I’ve come to know there’s so much I still wish to know, so things really haven’t changed much.

What’s Your Why?