Boomers’ Greatest Revolution
There’s certainly been no shortage of books, articles, retrospectives, and other forms of nostalgia about the late ‘60s and early ‘70s. Our heady days of flower power and longhaired protests are legendary. We baby boomers were nothing if not revolutionary and that spirit represents much of how other generations have viewed us over the years.
Our critics have called us the spoiled and pampered progeny of the Greatest Generation, referring to our youthful indiscretions with disdain. Admittedly we did indulge in one or two bad habits, but we were far from spending all of our days spaced-out in clouds of pot, gazing at lava lamps, and listening to Jimi Hendrix. Far from it. The legacy of a youthful President Kennedy, the “ask not what your country can do for you” speech, and the recently formed Peace Corps ignited a sense of service in our generation. We truly believed we could change the world for the better—and in many ways we did.
Then career building and rearing our own families took focus away from our generation’s call for social reform. However, now that we’ve entered our fifties and sixties, that call is back. One of the greatest gifts of age is having both the time and the resources to revitalize former passions and follow through with long deferred goals. In truth, we boomers are now poised to make a huge impact: fulfilling our destiny as social reformers and champions of equitable rights for all citizens.
One of our own, Marc Freedman, has written a book on this very topic. The Big Shift: Navigating the New Stage Beyond Midlife is a call to boomers to redefine what we typically think of as retirement years. Marc points to a brand new stage in life—one that’s between middle and older age—and how we can move into our sixties and beyond with a renewed sense of purpose, passion, and contribution.
It’s an exciting concept full of energy, hope, and renewal. I invite you to spend 15-minutes, listen to my interview with Marc, and learn about this latest boomer movement. The Big Shift may, in fact, be our greatest revolution to date.
Then check out Marc’s book and the website Encore.org. I promise you, you’ll come away feeling your flower power in full force. There’s no better way to revolutionize the spirit and style of aging than by celebrating life through doing something of value that changes the world for the better. Being of service is a true win/win—it’s good for society and good for the soul!
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