036: Let Your Accumulated Experiences Give You An Aging Advantage

Did you ever wonder about who you would be today if you had missed the opportunities, challenges, and experiences you've had up to now?

I do, especially now that I've reached this era of my life.

That's why the idea that life is actually a cumulative experience really resonates with me.

By cumulative experience I'm referring to the reality that your opportunities, big and small challenges, changes, and the mass of life experiences stack one upon the other.

And viola...wisdom abounds!

This cumulative experience principle is a big deal because no challenge, change, opportunity, or experience should ever be wasted.

Frankly, these days it's easier to syphon energy from the experiences of others (I'm talking to you - social media scrollers) than it is to do the reflective work of exploring your own journey that's led you to where you are today...right now!

Your life is colorful tapestry of meaningful experiences that give you a cumulative advantage as you age

I've grown to understand what I didn't realize when I was younger: wisdom (gained through experience) gives you an advantage as you age.

And it's more useful to you and others as you routinely reflect on your life experiences.

• Tapping into your accumulated knowledge, growth, and experiences
• Taking inventory of where you've been, what you've accomplished, how you've grown
• Believing that you're not done accumulating opportunity or experience until you are (done, that is)

Use your experiences instead of being used by them (or wasting them)

I realize some of the experiences you’ve had were dropped in your lap (opportunities) or on your head (challenges and hard stuff).

You’ve perhaps invested a lot of time, energy, and money crawling from under the hard stuff.

You’ve dressed your wounds and moved on hopefully.

But the bigger question is: what did you learn from a particular experience?

Further, what deposits have you made in your wisdom-account as a result of your learned discoveries - painful or otherwise?

Don’t merely question the “why” - discover the power of seeking the “what.”

• What did you learn or unlearn?
• What influence have leveraged since?
• What wisdom have you gained?

Next...

Retrace your steps and recover some of that youthful energy

This is one of those life moments when taking a look in the rear view mirror is to your advantage.

Typically, I’d say keep your eyes consistently focused forward but a reflective look back is what we’re exploring here.

Healthy inventories remind you that you once had something that you might now believe to be nothing more than the good old days.

But as long as the days are yours to have they’re good for way more than merely a longing for what once was.

Instead, retrace your steps.

• What youthful pursuits once gave you joy, happiness, fulfillment?
• What once got you out of bed in the morning (besides a job, career, or a energetic toddler)?
• What people, places, or things gave you good vibes?

I'll leave the traceable answers up to you.

Rejoice that you're still accumulating experiences (and keep going)

Let this be your not-so-subtle reminder that you're not done...until you are!

Aging is a cumulative advantage as long as you stay engaged - physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.

• Be a perpetual student and stay curious about life, love, and how to better leverage the wisdom you've gained.
• Be emotionally and mentally sharp by exercising your mind - read, explore new ideas, journal, paint, work some puzzles and basically whatever keeps your mind active and pliable.
• Be committed to something bigger and more lasting than yourself and the world around you - think eternally!

I'm of the opinion that age potentially comes with way more advantages than liabilities (your experiences might confirm that...if you see them as an advantage).

• Waste no experience
• Reflect on what energizes you
• Keep going

Or...as I like to say:

Press on...

Eddie