3 Enablers of Purposeful Living After 60
As a 60+ woman, you may ask yourself, “What am I doing with my life?” Or, maybe you’re thinking, “I want to experience purposeful living, not just fill my time.”
Perhaps your sense of purpose was all wrapped up in raising a family and/or your career, but things are changing, and you’re feeling a little lost.
We all want to feel like what we do day in and day out matters.
In fact, plenty of research has shown that identifying and pursuing a purpose improves our physical and mental wellbeing. Studies show that individuals with a sense of purpose tend to experience increased longevity, improved sleep quality, a strengthened immune system, reduced stress levels, and enhanced cognitive function.
But to reap the benefits, our purposes must be anchored to specific positive impacts and the meaning they have for us. Purpose, impact, and meaning are closely related. We need all three to fulfill our human potential and determine what our life will add up to.
Whether you’re going through a life transition, reflecting on your future, or just yearning for more depth and significance, a closer look at these three enablers of purposeful living is always a good idea.
Purpose Is What You Stand For
Purpose is your intention to make the world a better place in some way. It’s a cause (or causes) you believe in and are willing to stand up for in your daily life.
It’s about adding more love to the world.
It could be something as personal and close to home as helping a loved one deal with a long illness. One of my intentions is to support my husband through chemotherapy, ongoing treatments, and positive mindsets for his chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
Maybe you feel called to help underprivileged women and children in your community.
Maybe you love and want to help preserve Mother Earth in some way. Perhaps you want to protect animals in your neighborhood or in the wild.
Like me, you may love books and reading and want to promote that in your community.
Perhaps you love art or music and want to contribute beauty to the world. My friend Ruth loves music, has been teaching piano to children for over 30 years, and can’t imagine ever wanting to retire.
To rediscover a sense of purpose, ask yourself, “Who and what do I love? What am I willing to stand for and work towards?”
Impact Is What Happens from Your Purpose
While purpose is about potential, impact is about reality – the unmistakable effect or influence you have on a person or a situation. Impact is the specific difference you make – what happens from your purpose. It’s something that can be observed and measured.
For example, my husband’s cancer keeps going into remission through the healing power of my love and positivity, plus the passion and skills of his oncology team. As we all stand for his potential wellness, our impact is seen through lower lymphocyte counts in his blood and his quality of life.
Ruth sees her impact when her piano students are excited about new learning and experience the joy of making music. It’s obvious when students are practicing and making progress.
Ask yourself what measurable positive impact you want to make in your world.
Meaning Is Derived from Your Impact
Meaning is subjective and unique to each and every one of us. It’s about why we do what we do and the feeling we get from it.
I experience tremendous significance in standing for my husband’s wellbeing. The positive impact of my support is undeniable and brings me great satisfaction.
When I ask myself why, I realize it aligns with my values of higher love, compassion, and zest for life.
Ruth derives much meaning from spreading her love of music and helping expose children to the arts. Why? Because the universal and enduring nature of music touches us all profoundly and promotes authentic self-expression.
A simple way to connect impact and meaning is to repeatedly ask yourself why and stay curious about your answers.
Your next chapter can be your most vibrant and purposeful one yet. The world is waiting to be enriched by your unique gifts – the purpose, impact, and meaning only you can bring. As author Steven Pressfield wrote in The War of Art, “Don’t cheat us of your contribution. Give us what you’ve got.”
Read more: Unlock Your Purpose: The Secret of Living with Intention Starts with This 3-Step Life Audit.
How to Identify Your Purpose (When You’re Not Sure)
Feeling unsure about your purpose after 60 is more common than you might think. Life transitions – retirement, an empty nest, or even the loss of a long-held role – can leave you asking, “Now what?” If you’re feeling stuck, the key is to start gently, with curiosity, not pressure. Purpose doesn’t have to arrive all at once – it often unfolds through small steps and quiet reflection.
Here are a few ways to help you reconnect with what matters most:
Reflective Questions to Get You Started
Try journaling or talking through these prompts with a trusted friend. Don’t worry about having the “right” answers – just pay attention to what feels energizing or important.
- What activities leave me feeling fulfilled or joyful?
- Who do I enjoy helping or supporting – and why?
- What do people often come to me for?
- What topics or issues light me up when I read or hear about them?
- When in my life have I felt most proud or useful?
- If money and time weren’t concerns, how would I spend my days?
- What am I curious to learn more about?
Treat your answers as gentle clues, not final destinations.
Revisit Childhood Passions and Interests
Sometimes our earliest interests hold hints about our deeper values – before responsibilities and expectations took over. Ask yourself:
- What did I love doing as a child or teenager?
- Was I always organizing events, helping others, making art, solving problems, or being in nature?
- Are there any forgotten hobbies or dreams I could reconnect with now?
Even a playful return to something simple – like sketching, playing an instrument, or gardening – can reignite a sense of purpose.
Notice What Feels Meaningful in Your Daily Life
Not every calling has to be big or public. Purpose can be found in:
- The quiet joy of caring for others
- Making a neighbor smile
- Sharing your life lessons with someone younger
- Creating something beautiful or useful
Pay attention to what gives your days a sense of weight or significance. These small, repeated moments often reveal more than big, abstract goals.
Your next chapter can be your most vibrant and purposeful one yet. The world is waiting to be enriched by your unique gifts – the purpose, impact, and meaning only you can bring. As author Steven Pressfield wrote in The War of Art, “Don’t cheat us of your contribution. Give us what you’ve got.”
More Recommended Books, Podcasts, and Talks on Purpose in Later Life
If you’re looking for thoughtful guidance, relatable stories, or a gentle nudge toward purpose, these books, podcasts, and talks offer valuable insights. Whether you prefer to curl up with a book, listen during a walk, or watch something inspiring, there’s something here for you.
Books
The Gift of Years by Joan Chittister
Written with wisdom and warmth, this book explores the spiritual and emotional potential of growing older. Chittister reflects on everything from purpose and regret to joy and legacy, offering encouragement to live fully in this chapter of life.
Life Reimagined: Discovering Your New Life Possibilities by Richard J. Leider
This practical and uplifting book helps readers rethink what’s next, especially after retirement or major life changes. It includes exercises and real-life stories to help you reflect, reset, and move forward with purpose.
Finding Meaning in the Second Half of Life by James Hollis
A deeper dive into the inner life, this book is for readers interested in self-discovery and the emotional side of aging. Hollis explores how midlife can be a doorway to greater authenticity, meaning, and psychological freedom.
Women Rowing North by Mary Pipher
Pipher, a psychologist and bestselling author, shares insights from her own life and those of other older women navigating change. It’s an affirming read about resilience, wisdom, and staying purposeful as we age.
From Age-ing to Sage-ing by Zalman Schachter-Shalomi
A groundbreaking book that redefines aging as a spiritual and transformative journey. It includes exercises and reflections to help turn growing older into a time of deepened purpose and inner growth.
Podcasts
70 Over 70 by Pineapple Street Studios
Conversations with people over the age of 70 who are still asking big questions, creating new paths, and living with intention. Thoughtful, surprising, and often funny.
Hosted by Mark Turnbull, this podcast covers many aspects of aging well, with interviews and solo episodes on caregiving, purpose, legacy, and reinventing yourself later in life.
Read more: 9 Podcasts for Women Over 50.
TED Talks
There’s more to life than being happy by Emily Esfahani Smith
This talk explores the difference between seeking happiness and creating meaning, and how purpose can lead to a more lasting kind of fulfillment.
What makes a good life? Lessons from the longest study on happiness by Robert Waldinger
A powerful reminder that relationships, purpose, and connection – not achievements or wealth – are the true foundations of a good life.
The Art of Being Yourself by Caroline McHugh
A beautiful talk about authenticity, identity, and living a life aligned with who you really are – especially relevant when exploring purpose later in life.
Read more: Are You Just Existing? Here Are 5 Simple Tools to Help You Find Your Purpose After 60.
Editor’s Note: Article updated by Sixty and Me.
Let’s Have a Conversation:
Have you ever wrestled with purpose, impact, and meaning? If you’re nearing retirement, do you have a plan for feeling purposeful when the time comes? If you’re retired now, do you feel a little lost? Or maybe you did at first but found your way again?
Tags Empowerment
This is a timely article for me. I am seriously reviewing all my options regarding when to retire and I’m thinking about what I want to do next. I want to have a purpose and I want to enjoy my retirement time. I currently perform volunteer work and might enjoy putting more time into that aspect. I also want to spend more time with my landscape photography hobby. It’s nice to have options. I’m eager to start this next phase.
Thanks for sharing your journey, Lauren. Your volunteer work and landscape photography sound like wonderful pathways to purpose in retirement. The combination of giving back while also nurturing your creative passion sounds just right to me. I’m excited for you as you embrace this next chapter with such a positive outlook!
I know that I really need purpose in my life. I recently started a knitting group at my house. I am teaching my 60 year old plus girlfriends to knit. And another group modern hand stitching. We are all willing, determined and creative! So nice to combine purpose with fun!
Yes, Eileen! Purpose with fun! Plus, you are creating community and belonging. Keep going and thanks for reading. 😊
I am dealing with this question at the moment. Perhaps I will go down the path of doing more art when I retire. I’ve been drawing and painting regularly since I was 21. Or maybe I will do some work on the local business board. I am not much interested in helping homeless people or those living in poverty so no point pretending
More art and the possibility of adding to your local business board sound great, Ingrid. The idea is to engage in things that feel authentic to you. Thank you for reading and for sharing. 😊
my congenitally imperfect hip (that got me to 62, though i made it run mileage and go to gyms and push iron around, ride motorcycles poorly, and just eke every bit out of what i found – i never wanted to miss a thing – not a fashion doll, so i’ve been Busy! – but i appreciate the art and finesse of you fashion dolls out there; i just never got good at it)
anyway, my hip is tired. i’ve known for my life i had a wonky structure, and thank God it didn’t stop all my rippin’ and runnin’ – but now, i’m Wonky.
my purpose in life is to not land heavily on my kids. my extended family is either extended to far or gone too far with me in other ways. my Daughter says i always have a spot in her lovely home, and that’s reassuring. but she’s out of state, and my Son is here locally. i’m single, and i’ve told him point blank that i don’t want to land on him if my hip wonks out.
so my purpose, as simple as it seems, is to take care of myself as best i can. the doctors recommend much more than i’m up to or into. i am into pilates, i have a pup to walk, i have many interests – playing with paint, reading, too much screen time – ha, astronomy, Arabic, keeping my Spanish fresh … even though my walking is wonked, it hasn’t stopped me driving. if God has no hands, so Missionaries do God’s Work, then God has no eyes, and there is much Beauty in the World, so i walk around to show God Beauty – hokey, isn’t it? i think so, but it is where i am, and i can’t believe i’m lucky to be right where i am
be well. yes, i’m by myself a lot, which i enjoy mostly, so my communication is getting blended into different styles, rather than be obliged to stay front-end ready for 300+ grocery customers a day. it’s new kind of freedom, and my Daughter’s in place to watch the sanity factor – haha
Great stuff! A lot of people with “perfect” hips don’t feel this good
I am in a position to be able to help those less fortunate than I am. I have done this for years and will continue as long as I can.
That’s wonderful, Renée