If you are part of the boomers’ generation, you may wonder what happened to the collective identity we shared a few decades back. Since then some of us have been engaged in our spiritual growth and have remained devoted to realizing the visions of a peaceful, sustainable way of life on Earth. Others experience midlife as a time of feeling overwhelmed, restless or ill at ease below the appearance of conventional success. In the middle passage, we are often confronted with competing commitments, unrealized dreams needing to be addressed and deeper questions about what really matters most.

Living Forward, Giving Back, inspires as it features men and women who have gained spiritual maturity and are taking effective, joyful and loving actions to make a difference. Among the many examples, Carsten Henningsen of Portand, Oregon had maintained close bonds with people in Sri Lanka when he studied there in the early 1980s. When the tsunami devastated that area in 2004, Carsten felt compelled to go and be of service. Once there he assisted with the reconstruction of a school and attended to others urgent needs. Following his return to the US, Carsten founded Community Friends which is now continuing to address malnutrition in children, support family enterprises with innovative financing solutions and provide educational scholarships.

Although many boomers don’t relate to the concept of “retirement”, the millions of us who are not self-employed will eventually transition beyond our current or future workplace. But this transition can be treacherous if we don’t redefine our purpose and reconfigure our personal identity as distinct from our former professional role. We now know that at this time of life, a sense of purpose is essential to keeping our vitality; the fire of aliveness within. This book also explores what is needed to thrive and to turn the challenges of “retirement” into opportunities for a dynamic and fulfilling re-engagement.

At this crossroads in time, when our damage to the Earth seems more significant than ever before, our generation is being summoned to augment its leadership-in-action as ancestors of the future. Surely, we all grasp the sobering reality that the resources of the earth are finite. But what is not finite is the resourcefulness and resilience of the human spirit when used in loving synergy with the power of the heart. Each of us can access more of this infinite resourcefulness as we keep rising into the realms of consciousness where all possibilities exist.

With pertinent questions at the end of each chapter, this book will ignite new insights; cause you to reflect deeply, to better understand the issues of midlife and beyond, and to be inspired into your next level of meaningful action. Rise to the invitation, read more about Living Forward, Giving Back and/or obtain your copy through the bookstore at www.inspiredmomentum.com

---------

Endorsement by Lynne Twist, president, Soul of Money Institute: Isabelle St-Jean has written a timely and important book. She empowers us to reveal and live our deepest truth. Her writing is clear and compelling, eloquent and wise. She has lived what she shares, and the stories and examples shine with clarity and grace.

----------

Isabelle St-Jean is a professional life coach, speaker, facilitator, founder of Inspired Momentum Development and author of Living Forward, Giving Back. She helps people to unleash more of their potential as they navigate major life transitions including vocational change, midlife, and turning a “retirement” into a fulfilling re-engagement. Following graduate studies in Authentic Leadership at Naropa University, Isabelle also initiated and co-authored the award-winning anthology Einstein’s Business: Engaging Soul, Imagination and Excellence in the Workplace. Isabelle resides in Vancouver, Canada. Her website is www.inspiredmomentum.com. .