Hands up from all the women in our community who never made a mistake. If we were in a room together, I can guarantee that no-one would be waving. Ok, maybe there would be one “class clown,” waving her hand, but, anyone who took the request seriously, would be sitting still.

Just as in my case, I assume your time on this planet has been a wonderful collage of brilliant decisions, silly misjudgments and a few soul crushing mistakes.

Along the way, you have probably experienced loss and disappointment. You have been hurt and you have seen others go through equally difficult times. As you get a little older, your natural response may be to withdraw to a safe place. You may think that avoidance is the easiest way to avoid pain and the phrase “never again” may become your mantra.

You Can’t Find Happiness by Avoiding Sadness

There is no denying that getting hurt changes us. Depending on the circumstances, it can change our entire perspective on life. When trust is shattered, you lose more than happiness – you lose hope.

Intellectually, we know that, when hard times come, it is best to stay in the present and learn what we can from a difficult situation. This is the only way to get back on the path to happiness. Since we are not robots, this is easier said than done!

I have heard so many women in the Sixty and Me Community say they would rather not love again if it meant being hurt.

Martha Raye captured this struggle when she said, “Don’t give up the search for happiness because you are afraid of getting hurt.” I couldn’t agree more!

Life is all about finding joy and happiness in a shifting and unpredictable world. Things, by their very nature, have to change. We cannot, should not, give up on our search for happiness. We must take decisive action and be passionate about happiness again.

Life after 60 can be anything that we want it to be. But, in order to find happiness in our 60s, we cannot allow ourselves to be weighed down by the other decades of our lives. We must risk a little hurt in order to find the pleasure and happiness that we deserve.

Do you have a fear of getting hurt? Do you agree that getting hurt is sometimes a gift that makes us better people? Do you think that, in order to find happiness, we need to risk being hurt again? Please join the conversation.