Are you turning 60 this year? Congratulations! You’re about to join an exclusive club, filled with people who are reinventing their lives and exploring their passions.

If there is one thing that I have learned from the Sixty and Me community, it’s this – life after 60 is whatever you make it. I know people in their 60s who are in the best shape of their lives. I also know men and women who struggle to get out of the house once a day. Older business owners are the fastest growing group of entrepreneurs. At the same time, there are plenty of people who complain about not having any opportunities for professional growth after 60. Life after 60 is yours to define.

Here are a few tips for celebrating your 60th birthday and planning the next stage of your life.

Try to See Turning 60 as an Opportunity

Think back to when you turned 40. Did you experience concerns about entering middle age? When you reached your 50s, did you start to worry about retirement, your future and your changing social circumstances? The problem with milestones is that they tend to focus our attention on fears for the future, rather than opportunities in the present.

There is an alternative.

Instead of worrying about what might happen in the future, you can see your 60th birthday as an opportunity to evaluate your life and get on the path to success.

What do you want to accomplish in the coming decades? Do you want to get in the best shape of your life? Are there particular passions that you want to explore? What friendships do you want to develop? The choices are yours to make.

Don’t Let Stereotypes Slow You Down

I remember reading about a science experiment in which test subjects were shown a series of words that are often associated with older people. These test subjects actually walked slower as they left the lab than people who didn’t read the words. In other words, stereotypes matter.

Like everyone else, you have ideas in your head about what it means to be 60. Perhaps you think of 65 as being “retirement age,” whatever that means. Or, maybe you have an impression that life after 60 is a time of physical and mental decline.

Don’t let aging stereotypes slow you down. Make a commitment today to make life after 60 the best time of your life.

There are so many myths about aging out there. The only truth is the truth that you will write as you leave your mark on the world.

Are You Worried About Turning 60 for All the Wrong Reasons?

As we reach our 60th birthday, many of us feel apprehensive about the future. Some think about the fact that we may have less time ahead of us than behind. Others are concerned about whether we will start to lose our mental clarity. Almost all of us worry about how we are going to survive on a pension as our careers wind down.

What most baby boomers I know forget is that life after 60 is long. If you are turning 60 today, you probably have another 25 years ahead of you. Think about where you were 25 years ago. How much have you changed since you were in your mid-30s? That’s how long you probably still have to spend on this planet.

Getting a perspective on how much time you probably have ahead of you is the best way to convince yourself of the need to take action.

Don’t worry about your aging body. Make a commitment to getting in great shape. Don’t worry about your pension. Build a side-business, become a writer or start a company. Don’t complain about your changing social circumstances. Focus on making friends with people who share your interests.

So, let me be the first to say happy 60th birthday! I am looking forward to hearing about all of the amazing things that you do with your life after 60.

Are you turning 60 this year? What are your biggest fears about turning 60? What are you most excited about as you look out into the future and consider what life after 60 will be like? Please join the discussion.