Advice Inspiration for Embracing Life s Changes and Following Dreams
Advice, Inspiration for Embracing Life's Changes and Following Dreams
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As much as I need to do what I love, I want to inspire people and make them happy. Those dreams come together in my music, where from the beginning I created a Latin sound that was unique to my background. Luckily, other people loved our music as much as I did. When I'm writing songs I often spend hours in the studio, my emotions in my hands, just trying to feel what people will enjoy, what will make them dance. We reinvent the basics for every new song, each one needing a different melody, different lyrics. Right now I'm working on an album with , the great tenor; this new venture is an amazing opportunity and challenge for both of us. Our ally in meeting this challenge, as for all life challenges, is creativity, the hard work of reimagining. Just the , to make a better world around you, make yourself a better person, make someone else smile, can trigger your change. I'm grateful every day for everything I have, but when I was starting out, that wasn't much! Because we had no money, creativity and imagination were our greatest assets. One valuable thing I have now that I didn't have then is decades of experience. I feel much than in my 20s. I'm busier than I've ever been in my life, and I believe that no matter what age you are, you can still be inspired to achieve greater success. My little grandson is a constant reminder to me that life can get better; he's living the childhood that I didn't have in Cuba. (And when he tells me, "Abuelo, I love you," I just melt.) Take steps, the best you can, toward your imagined change. Sometimes you find out what the next step is only after taking the first one. Do what makes you happy, whatever that may be. Be courageous and use your creativity to make your best choices in the face of change. Emilio Estefan is a music mogul, a restaurateur, a father, a husband and a philanthropist. As Life Reimagined ambassador for AARP, Emilio will share his expertise on a variety of subjects, including his passion for living, mentoring, entrepreneurship and philanthropy.
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How to Embrace Life' s Changes
Handling life' s " trigger events" with imagination
Barry Austin/Getty Images To make a successful life change, take steps toward it, suggests Life Reimagined's ambassador. "Sometimes you find out what the next step is only after taking the first one." A trigger event is a conscious choice or an external circumstance that disrupts the comfortable status quo of our lives. June is full of them! Newlyweds are creating new households, leaving roommates or family behind to regroup. Graduates are full of hopes for shaping a new future, and their parents may be starting life as empty nesters. Life Reimagined ambassador Emilio Estefan reflects on what it takes to make a successful change. Throughout my whole life I have always felt that we have to do . For me, that's always been music. In a time of great upheaval in my life — leaving Cuba, and my mother, at the age of 14 — music saved my life. My father and I were taking one step at a time toward an unknown future. Though we felt we had to say goodbye to our country, we didn't know where our new home would be. In fact, we spent more than a year in Spain before we were allowed to come to the United States. It took my mother even longer; we were all finally reunited after three years. Only the happiness I found in music kept me together.Related
— Receive access to exclusive information, benefits and discounts
As much as I need to do what I love, I want to inspire people and make them happy. Those dreams come together in my music, where from the beginning I created a Latin sound that was unique to my background. Luckily, other people loved our music as much as I did. When I'm writing songs I often spend hours in the studio, my emotions in my hands, just trying to feel what people will enjoy, what will make them dance. We reinvent the basics for every new song, each one needing a different melody, different lyrics. Right now I'm working on an album with , the great tenor; this new venture is an amazing opportunity and challenge for both of us. Our ally in meeting this challenge, as for all life challenges, is creativity, the hard work of reimagining. Just the , to make a better world around you, make yourself a better person, make someone else smile, can trigger your change. I'm grateful every day for everything I have, but when I was starting out, that wasn't much! Because we had no money, creativity and imagination were our greatest assets. One valuable thing I have now that I didn't have then is decades of experience. I feel much than in my 20s. I'm busier than I've ever been in my life, and I believe that no matter what age you are, you can still be inspired to achieve greater success. My little grandson is a constant reminder to me that life can get better; he's living the childhood that I didn't have in Cuba. (And when he tells me, "Abuelo, I love you," I just melt.) Take steps, the best you can, toward your imagined change. Sometimes you find out what the next step is only after taking the first one. Do what makes you happy, whatever that may be. Be courageous and use your creativity to make your best choices in the face of change. Emilio Estefan is a music mogul, a restaurateur, a father, a husband and a philanthropist. As Life Reimagined ambassador for AARP, Emilio will share his expertise on a variety of subjects, including his passion for living, mentoring, entrepreneurship and philanthropy.
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See the for deals, savings tips, trivia and moreCancel You are leaving AARP.org and going to the website of our trusted provider. The provider’s terms, conditions and policies apply. Please return to AARP.org to learn more about other benefits. Your email address is now confirmed. You'll start receiving the latest news, benefits, events, and programs related to AARP's mission to empower people to choose how they live as they age. You can also by updating your account at anytime. You will be asked to register or log in. Cancel Offer Details Disclosures