Our Programmes

Positive Ageing

20th June 2025 - 22nd June 2025

Facilitator: Miriam Akhtar

Ageing gets a bad press, portrayed as being downhill all the way. However, contrary to expectations, happiness goes up after fifty rather than down and there are other gains of age like wisdom, emotional mastery and multiple forms of intelligence. This retreat shows you how to use positive psychology to make the most of the third act and sow the seeds of a happy and meaningful later life.

Event time: 20th June 2025 4:00pm - 22nd June 2025 4:00pm

Interested in spreading the cost of this course? Select Clearpay at checkout.

What Is Included

For the majority of our courses, both residential and non-residential rates are available. Residential options are fully inclusive with all meals provided. Non-residential options include suppers, lunches and all refreshments and exclude B&B. Some of our short day courses, events and talks do not include meals and refreshments. For more details about this course, please see the Practical Information section below.

Additional Activities

Mindful walking through our woodland trails
Meditate in our Woodland Sanctuary
Go on a hike and explore the Cotswolds AONB
Discover surrounding charming market towns

At a Glance

Explore the psychology of positive ageing
Challenge the negativity about later life
Experience the positive psychology practices that can help us age well.

What You Will Gain

An understanding of how age beliefs influence the quality of later life.
A sense of your strengths to take forward.
A toolkit of practices to help you age positively.
A vision for your later years.

Booking Options

Residential (single)Residential single rate

£470.00

Residential (shared)Residential shared rate

£420.00

Non-residentialNon-residential rate

£340.00

Interested in spreading the cost of this course? Select Clearpay at checkout.

Positive Ageing Tutors

Miriam Akhtar

More about Positive Ageing

Just as we had to learn how to grow up, we also need to learn how to grow old. The Positive Ageing retreat explores the psychology of ageing well and the practices that result in mature happiness. How we feel about our ageing process can have a significant influence on how we experience later life. It’s true that ageism is rife but internalised ageism is even more harmful. The good news is that negative age beliefs can be resisted and reversed and with a positive mindset we are much more likely to make the most of what later life has to offer us.

This retreat busts the myths about ageing and equips you to navigate this stage of life so that you can feel good and function well. You’ll discover your strengths, reflect on your sources of meaning and sense of purpose and discover how to grow your wellbeing. For some people it might mean embarking on an ‘encore career’ - a new direction that gives life a fresh meaning.
The workshop welcomes participants of all ages. It’s never too early nor too late to start ageing positively!

Practical Information

Please take one or both of these strengths tests and bring your results to the retreat.

- The free strengths test at www.viacharacter.org. Alternatively, a DIY paper version is available through Hawkwood.

- The free or expert profile at www.StrengthsProfile.com. The expert profile is recommended for those who are thinking about an encore career.

Sessions will cover:

- What is Positive Ageing
- Busting the Myths about Later Life
- Attitudes to Ageing
- Meaning in Later Life
- Explore your Strengths
- Encore Careers
- Mature Happiness
- Later Life Wellbeing Practices
- Life Review
- Planning for Later Life

"Thank you so much for a wonderful weekend, thought-provoking and inspirational. I feel so much more positive and optimistic about the future and ageing. Time well spent!"

Previous participant

About Hawkwood

Hawkwood is a stunning Grade Il listed 19th Century country house, surrounded by 42 acres of sustainably managed woodland, farmland, and gardens. Set in the heart of the Cotswolds - an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty - it is a sanctuary away from the hustle and bustle of modern life. With a diverse selection of nearly 150 courses, there's plenty to choose from, including courses in transformative leadership, future thinking, inner life, music and the arts.

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