Growing Old … You Can Still Reinvent Yourself

Let me tell you a secret. Inside of every older person is a younger person wondering what the hell happened.

Maybe it’s because on my next birthday I will be 50 …but recently I’ve started to notice some little things that are making me feel old….

• I’ve spotted a few visible grey hairs

• Wrinkles have suddenly appeared on my face

• The mirror is reflecting an older looking person’s appearance

• My eldest child has gone to university

• My youngest has finished her GCSE’s

• Hearing myself say “we didn’t have IPods, laptops, and cell phones when I was a kid!”

• I’d rather have a cup of tea than alcohol

• I have hairs growing from the top of my ears

And finally being somebody who  used to be able to stay up all night, and feel perfectly fine, now if I don’t get enough sleep, it’s all I can do to make it through the day, and no amount of coffee – no matter how strong can help me!

The strange thing is most of the time I don’t feel my age. On a good day, I feel as young as 21, well ok maybe 30!

“If wrinkles must be written upon our brow, let them not be written upon the heart. The spirit should not grow old.” – James A. Garfield

But these things, for the briefest of moments made me think “Oh no, I’m growing old!” but the truth is I definitely don’t feel old.

I see this time of my life as being the start of an exciting phase, and certainly  not as being the end of the road, as some people like us to believe about turning 50. Reaching 50 you are potentially entering the best time of your life. So I have a lot to look forward too.

I have an exciting vision of my life, with so much I still want to achieve. So closing in on my 50th birthday doesn’t for a second mean that I am now on the decline, in fact totally the opposite. To this point I have learnt so much, I will now take this and use it to  create change and growth for myself and those whose lives I touch. Nothing will prevent me from taking action on my goals and dreams and create the things in my life and my world that I plan to. I’m very much alive, and my passions provide me all the energy I need.

I see the best years still being ahead of me, and what’s gone before sure hasn’t been too bad. This feeling is reinforced in my mind from a quote that Ray Kroc said around the time he started the McDonald’s Corporation:

“I was 52 years old. I had diabetes and incipient arthritis. I had lost my gall bladder and most of my thyroid gland in earlier campaigns, but I was convinced that the best was ahead of me.”

Time proved that he seized his opportunities with both hands … who doesn’t know of McDonalds.

Every day offers us the chance to create something new or change direction. It’s never too late to chase your dreams or do what it is you are passionate about. Many people have taken giant steps in the later years of their lives.

You are never too old and it is never too late to improve any and all aspects of your life! If you are not fully satisfied with any areas of your life, you have the opportunity to reinvent any aspect you so desire.

In my case, I decided to start a new business. Starting a new business at this age is not an easy decision to make, but that probably applies to any age.  Statistics in fact are weighed in my favour. 1 in 6 new businesses in the UK are being set up by the over 50s, adding £24billion to the economy. The survival rate of new business set up by those over 50 is 70%, compared to just 28% of businesses set up by the under 50s. Experience and maturity do matter- and do count- and do contribute to a business’s chance of success.

Mind you, I am going slightly against the trend with the business I’ve chosen. I’m building an online business, which is an area we are often told is a young man’s game because younger people are more innovative and technically minded. I might not be a teenager anymore, but I still have what it takes to make things happen. I  discovered that an online business offers me the perfect location to bring my areas of expertise and  experience to the market place.  It provides me the right vehicle to use my skills and knowledge.

So I’m now in the position that I’m using  what I’m good at, using all my talent and knowledge accumulated over the years promoting my passions and building something that really excites me.

I’m now a blogger and it is noticeable that there is a growing number of ‘Senior’ bloggers and we are becoming  a rising part of the Internet community.  At first I thought blogging was more for my kids and their generation. But when I thought more about it, I knew that I could write just as well if not better than some of the young today. I have plenty of experiences and knowledge to share. And I knew how to use a computer, search on Internet, send E-mails and even write a little bit of programming. As  long as I didn’t have to learn to do predictive texting as my kids do on their mobiles I knew I’d be ok.

Life really is beautiful! No matter how old you are! If you are wondering whether you have the courage to do something you have longed to, ask yourself if you are passionate about it, and if you are know that only you can place limitations on what you do.

If you have the belief, desire, and knowledge, you can accomplish many great things in life, no matter your age today.

“Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.” – Mark Twain

You are never too old for anything. Don’t wake up one day only to regret having missed out on so many things in life. Don’t miss out on all the marvellous things waiting for you to grab them.  Don’t allow yourself to fear growing older, and make sure you don’t look back from your death bed regreting not having lived life the way you wanted.

Score Your Way To Good Health - With Our Healthy Lifestyle Plan

Score your way to good health with our healthy lifestyle plan and it's unique 70 point weekly scorecard!

Click here to find out more