It’s never too late! Read this now!

Writing an article about timing in readings (see That’s NOT What I Wanted to Hear! What to do when you don’t like what you’ve been told in a reading), really got me thinking about the timing of certain events in our lives and how despite the fact we’re all living longer than ever before in history, we can all too easily fall into the trap of limiting ourselves by ‘ageism’ in our own lives. Yes, we live in a youth-obsessed culture – one that devalues life experience. But the fact we are all not only living longer but able to stay healthier for longer means that we no longer have to buy-in to the idea that if we have not achieved a certain thing or passed a certain milestone by the time we’ve reached a certain age, it’s never going to happen for us. No, of course we can’t win an Olympic Gold Medal in the 100 metres when we’re 70. That doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy running if we’re still mobile – or enjoy exercise. Or perhaps you’ve given up doing something you used to love because you feel it is ‘immature’ or ‘childish’? Our interests contain the seeds of our soul purpose. The only real limitation all of us face are our own ideas about what we can or can’t do at any particular age. So, what are yours? What are you telling yourself you are now ‘too old’ to do or experience?

Are you stuck in a job you don’t like but feel you have to ‘stick it out’ as you’re now ‘too old’ to change careers as you’re in your 30’s/40’s/50’s or even close to retirement? As we’re all living longer retirement age is being pushed further and further out and we are all now embracing the idea of having more than one career in our lifetimes. The benefits of remaining in work as opposed to retiring, especially if it’s a career you love, are well documented. In a worst case scenario however, that means you could end up doing that job you hate until the day you die.

Still think you’re too old now to make the change? Or, if you need to go study to do what you want to do are you telling yourself that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks? Perhaps it’s not your age but a fear of failure that’s holding you back. Maybe you wanted to go and study something when you were younger but at that time you failed the entrance exams and haven’t had the courage to try again since. Perhaps you expressed a desire to follow a certain career path and instead of being encouraged you were ridiculed or told not to get ‘ideas above yourself’ and haven’t bothered trying since. If a past failure continues to stop you from following your dream for the future then had you thought that your life experience since then has probably provided you with the tools to get a different outcome this time? Universities are currently bemoaning the lack of mature applicants. And if someone poured cold water on your dreams when you were young can you now see that they were telling their story, not yours?

Or perhaps you’re buying into the idea that unless you’ve done something by a certain age, it’s never going to happen for you. Remember how in the 90’s people said that a single woman in her 40’s was more likely to be captured by a terrorist than get married? Not only did a slew of books and articles prove just how wrong that assumption was but it is surprising the number of women and men who still buy into the idea that if they haven’t met the ‘one’ by a certain age they’re not going to. We can choose to open our hearts to love and our life to someone at any age. It’s out attitude, not our age that determines this.

Here’s some inspirational examples of people who didn’t let a number rule their lives. Sonia had always wanted to be an actress but her parents discouraged it, then marriage and motherhood took over. Widowed and with her children now grown up she became an extra in numerous films and TV shows in her 60’s. Gerald had always wanted to be a lawyer but he came from a blue collar background and had to leave school at 16. At 60 he took early retirement, passed the university entrance exam and graduated in the top five of his year in law school. At 65 he set up his own law practice which he continued for the next 20 years. Friends and family thought of Carola as a life-long spinster but at 57 she married the man of her dreams – who just happened to be a multimillionaire! One day in her 70’s, Annie woke up regretting that while she had always loved horses, she had never learned to ride them. So, she booked herself some riding lessons and went on to compete in dressage competitions – scoring higher than riders over 50 years younger than her!

These stories prove that no matter how old you are, it’s never too late to have the time of your life so don’t let a number hold you back!

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