I know this probably brings up visions of your parents confronting you in your teenage years, and why not. Midlife today is a second puberty of sorts, in that it is distinctly unlike youth, yet also completely unlike old age. I believe this question is most pertinent right now, while there is still time to do something about it!
When we were younger, there were many factors standing in the way of our “potential.” In my case, I had so many personal issues like boundless insecurity, low self-esteem and little self-respect standing in my way. You know, small nitpicky details like that! And these details take a while to work out. Often, working through difficulties comes to a head in midlife, if we haven’t completely dealt with them previously.
Yep, midlife is where the rubber hits the road, where we reassess how we did and how we’re doing, and hopefully make a few major or minor adjustments. With renewed self-confidence and self-respect, we finally have a better idea of what our true potential is. And if we’re lucky we also discover new interests and talents we didn’t even know we had!
For example, I had no idea how much I would enjoy copy editing. I just began editing professionally in the past few months and presto chango, I suddenly found myself channeling my inner English teacher. I now seem to have an uncontrollable urge to mark up everything that comes across my desk with red ink! Who knew? I guess I mistakenly thought everyone could write a meaningful and grammatically correct sentence. Not so much!
So get out there and find out about all of your well hidden talents! Unless you go try something new and different, you may never know what your full potential is! And it’s so good for the development of your neural networks too! Keep stretching the old brain plasticity to the limit!
“Life gets mighty precious when there’s less of it to waste.” Bonnie Raitt from Nick of Time
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Whenever I am in a book store, I always ask myself: “What haven’t I read recently?”
As a result, I walk out with a piece of contemporary Indian fiction, or a book on the Gulag, or a something Chinese.
I always try to do a 180 of what I just finished reading.
The important thing is to surprise yourself.
Hey Philip! Speaking of brain stimulation…when will your book be out??? Laura Lee
Hi Queen. It’s available at Amazon.com right now. Your copy goes in the mail the minute I get my review copies.
I’ve been chasing UPS trucks like a dog.