My birthday always seems to give me a better perspective on where I’m at and where I want to go next. Perhaps what Winston Churchill said is true:
“The farther back I look – the better I can see forward.”
I now see how limited my vision was in my 30′s and 40′s, not to mention my frustrating and confused 20′s. Now, at age 55, I feel like my life has finally settled down a bit. I feel less fearful and more optimistic about the whole aging process. Yes, there are most definitely advantages to aging, and I believe wisdom is one of the most precious by-products for most of us.
I have learned so much about my own pattern of negative thinking in the past few years. Those old tapes just had to go! I now live by the quote: “Don’t believe everything you think.” Just because I think it, DOES NOT mean that it is true. I now research out every assumption in my own thinking and question why I believe what I believe to be true.
When I first lost my job/career in 2004, I believed that I could never make a living doing anything else. I could not even imagine doing anything else. But once I dug in and started to seriously consider my position, I realized my options were truly limitless. I learned that I needed to keep all of my options open and try a few different things before I honed into my best skills. Then I needed to learn how to sell them properly. It took me a while to find out what I do better than just about anyone else in the world.
I learned that I’m a good writer and a great editor. I learned that I have a natural talent for counseling and coaching others into believing in themselves and their dreams. And I learned that I love the feeling of reaching others directly when I speak about something I feel passionate about.
I have also learned how useless worrying about the future can be. I control very little about the future, but I do control what I do today to make myself happier in this moment. Here’s some food for thought:
“Our anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow. It only empties today of its strength.” – Charles H. Spurgeon
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
You have a rare ability to serve up a full meal of wisdom on a dessert plate. Thanks for this post.
What a nice thing to say! You have a wonderful way of offering a compliment, and it’s words like yours that make it all worthwhile. Thanks so much! – Laura Lee
Very thoughtful article, Laura. I love the quote and have learned through personal experience that worrying does not solve problems. I believe we can choose to be happy …or not.
I like your writing. I admire Churchill. And, I too am learning fact is not truth. My life goals are now marching to a new tune. Glad to hear the supporters cheering us along.
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Cheryl Petersen