I laugh a bit to myself when I contemplate what I used to think my 40s and beyond would look like. Too late to start something new. Standing on the sidelines, while the younger generation forges their path. I’m pleased to say that upon entering my 5th decade, I have found a voice and ambition I never knew I had. After entering the workforce for the first time since my early 20s, I realized I still have potential. I also bring with me the wisdom of my collective experiences as a wife, mother and woman. Realizing the power of that wisdom is the key to unlocking the door to that next chapter; an entire second act that I get to write, choreograph and direct.

Honoring the Journey

I cannot sing of the opportunities ahead without acknowledging the path that led me here. The young woman who married her high school sweetheart and spent the better part of two decades raising children and caring for her home deserves to be honored. I don’t regret a single moment that I spent building a home where my husband and children felt safe, nourished and loved. There were times (more than I’d like to admit!) that money was so tight we sat up praying at night, scavenging the house and car for coins to buy bread or eggs. The cost of sending 4 (and eventually 5) children to daycare made working outside the home unrealistic at best, so I took on some babysitting gigs and we kept our household going, one day at a time. Along the way I grew stronger. I matured, and with that maturity I gained insight into what really, truly matters at the end of a long and stressful day/week/month/year. I’ve got the support of my family, and their encouragement has given me the confidence to step into this second act, knowing that no matter how I fail or succeed, I can be proud of the journey that’s led me this far.

Eyes Forward

So, what’s next in this second act? I’ve got one year under my belt as an assistant/office manager for a company that fills my cup everyday. I’ve gone back to college to finish my Associate Degree in Business Administration after a 20 year hiatus, taking online classes and squeezing in school work during breaks at work and evenings at home. Most recently, I’ve rediscovered my love for writing and have been neck deep in research about how to make my freelance writing aspirations an actual reality. I have one son in the workforce, one preparing to take his first CPA exam after graduating college with two Bachelor’s Degrees, two daughters currently in college and my youngest son at home, halfway through 5th grade. My husband has an incredibly rewarding and successful career in construction, and I’m feeling good about contributing to our family’s financial future. And I plan on seizing every opportunity that comes along, making this second act rich, meaningful and worth writing stories about.

So change your course. Let go of fear. See your wisdom and experience as potential. Try new things! Don’t make decisions based on “what ifs”, unless of course you can say to yourself “What if I succeed? What if I reinvent myself? What if I fly?”