We have preconceived notions of the way our lives are going to pan out. I certainly didn’t envision my years of fun, self-exploration and development would be in my 40’s and 50’s rather than in my 20’s and 30’s, literally living my life in reverse. It’s never too late and there is no such thing as lost time. This is my story…
The Remarkable Beginning
At the age of 23 I was already married to both my husband and my career. An extremely high performer, by 31 I was a partner in one of the big four accounting firms. Soon I was in senior leadership roles and became part of a global industry leadership team. If that was not enough, I also had two very successful business ventures of my own.
I resided in a truly incredible house with three cars in the driveway, a magnificent art collection hanging in the halls, and nothing was left on my wish list. If money could buy it, I’d already bought it. By all definitions I had it all, the career, the dream home, the glamorous life so many work for their whole life to try and attain, yet very few get the experience of.
The Reality
I was knee-deep in the rat race, working day in day out without coming up for air to even see or appreciate what I’d created around me. I didn’t have time to allow myself to think about all these amazing things in my life.
I wasn’t living a healthy or fulfilled existence. My work was my life and I had no time to nourish or move my body and yet, I had this ache in me. A craving for something but I didn’t know what. Spending too long in any comfort zone or in the same place for too long can spur on an itch. Like a bird finally feeling the instinct to leave the nest, you can let the wind take you under your wings or fall to the ground.
The Realisation
I got to a point where I began to question my life and happiness. I had everything, but something was missing. There surely must be something more meaningful and fulfilling out there and it wasn’t assets, things or achievements. I’d pretty much collected all of those.
I went on a search for what ‘it’ was, leaving no stone unturned.
Over the next 8 years, I sold nearly everything I owned, I left the country I grew up in and called home my whole life. I left a toxic relationship I’d become comfortable with. I left my corporate career without anything lined up. I had very few friends left and hardly even spoke to my family at the time.
“Wasn’t this just an early midlife crisis?” You wouldn’t be the first to ask that question. I had essentially given up everything that could be considered a requirement for a ‘successful’ life. I exchanged ‘security’ for a life with no guarantees. I gave up things I had become attached to, the things that weren’t serving me anymore.
The Redemption
I had a blank canvas that now stretched out ahead of me and I took the opportunity to create a new life.
The magic started to happen when, a lot of new opportunities began to come my way. My mission to upskill myself enabled me to learn new ways of thinking, innovation and technologies. I skilled myself in Neuro-Linguistic Programming and life coaching. Through self-development and learning comes self-confidence and assurance. Through taking care of my body and exercising, I lost 110lbs in physical weight. Through developing my resilience and changing my attitude I lost 40 years of limiting beliefs, a huge mental weight lifted.
I ended up living that life I should have been living years ago, I’ve got my entrepreneurial spirit honed and directed towards endeavours that align with my values. I’m living authentically, in the moment, and it’s truly a wonderful feeling to finally find that happiness within me.
The Reassurance
I’m in no way suggesting you need to strip back your life so drastically, as I did. I share my story as a beacon of hope that it’s never too late to change. The ache you may feel with being dissatisfied with your life and the need for more is an innate driving force we all have within us. It’s our internal compass, driving us to act when we’re not in alignment with where we want to be.
There is no such thing as lost time, your options are still out there. Regardless of your current scenario, the direction of your life is still in your hands. Nothing is permanent and nothing lasts forever. The way you’re spending your days and energy right now will not be the same in ten years’ time. It will, however, be the same in 12 months if you continue living in the exact same way you are now. Changes don’t have to be drastic, but consistent. To make a 1% difference each day has exponential benefits if you follow the laws of compound interest. There’s always room for 1%.
If you feel that you are at a crossroad in your path or that you’re not living in a way that inspires and energises you then please get in touch. Through coaching, I strive to share and use my own life transformation and professional experiences to help others change their perceptions of what is possible. You too can let go of your limiting beliefs and ingrained behavioural patterns to achieve what may seem impossible now. You can create your own future and happiness, it’s never too late.
