Frank McCourt published his first book, Angela’s Ashes, when he was 66.  He received The Pulitzer Prize and The National Book Critics Circle Award the following year.

A few years ago, I wondered what I wanted to do with my life.  Yes, I was nearing 50 and, like a woman in her 20s who’d recently graduated from college, I wondered what the future held for me.  I never thought I’d be at the same crossroads I visited thirty years ago.  But there I was, holding my yearning in one hand and my self-doubt in the other.  What was a girl to do?

Depending on how you look at it, this time of your life can be exciting or unhappy.  The power to feel the thrill and challenges awaiting you is within your control.

I was always envious of people who knew at an early age exactly what they wanted to do.   I had floundered between jobs, from publishing to real estate to healthcare, always trying to find myself.  I managed my work life as I thought I should, working nine-to-five jobs that, in the end, ended up being unfulfilling but earned a steady paycheck.  Was this all there was?

Julia Child launched her first cooking show at the age of 51.  F. Murray Abraham received his first good role and won an Academy Award in “Amadeus” at age 47.

Someone recently asked me, “What would your 20-year-old self say about making yourself happy?”  Surprisingly I didn’t miss a beat.  The answer was already on the tip of my tongue.  “Write.”

There it was.  I said it out loud.  I suddenly felt a release of emotions I’d kept deep inside me for years.  Why ignore that little voice that says precisely what we need to hear?

So I decided to rely on my writing ability and focused on issues that mattered to me most.  Then I jumped full steam ahead and voraciously read everything I could get my hands on about how to create a blog, the use of social media in blogging, and how to reach a targeted audience.  A month or two later, I was hired by a reputable health website where I could write articles and answer questions for my peers with Multiple Sclerosis (something near and dear to my heart).

At age 65, Colonel Sanders (Kentucky Fried Chicken) took his money from his Social Security check and began to open franchises.  Less than ten years later, he sold the franchise to a corporation for 2 million dollars.

I am sticking with my dream of writing - shaping, molding, and making it my very own.  I am committed to doing this as my life’s work and plan a daily schedule around it.  It demands a deep respect for the written word (love) and a dedication and commitment to an audience (love).  The downside is it can be very lonely sometimes (not crazy about it!).  It has been rewarding beyond all measure as I meet others on this journey that are like-minded, generous of heart, and ready to offer constructive criticism and high praise.

Rodney Dangerfield was a last-minute replacement on The Ed Sullivan Show and became the surprise hit of the show.  He was 46 years old.

I am a big fan of Don Miguel Ruiz, who wrote in his book “The Four Agreements” about being “impeccable with your word.”

“Your word is the power that you have to create…

Through your word, you express your creative power.  It is through your word that you manifest everything…

What you dream, feel, and are, will all be manifested through the word.” 

So what is your inner voice trying to tell you?  Listen to it.  We all have one.  It’s been there all along to guide you.  Perhaps we’ve been too caught up in our busy lives to take the time to listen to it. Open your heart and soul and listen to the truths of that voice.  Follow your passions in your Second Chapter.  Hey, you never know.  Someday I may be writing about you!

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DISCLAIMER:  Comments from An Empowered Spirit are brought to your attention on topics that could benefit you and should be discussed with your doctor or other medical professional. I am not medically trained, and my posts are journalistic and not instead of medical advice. An Empowered Spirit and its author will not be held liable for any damages incurred from using this blog or any data or links provided.