Summary

The article encourages readers to reject the notion that it's ever too late to pursue their dreams, using examples of individuals who achieved success at an older age and emphasizing the importance of self-belief and resilience.

Abstract

The text is an inspiring call to action for those who feel constrained by societal norms and the discouraging words of others who claim it's too late to change their path. It highlights the journey from childhood, where we implicitly trust the guidance of others, to maturity, where we develop our own value systems, which may conflict with what we've been taught. The author shares a personal experience of awakening in their early 40s after a period of depression and encourages self-reliance and courage in the face of adversity. The article underscores that success can come at any age by showcasing stories of individuals like Colonel Sanders, Peter Mark Roget, and Louise Hay, who achieved significant milestones later in life. The message is clear: embrace self-love, ignore age-related limitations, and listen to one's heart to unlock endless possibilities.

Opinions

Society's norms can stifle individual dreams and ambitions, leading to a life of conformity rather than personal fulfillment.
The approval and guidance from parents, siblings, friends, and colleagues can sometimes be misguided, as they may project their own fears and regrets onto others.
It is crucial to develop one's own personal value system and have the courage to follow

Are you sick and tired of being told it’s too late?

Good for you! Why do I say that?

It’s NEVER too late to wake up and ALWAYS too soon to give up.

We are conditioned from an early age to accept what we are told. How we crave the approval of others — parents, siblings, friends, colleagues. As a result, we trust their judgement. As children we depend on adults to guide us on how to conduct our lives. As our brains and emotions develop, we implicitly trust this guidance as we don’t know any better and finish up buying into their, at times, flawed value systems.

Eventually, as we mature and awaken our cognitive thinking skills, we feel incomplete and bewildered as we form our own personal value system which does not align with what we’ve been taught. Sometimes it’s too challenging and we go back to sleep, following society’s norms like a faithful dog.

Because of that, I fell asleep for decades and only woke up in my early 40s with my first bout of depression. Somewhere deep inside me I had hidden all my dreams and feelings and moved into survival mode. What a way to wake up! However, it was a blessing. I’ll write more about that.

The trouble starts when we are locked into society’s norms.

You think everyone has your best interests at heart and wants to protect you. But have you considered they may be projecting their own fears and inadequacies on to you? Perhaps they never broke the mould (and regret it). They stuck to the rules of schooling, career, start a family, buy a home. Thus it terrifies them that you prefer to do things your own way and not follow their dictates — after all, you could succeed and they can’t face that pain.

You get older and decide to try something new, and the naysayers say “it’s too late.”

If those around you do not support and motivate you regardless of who you choose to be and what you choose to do, it can be a lonely world. It takes self-reliance and courage to pursue your dreams and ambitions without someone cheering you on.

Why not be your own cheerleader?

Here are examples of people who succeeded late in life:

Colonel Sanders started Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) at age 65 after having his recipe rejected by over 1000 restaurants.

Peter Mark Roget was 73 when he published Roget’s Thesaurus in 1852

Louise Hay overcame childhood abuse and rape and practiced mind/body healing to cure her cervical cancer in 1977 at age 51. She later published her book “You Can Heal Your Life” in 1984 which has sold over 40-million copies and founded Hay House Publishing in 1988 at 62.

Become your own best friend by loving yourself and not allowing anybody to shatter your dreams, no matter your age. Awaken to all the surrounding possibilities — remove the blinkers and broaden your boundaries.

Listen to your heart. Can you hear it calling out to you?

PS I’m still learning about formatting. Couldn’t undo the para in Bold. Please forgive me!