You betcha!

There was a time when I thought someone over the age of 50 had one foot in the grave and the other foot on a banana peel.  You were one step away from a nursing home about to spend the rest of your days in a rocking chair.  Funny how the perception of what you consider “old” changes the older you get.  Now I have a new belief.  I believe that life actually begins at 50; it’s never too late!  It’s never too late to believe, to start again, to be who you might have been or to just be happy.  It’s never too late for a new beginning, to start working on yourself or to change your life.  It’s never too late to reinvent yourself!  This week I set out to find out what's next for me.

Lately I’ve heard many people make comments that their dreams have passed them by.  It’s too late to go back to school, start a business or go for a goal.  Some of these comments came from people in their 30's!  Others say they’re too old to lose weight, work out, or to get into great physical shape.  They feel too old to pursue something that’s always interested them or to change careers.  If not now, then when?  The truth of the matter is we are never too old.  It’s the story we tell ourselves and our belief in that story.   The truth is it’s never too late.  Rochelle Ford, a 78 year old Metal Sculptor said, “Every morning when I wake up I say, ‘I’ll never be as young as I am today.’  Today is the youngest day of the rest of my life.  Get up and do something fun.” 

This is the 8^th month of this journey for me.  Have I wanted to quit?  You betcha!  Have I fantasized about chocolate fountains and sugar cookies?  You betcha!  Have I wanted to blow off workouts?  You betcha!  Have I thought about throwing in the towel?  You betcha!  But do I now feel like I have a whole new lease on life?  You betcha!!  

Let’s get real – turning 50 was uneventful and turning 51 was, quite frankly, a little depressing.  I felt like the best years were behind me and I felt dumpy, if you want to know the truth.  Now I feel completely different about myself, on the inside and out.  I feel like the sky’s the limit!  It’s never too late!  Now I’m thinking about what’s next and know anything is possible.  I know many of you may have started on this journey with me and stopped for whatever reason but it’s never too late to get back on the wagon. 

It’s time to TRY.

T = Time to

R= Reinvent

Y= Yourself

Joyce Meyer said, “In Christ, it’s never too late, you’re never too old… it’s never “too anything” for Him to work positive change in your life.”  If there’s one thing I’ve learned on this journey is that truly, in Christ, all things are possible.  I’ve tried to lose weight a bazillion times before and failed miserably.  God is the only reason that this is working this time, I am totally convinced of that.  Now I realize that I can take this same energy, determination and belief to anything else in life because it’s never too late. 

I believe success leaves clues.  This week I set out to find people who decided it was time to try.  People, who, later in life, decided it was time to reinvent themselves; People who set out to do the impossible;  People who never gave up and just went for it.  The common thread is persistence, belief in self, no limits on time or age and no constraints for any reason.  Step by step, inch by inch, with determination and perseverance they just set a goal and went for it.  These stories encourage me to believe that truly anything is possible!  I’m 51 am I’m just getting started!  

Your power to choose your direction of your life allows you to reinvent yourself, to change your future, and to powerfully influence the rest of creation.

~Stephen Covey

 

George Bernard Shaw (1856 – 1950)

He was a play write in 1919 when, at 60 years old, published what he considered the greatest work of his career.  The play was called “Heartbreak House.”  George Bernard Shaw said, “Life isn’t about finding yourself; Life is about creating yourself.” 

 Margaret Ringenberg (1921 – 2008)

Margaret was a ferry pilot in World War II in 1943.  She later started racing airplanes in the 1950’s.  She completed the Round-the-World Air Race in 1994 at the age of 72.  She also raced from London to Sydney in a race in 2001 when she was 79.  She didn’t let age define her capabilities.  She followed her passion!

John Glenn (1921 – 2016)

John became the oldest astronaut to ever go into space at the age of 77.   The physical training and mental ability to do that is incredible at any age.  It’s amazing to think about his ability to still do this at 77. 

 

Katherine Pelton (1905 – 1996)

Katherine swam the 200 meter butterfly in 1 minute and 14 seconds at the age of 86.  The butterfly is a stroke I’ve never been able to do!  She is living proof that we can accomplish great things with practice and perseverance.

Dr. Paul Spangler (1899 – 1994)

He finished his 14th marathon at the age of 92! His first marathon took 72 hours to complete when he was 79 years old.  Can you imagine turning 79 and deciding to run your first marathon?  Age is just a number and holds no barrier on what the body is capable of if the mind can conceive it!

Julia Child (1912 – 2004)

Julia’s first cookbook was published when she was 39 and she made her TV debut in “The French Chef” at 51 years old.  She spent many years writing and re-writing her book.  She went through many rejections but never gave up.  Hard work and dedication pays off.  She is a legend!

 

Laura Ingalls Wilder (1867 – 1957)

I grew up watching Little House on the Prairie.  I didn’t realize that in real life, her memoir “Little House in the Big Woods” was published when she was 65 years old.  She wrote the “Little House” series after that.  The last book was published when she was 76.

Ray Krock (1902 - 1984)

Ray launched McDonald's into the world's most profitable franchise in 1961 when he was 59 years old.  I don't have to explain what happened after that!  Prior to his McDonald success he sold paper cups and milkshake machines.   

Peter Roget (1779 – 1869)

Peter invented the Thesaurus in 1852, at the age of 75!  His life couldn’t have been easy.  His parents died young and his uncle committed suicide in his presence.  He suffered with depression most of his life.  He invented the Thesaurus in his effort to battle depression.  You just never know what will come out of your life experience.

Harry Bernstein (1910 – 2011)

Harry started to write a book out of horrible loneliness following the death of his wife Ruby.  He wrote his book, “The Invisible Wall:  A Love Story That Broke Barriers” when he was 93 years old.  The book was published when he was 96!  The story is about his childhood and their struggles during World War I.  

Gladys Burrill (1919 – 2008)

Gladys was an aircraft pilot, mountain climber, hiker and a horseback rider in her life.  She was 86 years old when she completed her first marathon. The most amazing thing she accomplished was crossing the finish line of the Honolulu Marathon at the age of 92!  It took her 9 hours and 53 minutes to finish but she crossed the finish line on her own.  Talk about determination!  She now holds the Guinness book of World Records as the oldest woman to complete a marathon. 

Frank McCourt (1930 – 2009)

Frank McCourt didn’t start to write until he was 65 years old.  His book “Angela’s Ashes” won the Pulitzer Prize in 1997.  He was 67 years old.  His book tells the story of his difficult childhood in the 1930’s in Ireland after their father abandoned them during the depression.  His book was made into a movie and it will make you cry. 

Rodney Dangerfield (1921 – 2004)

The famous comedic actor got his first big break and rose to fame when he appeared on the Ed Sullivan show.  He was 46.  He started in comedy when he was just 15 but had to work for years before he got his chance.  Rodney’s famous catchphrase was “I get no respect.” 

Harland Sanders (1890 – 1980)

He was really known as Colonel Sanders and didn’t launch KFC until he was 62 years old.  His father died when he was just 6 years old.  He was responsible for feeding and taking care of his younger brother.  KFC was eventually purchased by PepsiCo in 1986 for $840 million!   

Henry Winkler (1945 – Present)

Henry Winkler shot to fame playing the cool Fonz in the series Happy Days sitcom based in the 1950’s.  He reinvented himself at the age of 64 as a best-selling author of children’s books.  He’s written over 26 books.  18 books are in the Hank Zipzer series based on a child dealing with dyslexia.  It’s based on Henry's own struggles of growing up with the condition.  The other books are in the Ghost Buddy series about a boy with an invisible friend.  Henry admits he never read a book until he was 31 and now look at him!  Hey!!!!  That’s cool!

Stan Lee (1922 – Present)

Stan Lee invented Spiderman when he was 40 years old.  

 

June Squibb (1929 – present)

She was nominated for her first Golden Globe at the age of 84 from her role as Kate Grant in the 2013 film Nebraska.

Samuel L. Jackson (1948 - present)

Previously a cocaine and heroin addict, he rose to fame at the age of 46 when he starred in Pulp Fiction with John Travolta. 

Laura Schepis (1954 - present)

Pictured in the middle, Laura is a true inspiration.  Ranked 4th in the nation for power lifting, Laura totaled 420 pounds at a body weight of only 123 pounds!  She also currently holds an American record in bench press.  Did I mention she's 63 years old?  Dan is helping train her for her next competition. 

 Dan Wade (1966 – present)

Last, but not least, is my favorite.  My husband, at the age of 51, stepped out of retirement from competitive power lifting, after 12 ½ years, to pursuit a World Championship for the U.S.A.  His road to World’s began on December 9, 2017 when he lifted a total of 1,488 pounds and broke six state records in South Carolina.  He is now ranked third in the nation for his age and weight class.  He also has a growing group of amazing young men he is mentoring and coaching to carry out his mission of remaining steroid free.  Some of them are pictured above.  The level of dedication and hard work he puts into this is incredible.  He gives all the glory to God.  He's well on his way to achieving his goal and I have no doubt that we will be South Africa bound for the World competition in the near future.   

Do not grow weary of doing well, for in due time you will reap if you do not give up.

Galatians 6:9

If you wish to reinvent yourself, focus on what you wish for and not on what you fear.  E.E. Cummings said, “It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.”  Failure in going after your dreams is nothing compared to the failure that is settling for a life that you don’t want.  It’s never too late to try again.  It’s never too late to create opportunities for yourself, to be positive and rise above average thoughts.  It’s never too late to reinvent yourself, to learn something new, to feel good again.  All is possible only if you are committed, only if you want to change, only if you want more out of life.  It is possible!  Most people don’t change because they fear failure.  Don’t fear failure, fear being in the exact same place that you are today.  You can’t start the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading the last one.  Don’t believe the voices in your head.  Don’t believe the stories you tell yourself that you are too old, or it’s too late. 

A successful reinvention happens when you love yourself enough to believe that you can do better and deserve better.  Romans 11:29 says “For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.”  You can still become everything God has created you to be.  Don’t play the “if only” game when you get to the end of your life.  It’s never too late.  You may have put things off a lot longer than you should have but the good news is that it’s not too late!  You can start right now, today, to go for whatever it is that’s calling you.  Make the decision today to stop making excuses.  If you always make excuses, you’ll always have one.  What are you waiting for?  It says in Ecclesiastes, “If we wait for all the conditions to be just right, we’ll never move off of dead center.” Make a decision to just go for it!   It’s never too late to be all that God has created you to be.  Your destiny is calling you!  I say these words for me, to have the courage to step into the future.  I don't know exactly what's next for me just yet but am I excited about what the future holds?  You betcha!

Results for the week:  -0 lbs lost; Total Lost: 37.4

D.O.W. = 224

Starting weight:  182.0; Current weight: 144.6