Life after 40...

Anyone else out there seen the information on Susan Boyle? She is my new hero!

She is 47 years old and competing in Britain's Got Talent and is an inspiration to anyone over forty!

She is also proof of what I have been saying - life begins at 40. The year I turned 40 was one of the worst years of my life. I was miserable in just about every aspect of my life. I was in a lousy marriage, frustrated with my job, struggling with my children, looking for a better place to live, and disappointed in myself. I was not what I had envisioned I would be at 40 and I was struggling.

Something happened in that year. I turned 41, changed jobs, got rid of my husband, adjusted to what was happening with my children and worked very hard to improve my health conditions. I had survived 40 and things were definitely looking up!

I also discovered that a year of introspection had given me some real good insights into myself, my disappointments, my dreams, my desires, and what I was willing to do to get there. I decided I didn't much care what other people thought, it was time for me to start living MY life. It was my own bad decisions that had put me at 40 in such a sorry state. It will be my own good decisions that will turn my life around!

So, life after 40 taught me a few things.

1 - I don't really care what other people think any more. If I choose to make a fool of myself, I may as well laugh! It makes life so much more fun!

2 - Dreams don't die. I still want to sing in the opera. Once I've done it, I'll decide what to do next. I just started doing things that would get me there!

3 - If I'm not enjoying life, it's up to me to change it! I don't have to depend on anyone else. It's all about me! Once I can accept that my own misery or my own joy is really all about me, I can accept or change it. Not selfish, just self care.

4 - Life is far more beautiful if I concentrate on what I have to be thankful for. The attitude of gratitude will go further in enriching my life than anything else I can think of!

5 - I'm never too old to change. The old dog/new trick ideology is just limiting and really wrong!

I guess that's the top five. It would take me another four decades to process and explain what all I've learned in the last four.

The other day I was watching the news and that's when I was first introduced to Susan Boyle. Watching her and the reactions to her made me cry. It gave me hope and companionship. Here is a woman - even older than me - who is not afraid to stand up, recognize, claim, and reach for her dreams. Want to see what I mean? (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY)

Life begins at forty and everything after is just more icing on the cake!