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Motivation and Inspiration The Late Bloomer Boomer By Linda S. Thompson lst0222@aol.com http://www.LifePathSolutions.biz Linda S. Thompson is founder and President of Life Path Solutions. She is author of Planning for Tomorrow, Your Passport to a Confident Future, a common sense approach to life planning, and A Caregiver's Journey, You Are Not Alone, a survival guide for working caregivers. Linda can be contacted through her web site at www.LifePathSolutions.biz or 480-899-8647. The Late Bloomer Boomer The term “late bloomer” is the perfect way to describe me. I turned 50 before I admitted that I was not enjoying my life. I had a good job, nice place to live, traveled all over the country and had lots of friends. What was wrong with me?When I began digging for the source of my discontent, it came down to my being nocturnal. Getting up to an alarm clock five days a week was not fun. I always felt sleep-deprived because I seldom went to sleep before 1:00 AM. I forced myself to play the 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM game, not realizing that I had options. At 50, I determined that I didn’t want to live out my productive years in this mode. I joked about having made a profession of being laid off. I accepted my last severance package about six months after I turned 50. I literally felt like I had been let out of jail. But, what do I do now? How do I pay my bills? Added to that, I had my 79 year old Mother living with me! A friend sold me on the idea of financial planning. I lasted about a year. This was definitely not where I belonged. But, I had a knack for meeting people and making introductions to others. My clients had needs and I had the referrals to satisfy those needs. I began giving lectures on the non-financial side of life planning to women’s clubs, service groups and community centers. Those lectures were the basis of my first book. I also talked about my experiences as a working caregiver, which led to my second book. By my 58th birthday, I had published three books, was a professional speaker and family consultant. I am now speaking to thousands of people each year, teaching them the value of getting their ducks in a row. Do I feel good? You bet I do! Seldom do I set an alarm clock, and if I do, it’s my choice. My office is in my home. I am my own boss. And, I’m paying the bills, doing what I love, on my own terms. Would I recommend this choice to everyone? No, because it takes confidence and focused determination to be self-employed. You have to be willing to risk everything; to go for broke. You must have a purpose and be passionate about it. It works for me; it might not for you. Perhaps it was easier for me to take the plunge because I am single with no children. I have no one depending upon me except my two cats, and they don’t cost much to maintain. Yes, I was responsible for my Mother’s well-being, but financially, she was not dependent upon me. I never got caught in the “benefits” trap because I never used them when I had them. I do have affordable catastrophic coverage with a very high deductible. But, if I continue to take care of myself, that’s all I’ll ever need. If needed, I can pay the deductible with my home equity line of credit; or worst case, a credit card. The idea of paying for expensive, full coverage health insurance is a foreign concept to me. However, I am the rarity, not the norm. I am also a terrible employee. I don’t take direction well. I am a textbook case for the anti-authority Boomer. Give me a job and I will do it. Just don’t expect me to ask for permission to step out of the box to accomplish the mission. That in itself is incentive for me to be successful in my new venture. If you are looking for a way out of your box, look at your options carefully. Are you ready and willing to risk it all for change in your life? I did, and it’s working for me! |