At 56 I’ve been pondering some important questions in recent years:
- Who am I?
- What makes me happy? What do I want more of in life?
- What do I want for my future? What do I want to do next?
I certainly don’t have all the answers and I probably never will as the answers continue to change and evolve as I do. But I feel like I’m finding the path forward that feels right for me.
Who am I? I’m a mother, wife, business owner, collaborator, creative, and nature lover. I love being outside, good coffee, nice wine, and a good laugh. I like time to myself, time with friends, and time with family. I believe we can all make a difference, and we should try. I’m a ‘can do’ person, and tend to ask, ‘Why not?’ instead of ‘Why?’
What makes me happy? What do I want more of in life? One of the things I’m most proud of and brings me happiness is my relationship with my children, now 22 and 24. I’ve never had a close relationship with my own parents, and in many ways felt separate from them. Leaving home (Denmark, WA) at 17 to move to Perth for university, and then losing my Mum when I was 36, at a time when I was ready to build a much stronger connection has meant that I’ve focussed on creating strong relationships with my own children, continually working towards the right balance, to create independence and deep connection.
One of the things that’s been missing in my life was creativity, and it certainly fills my cup. So, I’ve been making time to explore my creative side, purposefully saying No to other things to allow time. I’ve certainly got a long way to go in creating the balance that I want, but I’m on the right track.
What do I want for my future? What do I want to do next? Simply put, to slow down and create space so there’s time to do nothing, or everything, as I choose. A question I’ve asked myself many times is ‘what does retirement look like for me?’ There’s a way to go until retirement, and that’s a good thing from my perspective. I like my work and enjoy supporting people and teams to be at their best. In my 40’s when I created my business Unlocking U that’s what it was all about ‘helping others to be at their best’. Creating Unlocking U was a pivotal time in my life, a time when I chose courage to step into my natural talents and turn them into strengths and a business! My belief that every person matters, and that we all should have the opportunity to live our life to our greatest potential, hasn’t changed. I think I’ll be working ‘some times’ for quite some time yet…
One last important question, ‘Who do I choose to be as I move towards and past 60?’
A woman who:
- Asks for forgiveness rather than permission.
- Lives life with creativity, courage, and curiosity
- Embraces the idea that our imperfections are what makes us perfect!
“May your choices reflect your hopes not your fears” Nelson Mandela
