New Year, New You: Why it’s Never too late to Reinvent Yourself
When I turned 50, I took up running. The Gasprilla 5K was my goal. Not only did I want to participate, I wanted to – needed to – run the entire time at a pace of under 10 minutes per mile.
Like Forrest Gump, I started runnin’ every day. Race day arrived, and I crushed it … for three consecutive years.
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I should add that I greatly dislike running. I did it because I wanted to prove to myself that I could. Now, I’ve also started weight training, and I’m in better shape than I was decades earlier. I feel like 50 is the new 30!
I asked Amy Schmidt, author of “Cannonball! Fearlessly Facing Midlife and Beyond,” if she agrees.
So, is 50 the new 30?
Amy Schmidt: Remember the liberation of expectations we’ve been promised to gain in our 50s? It’s not a myth. It’s the real deal. And it comes with a new level of confidence and contentment that I was nowhere near reaching in my 30s. So, no thanks, 50 is NOT the new 30. It’s so much better.
I love that! There are plenty of women who worry their best days are behind them. They assume that it’s just too late to do something new. I know I’ve been there. We sabotage ourselves before we even try. How do you fight that?
Amy Schmidt: It’s never too late, and you’re never too old to start. Raise your hand for yourself. Ask yourself the question we so often tell our kids, “What’s the worst-case scenario?”
As you begin to build and strengthen that confidence muscle, you realize that embracing being a novice, learning something new or trying something again is ok.
Reclaim your creative power and rediscover who you actually are! Shift your mindset, your focus, to embrace the potential for change at any age, set realistic goals and remind yourself that your life experiences are valuable assets, allowing you to learn and grow at any stage.
And most importantly, consider seeking support from others by simply asking for help.
Do you have any tips for starting, which can be the hardest part?
Amy Schmidt: Here’s the thing. Picture yourself at the bottom of the rung of the ladder to the high dive. That same ladder you would climb with fearless exhilaration when you were a kid. You wanted everyone to watch as you made that huge splash off the diving board. A CANNONBALL!
As you age, fear sets in; it’s ever present. And we can use that fear as fuel in ways that we can still make that big splash.
You have to start ugly – get uncomfortable. You have to push the evil twins of perfectionism and procrastination aside. You can’t wait to lost 10 pounds. You can’t wait until the timing is perfect, or you have more money saved.
You have everything it takes to start right now!
Everything is ‘figuroutable.’ That thing you’ve been pushing aside for the right timing. That passion you’ve wanted to pursue and not had time to do because you were busy raising kids. That class you wanted to take.
Do it now.
And if it’s not easy at first, how do you keep from giving up?
Amy Schmidt: How many times have you started a positive routine — like exercise, journaling, meditating, reading and you stopped making time for it? At times, [it’s] the fear of failure or comparing yourself to others. You may not realize it, but you are on the right path.
Your life journey has been preparing you for this time of life. This is the time to remove the mindset traps that keep us stuck, and cannonball into the next chapter.
What’s a pep talk you would give any woman considering making a change in the new year?
Amy Schmidt: This is the time to prioritize yourself and love yourself in a whole new way. Start treating yourself as a guest of honor. When you believe the best is yet to come, there is so much to look forward to.
If you’ve always wanted to paint, plant a garden, travel, have meaningful relationships with your adult kids, become an entrepreneur – now is the time.
In 10 years, what will you regret more – starting now or not starting at all?
Read More About Amy Schmidt’s Journey in her Book Cannonball! on Amazon.
Photo Credit: Amy Schmidt | Originally published in the January 2025 issue of Tampa Bay Parenting Magazine.