Mindful Life Changes: Weekly Affirmations For Midlife

64. It’s Never Too Late To Start: Affirmation for Timing in Midlife

• Valerie Mekki • Episode 64

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It’s never too late to start something new, even in midlife. In this episode, we unpack the misconception about time. Host Valerie Mekki explores how to 

Reframe the perceptions about timing and age, replacing common excuses with powerful affirmations. Whether you’re considering a new career, becoming an empty nester, or finally tackling that passion project, this episode offers the motivation and tools to take the first step towards your next venture. Tune in to discover how to harness your life experiences and knowledge to propel you forward, proving that the best time to start is right now.

Formerly known as the "Mindful Career Change Podcast," I decided to broaden our conversation to cover all life transitions, not just our careers.

Follow the show @mindfullifechanges and DM a question or comment about the life transitions you're going through too. I might answer your question in one of the episodes to help you and other midlifers navigate this everchanging and beautiful season of life.

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Connect with me on LinkedIn @valeriemekki

Speaker 1:

As we head into August, three quarters of the year have already passed. You might be thinking the same thing I am. Life is moving by so fast. One minute you're sending your child off to kindergarten and the next you're watching them walk across the stage at their high school graduation Soon. You might be an empty nester, or perhaps you can't believe how far you've come in your career and starting to wonder if there could be something more. Maybe your goal this year was to start a passion project or begin a new workout routine, yet you haven't found the time to start. Whether you're entering a new phase of life that gives you more time and space to rethink what you want to do in the future, or you've been neglecting or putting off those personal goals for this year, you might find yourself thinking is it too late to start? The answer is it's never too late to start and to invest in your personal growth, but that's not what we typically say to ourselves when questioning starting something new, especially at midlife. We may be quick to come up with excuses rather than believing in our own capabilities and potential. I want to help you turn your question of is it too late into a declaration of I am right on time for starting something new.

Speaker 1:

Hello and welcome to the Mindful Life Changes podcast, where we dive deep into the challenges and transformations shaping our lives, from shifts in our roles at home and work to the transitions we navigate physically and mentally as we gracefully age. I'm your host, valerie Mechie, a career change guide and mindfulness enthusiast. You might be at a stage in your life where you've accomplished many of your big life goals. At a stage in your life where you've accomplished many of your big life goals, from developing your career or building a business to raising kids or creating a community around you. Even with so many things to be grateful for, life may not have always turned out the way you've envisioned it. That's okay. Even with the best of intentions or a well-laid-out plan, life has a way of putting things on hold or shifting your focus to something else for a season. Now you may be closing a chapter in your life or starting to feel stuck and looking to make a change.

Speaker 1:

But is it the right timing? I hear this question all the time from women in their wind life, often followed by excuses about why the timing isn't perfect, excuses such as I'll do it when things settle down. I'm too busy right now. I need to wait until I have more money. I'll start after the kids are out of the house. I'm too old to start now. These excuses for delaying or avoiding starting something new are false perceptions about timing.

Speaker 1:

Time is defined by seconds, minutes and hours, but your timing is subjective. But your timing is subjective. What you can accomplish in one hour could bring different results or push the needle further than your friend or co-worker might achieve, especially when you have determination, curiosity or you're lost in your flow. Time becomes less significant in these moments, which means it's never too late to start something new. You could be right on time. Given your life experiences, background and knowledge, these are valuable and transferable skills that can help propel you forward. Perhaps what might take an average beginner a certain amount of time to learn could be accelerated by your midlife advantages. There might be a greater sense of urgency, a better understanding of how to prioritize time and more mental clarity to focus on your goals.

Speaker 1:

Let me share two examples of women who have redefined how success can develop later in life. Julia Child is a renowned chef and author who didn't begin her culinary career until her late 30s. She enrolled in the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu cooking school at the age of 37, and later co-authored the iconic cookbook Mastering the Art of French Cooking, which wasn't published until she was 49. Two years later, at the age of 51, she starred in her own television cooking show, the French Chef, which till this day, is revered and watched around the globe. Vera Wang is a fashion designer of a global lifestyle brand who didn't start out as a designer. She actually began her career as a magazine editor and then made a pivot at the age of 40, designing bridal gowns. Wang opened her first boutique in her mid-40s and soon became one of the most celebrated bridal gown designers in the world and is recognized globally till this day.

Speaker 1:

These women demonstrated that midlife can be a powerful time for pursuing new goals and achieving remarkable success. They didn't allow their age to stop them from taking risks or becoming students again. They once did, in the same moment you are facing, questioning if it's the right time to make the next move. For them it was, and the same could be true for you. It starts with letting go of the notion that time isn't on your side and instead seeing the opportunity and the potential, and instead seeing the opportunity and the potential regardless of your age or your current circumstances. Replace the excuses about time with affirmations that empower you to move forward.

Speaker 1:

With that being said, let's take advantage of this present moment with a powerful affirmation session to help affirm your intuition and instinct to pursue something new. This is the first step toward a new venture or achieving a long-awaited personal goal. We'll start our affirmation practice by priming your mind and body so you'll be open to the affirmations. Take a deep and cleansing breath in through your nose and let out the air through your mouth with a large sigh, releasing any energy that doesn't serve you in your mind and body. Take one more cleansing breath in and out. I'll begin by reciting the affirmation twice and then give you a moment to repeat it out loud to yourself.

Speaker 1:

Reciting the affirmation out loud can help you make a connection, so let's begin. I am right on time. I am right on time. I am right on time. Repeat it to yourself out loud. The best time to start is now. The best time to start is now. Repeat it out loud to yourself I am exactly where I should be and meant to do this now. I am exactly where I should be and meant to do this now. Repeat it out loud to yourself. I am worthy of investing in my dreams. Now. I am worthy of investing in my dreams now. Repeat it out loud to yourself. My children will benefit from seeing me pursue my passions. My children will benefit from seeing me pursue my passions. Repeat it to yourself out loud Every stage of life is an opportunity for new beginnings. Every stage of life is an opportunity for new beginnings. Repeat it out loud to yourself. I trust myself to navigate change. I trust myself to navigate change. Repeat it out loud to yourself I am worthy of growth and new experiences. I am worthy of growth and new experiences. When you're ready, slowly open your eyes. If you have them closed and if it feels comfortable to you, place your hand over your heart to help seal this affirmation practice with self-love and care. This affirmation practice is yours to recite for at least 21 days once a day. It's most effective before you go to bed at night or when you wake up in the morning, before you start your day. To help deepen your affirmation practice, consider making one of the affirmations sticky. Write one of the affirmations that resonated with you on a sticky note and place it on your bathroom mirror as a reminder that this is your time to explore and shine. Or you can turn an affirmation into a short mantra like I'm worthy of investing in my dreams and repeat it out loud to yourself while walking, doing yoga or working out to help you stay focused and motivated. These are just a few ways to help your affirmation practice more sustainable and effective. To learn more about how to make your affirmations sticky which is an acronym, go back to episode one, where I walk you through step-by-step on how to make your affirmations sticky. Make sure to subscribe and bookmark this episode so you'll have it handy whenever you need a quick guide of this affirmation practice. If you found this episode helpful, please share it with a family member or a friend who may also need some encouragement for starting a new chapter in their life, or show your appreciation by giving us a rating of this podcast Wherever you are listening. Your support will help midlifers discover this podcast so it can grow and blossom. Being mindful is a step towards a more fulfilled and vibrant life. Keep embracing your midlife journey with an open heart and remember you are not alone in this. I look forward to our next mindful gathering. I'll talk to you soon.