The host, Author & Speaker Teisha Shelby-Houston (Lady T), helps women go from mom to mompreneur! Known as The Business Coach for Moms, Lady T empowers and coaches women to change the world through entrepreneurship. Let her new book, Mom Entrepreneur Extraordinaire inspire you.

Ready to learn strategies you can use today to get past procrastination and start creating the life you were meant to live? Click on the link and listen in to learn how to conquer Procrastination Paralysis.

Bonnie Pond is the founder of ReLaunch Your Life. A career change expert for women over 40 who want to be their own boss, she can help YOU find ways to make money doing what you love. 

Call 931-438-8343 for a complimentary 15-minute Discovery Session. You really can love your work, love your money, and love your life again! Let me help you get started.

Visit my website for F*R*E*E resources you can use today. Tune in to ReLaunch Your Life every Monday at 10 AM for more tips, tools, strategies and interviews with successful entrepreneurs.

Everyone wants to hear that ReLaunching and working at what you love is clear-cut,  fast, and easy, right? Just do steps 1 – 5 and POOF! You’re there. Wish I could tell you that ‘s the case, but it’s not.

All kinds of resistance and emotions are going to crop up for you, especially if you’re changing careers at midlife. They sure did for me. Still do. Changing course is hard work. And there will be times when you want to quit. I know. It happens to me. It will happen to you. It happens to every entrepreneur I’ve ever met.

Every one of us hits snags. Potholes in the road. Times when the money isn’t flowing in fast enough. People tell you you can’t do it. You question whether you’ll be successful. You’ve struggled to come up with the perfect product or service — and nobody’s buying. You have days when nothing goes right and you want to give up. A friend calls it “wanting to run away from your life.”

Are you ready to give up? Changing careers, starting your own business, or ReLaunching Your Life is a lot like trying to lose weight. All the weight doesn’t drop off in one day. Major life transitions are the same way.

I’m all for taking action but there are times when taking action means taking a step back and giving yourself room to breathe, to reflect, to regroup.

How?

• Change your perspective and immerse yourself in a different environment for a day. Get out of the office and away from your computer. Take a walk in a park. Plant some flowers in your garden. Drive to a different town and play tourist. Visit an art gallery or a museum. Whatever you choose to do, it will shift your energy. And some of the best ideas pop into your head when you’re not working so hard at finding them.

• Tweak your strategy, change your results. What do I mean by that? Let’s say you’re trying to build a business while still working full-time. You’re not seeing measurable results fast enough. That could mean it’s time to make an adjustment in what you’re doing. Do you need to focus more on just one aspect of your business instead of trying to do too many things at one time? Is it time to learn to use social media effectively to promote your business? Have you got a realistic plan in place or are you just shooting from the hip? Are you clear about who your target audience is?

• Going it alone doesn’t work. As Barbara Sher says, “Isolation is the dream killer.” We all need a team so start building yours today. Find a trusted person — a friend, a mentor, a coach, or a colleague — and be open and honest. Tell them what you’re struggling with. Ask for help. I’ve found that other people often spot solutions that I’m too close to a problem to see.

You’re probably much closer this minute to the results you want than you realize. All the actions you’ve taken so far are like working out at the gym to lose weight. One workout doesn’t have much of an effect, but the cumulative effect means the pounds drop off. Every action you’ve taken so far means you’re one step closer to your goals.

• Be patient. Don’t give up on your dreams too soon. What you want may be within arm’s reach and you just don’t know it — yet.

Bonnie Pond is the founder of ReLaunch Your Life. A career change expert for women over 40 who want to be their own boss, she helps them find ways to make money doing what they love. 

Call 931-438-8343 for a complimentary 30-minute Discovery Session. You really can love your work, love your money, and love your life again! Let me help you get started.

Visit my website for F*R*E*E resources you can use today. Tune in to ReLaunch Your Life every Monday at 10 AM for more tips, tools, strategies and interviews with successful entrepreneurs.

                      The Re-Invention Connection

                             Story of Bonnie Pond

                                  Founder of

                             ReLaunch Your Life

My work history is what some might call “checkered.” It reflects a wide

variety of interests as well as the necessity of earning my daily bread. In

the last forty-plus years I’ve waited tables, been a secretary, run a

battered women’s shelter, and teamed up with my husband to be

caretakers on a ranch. We had an old-time photography studio in the

California Gold Country for a year.  Along the way, I also started a

housekeeping service and, with two other women, had a company that

provided continuing education units for nurses through travel

opportunities. For several years I managed a furniture and gift store. I

was an outreach worker, did a stint in the reference section of a college

library, and got my elementary teaching credential. For many years I

taught at a science and math magnet school before “retiring” to rural

Tennessee.

Within a few months, two things happened:  Traditional retirement turned

out to be a real bore AND our savings pretty much disappeared with the

downturn in the economy. We needed more income and I needed a way

to tap into all my interests and passions. In 2009, I started ReLaunch

Your Life out of necessity.  By combining specialized training with my own

life experiences, I began helping women 40 + find ways to be their own

boss by tapping into their passions.

It breaks my heart to see those who’ve worked hard all their lives

struggling to make ends meet when they retire. So many are searching

for work that gives meaning, purpose, and joy to their lives too. They

want to spend their time doing what feeds their spirits as well as their

wallets. No one should have to spend their lives stuck in “job misery.” To

be able to spend your days working at what you love has a positive ripple

effect on your entire life. To be able to spend your days earning income

while doing work you love is something that I want for everyone.

Some clients want a new full-time career where they call the shots with

their own small businesses. Others want to supplement their income with

a sideline.

My husband, Jack, helps me with the technical side of the business and

is a constant source of encouragement and ideas. Occasionally I partner

with other women for special projects like the women’s retreat we have

coming up in fall, 2011.

My business combines the best of my previous jobs with new challenges

every day. Each woman I work with has a unique set of gifts and talents.

Each one has a different way of answering my question, “What do you

want your life to look like?”  Because I know what it’s like to work in a wide

variety of settings, from retail to non-profits to teaching and running small

businesses, I can tap into those experiences to help clients move toward

the life they really want.

It took a lot of searching to develop this business idea – searching myself

to figure out what I really wanted to be “when I grew up” and searching

the Internet for ideas and for what people needed. I realized that so many

people are looking for someone to help them rediscover their dreams

and passions — before it’s too late. So many are stuck in jobs that make

them miserable. And there are an increasing number of Boomers who

need to create their own work because of layoffs, a major change like

divorce or the death of a spouse, or let’s be honest here, because of age

discrimination.

The Boomer Generation still has so much to give, so much vitality, so

many options. We’re ready to explore and take on new challenges.

Midlife isn’t over the hill. What I’ve found is that many people just need

help figuring out what their options are. Reinventing yourself after 40

gives you a whole new perspective on your potential and what it means

to live a full life.

My husband has been my biggest cheerleader, but there have been so

many others who said, “Go for it, Bonnie!” Connecting with other women

who are running their own businesses is  always source of

encouragement, fresh ideas, and resources. No one succeeds alone and

that’s why I’ve also worked with coaches to help me learn how to grow my

business. I’m in a Mastermind group and have an accountability partner.

We meet by telephone weekly to help each other set goals and stay on

track. And I’m always taking classes, which has the added benefit of

keeping me around the “doers” of the world.

Were there naysayers? Of course! There are always those who find

reasons you can’t succeed – the economy is bad, you’re too old, it takes

too much money to start your own business. The naysayers can really

get to you if you let them. I think that’s what stops so many people from

going after their dreams. That, and the self-doubts and fears that anyone

charting a new course for their lives has to deal with.

There are three main ways that I’ve created confidence.  The first is to

hang around successful people. The second is to keep learning and

growing. When you’re just starting out, it’s crucial to build a network of

support. You need people who believe in you and who are willing to give

advice as you build your business. It’s been said that you are the

average of the five people you hang around with the most. I make it a

point to spend plenty of time with people who love what they do and are

very successful in their businesses. They inspire me because each one

has overcome their own obstacles and naysayers along the way.

The third piece of creating confidence is building competence. That’s

why I got specialized training in career change coaching before I set up

ReLaunch Your Life.  Understanding what people need is important and I

do “get it.” But understanding is only a part of the equation. Training

means I also know HOW to help women find ways to turn their interests

into income so they can do what they love. I’m constantly in learning

mode, taking classes and doing independent research, so that I continue

to build my competence.

Lessons learned? Oh, there are so many! The biggest lesson is that you

need tons of patience and persistence. No business ever builds as

quickly as you want. No business is ever as profitable as soon as you’d

like. It takes quite a while to build a following and professional reputation.

That’s the most important thing I wish I’d realized in advance.

There will be obstacles and when you come up against them, you have a

choice. Give up or find a way around them. Instead of saying, “I can’t”

you have to say, “How can I make this happen?” Then, you have to take

action every single day to do what needs to be done. No excuses.

I started out with a rudimentary business plan that has evolved over the

last couple of years. It’s actually still evolving as I add more pieces to my

business. For example, hosting an Internet radio show was not on my

radar screen in the beginning, but now I’m on the air every week and love

it.

Because I work from a home office and do much of my coaching by

telephone, I didn’t have to get outside funding to start up. My expenses

have been mainly for training, working with my own coaches, and the

normal office expenses like telephone and Internet service.

Life is short, too short to settle for a beige existence. Reinventing and

ReLaunching are all about moving out of your comfort zone. That can be

scary, but to me it’s worse to stay in a “box” or in a life that’s really too

small for your spirit. There are no guarantees in life. Taking the leap to

realize your full potential is worth the risk. The saddest thing I can

imagine is to look back at the end of your life and say, “If only . . .”

Marie Beyon Ray has a quote that I love and try to live by: “Begin doing

what you want to do now. We are not living in eternity. We have only this

moment, sparkling like a star in our hand – and melting like a snowflake.”

My biggest regret is thinking too small at first and staying in my comfort

zone too long. If I could change one thing, it would be to think bigger and

bolder right from the start.

Bonnie Pond is a career change coach and founder of ReLaunch Your 

Life. She helps women 40+ who want to be their own boss find ways to 

turn their interests into income. It’s never too late to love your work, love 

your money, and love your life again. Her website is

www.relaunchyourlifecoach.com.

What are your unfulfilled dreams? Are you putting off living your life the way YOU want to live it because of what other people think you should do? Pressure from family and friends can keep us feeling boxed in — if we allow that to happen. The choices we make — or don’t make — are important.

Are you living a life true to yourself? Are you working at what you love or just going to a job every day?

If the work you’re doing doesn’t satisfy your spirit and allow you to have more of the life you dream of, you have a choice. You can ignore your dreams and continue on your current path. Or you can begin exploring ways to live true to yourself. For many that means making money doing what you love, instead of just putting in time at a job that sucks the life right out of you.

What do you really want to be doing with your life? Yes, you have to earn a living and pay your bills so I’m not suggesting that you quit your job tomorrow morning.

• What you CAN do immediately is start looking at your options.

• Know what you want. Do some soul-searching. If you don’t put what you want on your radar screen and start looking for ways to get it, you’ll never life a life true to yourself.

• Pay attention to all the ways people are taking charge of their work life by turning their interests into income. What kinds of businesses are they running?

• Read magazines like Entrepreneur to spark ideas.

• Work with a coach to develop ways to make money doing what you love. You can start small with a sideline business and when you’re ready, transition to making it your full-time career.

Whatever your dreams are, NOW is the time to go after them. Summon up the courage to create the life you were meant to live. Don’t wait until it’s too late.

Bonnie Pond is the founder of ReLaunch Your Life. A career change expert for women over 40 who want to be their own boss, she helps them find ways to make money doing what they love. 

Call 931-438-8343 for a complimentary 30-minute Discovery Session. You really can love your work, love your money, and love your life again! Let me help you get started.

Visit my website for F*R*E*E resources you can use today. Tune in to ReLaunch Your Life every Monday at 10 AM for more tips, tools, strategies and interviews with successful entrepreneurs.

Why aren’t you doing the things you want to do? Maybe it’s because you don’t quite know how to move ahead. If S-T-U-C-K is where you’re living right now, following these 7 steps will give you the nudge you need to get moving again.

A part of us resists change — even when we know we want more from our lives. Our egos want to keep us in our old familiar comfort zones. That’s normal. Change can be unsettling, even anxiety-producing at times. But staying stuck means settling for less than you deserve in life.

You can’t change course unless you’re willing to put up with being uncomfortable, with challenging your old beliefs, with being afraid sometimes because you’re trying out new ideas and new activities. Keep in mind that people who do great things do so in spite of being uncomfortable or afraid. They push beyond S-T-U-C-K and so can you.

Here’s my 7-step plan to get Unstuck. Try it. Stick with it. It works.

1)  Know your “why.” How will making changes benefit you? How will you feel when you reach your goals? How will your life change for the better?  Write a positive statement about what you’ll gain by moving ahead. Post your “why” where you see it several times every day — on your mirror, your computer, your kitchen cabinets.

2) Ask, “What’s holding me back?” In order to get unstuck, you need to know what’s holding you in place. Are you putting up with a job that doesn’t feed your spirit because changing just seems too hard? Are you afraid of what people might say? Are you afraid to fail or look foolish? What’s the underlying benefit that you’re getting by letting it stand it your way? Yeah, I know that’s a tough one, but it gets to the heart of your stuck place.

3) Start small. You know why you want things to change. You’ve identified your obstacle. Now, list three things you can do right away to start removing your roadblock.

4) Give yourself realistic deadlines for completing those three steps. Deadlines focus you on what needs to be done and force you to get into action. Motion Trumps Meditation!

5) Get support. Tell people you trust what you’re going to do and by when. Ask for help holding you accountable for doing what you say you’ll do.

6) Let go of perfectionism. You have to try new things in order to grow and guess what? Sometimes you’ll mess up. That’s part of the process. Mistakes allow you to learn what you didn’t know before.

7) Keep a record of your achievements. Start a Success Journal and record even the smallest of successes. Make it your goal to enter at least one success every day. Your Success Journal can be a great motivator, especially when you look back at the end of a month and see how far you’ve come.

This system is what I call Rinse & Repeat. In other words, keep doing all the steps. Consistently. Commit to getting unstuck by doing what you need to do. Your dreams are waiting. . .

Bonnie Pond is the founder of ReLaunch Your Life. A career change expert for women over 40 who want to be their own boss, she helps them find ways to make money doing what they love. 

Call 931-438-8343 for a complimentary 30-minute Discovery Session. You really can love your work, love your money, and love your life again! Let me help you get started.

Visit my website for F*R*E*E resources you can use today. Tune in to ReLaunch Your Life every Monday at 10 AM for more tips, tools, strategies and interviews with successful entrepreneurs.

And you’re restless. Unhappy. Maybe even bored. Or too stressed out to think clearly.    

You want more from your life. . .  You want a career you love. . .  You want to find your purpose before it’s too late.

In other words, you want to reinvent yourself and create the life you were meant to live instead of just drifting along. And you wonder, is it really possible?

Absolutely! Positively! Yes, really! Honest! BUT — here’s the catch. You have to work at it. (Sorry, no Easy Button) You have to know what you really want and then be willing to do what it takes to achieve it. Are you ready to get started?

Let’s say you want to start your reinvention by working at what you love. But you’re thinking, “Yeah, right. I’m stuck in my job. The economy is bad. I can’t afford to go back to school. My age is against me.” Or any number of other reasons you Can’t?

“I Can’t” thinking will slam the brakes on your reinvention quicker than anything I know. This kind of thinking stems from fear, past experiences that didn’t turn out like you wanted, and probably lots of subtle messages you’ve been sending yourself for years. It’s the Big Fat Bully in Your Brain telling you to just forget the whole thing.

At this point, you don’t even know what you want to do next, so how can you know whether or not it’s possible?

Take a deep breath. Relax. Tell the Bully in Your Brain to hush. It’s OK. You’re in Discovery Mode, so you can’t fail and you can’t lose.

Start by answering these questions:

• What makes you feel fabulous?

• What do you love, love, love to do?

• What do you get so involved in that you simply lose track of time?

• What gives you a sense of meaning, purpose, and fulfillment?

• What inspires you?

• What do you want to accomplish before your epitaph is written?

Your answers contain the seeds of your midlife career change. Your new career may very well be one you create for yourself. It may be outside the traditional Job Box.  It could be a combination of several Love To Do items from your list. Why not? There are endless ways to turn your interests into income. Thousands of people profit from their passions. So can you.

What’s your next step? Move into Research Mode. Start looking for all the ways you can do what you love and get paid for it. Think multiple income streams instead of just one paycheck from an employer. If you need some help coming up with ideas, I’ll be happy to schedule a complimentary 30-minute Discovery Session to help you explore your options.

Making a major life transition — whether it’s a career change, divorce, death of a spouse, moving across the country, whatever it is — doesn’t happen in one quick step. Transitions take time. Have patience with yourself. Take small steps every day and you’ll get there.

Bonnie Pond is the founder of ReLaunch Your Life. A career change expert for women over 40 who want to be their own boss, she helps them find ways to turn their interests into income. You can love your work, love your money, and love your life again!

Visit her website for F*R*E*E resources you can use today. Tune in to ReLaunch Your Life every Monday at 10 AM for more tips, tools, strategies and interviews with successful entrepreneurs.

Maybe you’ve started researching interesting new careers, gathering information, talking to people who are doing what you want to do. Things are starting to move in the right direction and you’re feeling pretty good. Then — BAM! All sorts of stuff happens.

The car breaks down.

The dog has to go to the vet.

Unexpected dental bills.

Someone in your family gets sick.

You’re trying to do too much all by yourself.

The To Do list is 9 pages long.

Little distractions happen.

Big emergencies happen.

That’s the way life is. Sometimes we get so caught up in the “stuff” going on in our lives that dreams and goals get thrown out of focus. It’s easy to start feeling fragmented and overwhelmed. It’s tough to stay on track. Ever had that happen to you? I have. Plenty of times.

Following your dreams, making a life transition, finding ways to turn your interests into income — whatever your Big Dream — takes focus and determination. If your dreams have gotten a little fuzzy lately, it’s probably because you’re trying to focus on too many things at once.

I learned a great tip in my Mastermind group this week that I want to share with you. It will help you sort out where you need to focus your time and energy.

For example, if you’re unhappy at work and want to start working at what you love, you’ll need to set  priorities to make that happen. Yes, there are lots of steps on the journey to your Big Dream, but you’re going to take it one step at at time.

Here’s a great way to whittle down that enormous To Do list.

1) Make a list of everything that MUST get done. This is your A List.

2) Everything that SHOULD get done goes on your B LIst.

3) Everything that MAYBE you could do or that would be NICE TO DO is your C List.

4) Now, take a good, hard look at your B List. Your goal is to turn every single item into an A or a C. Either it’s a MUST DO or a NICE TO DO.

5) OK, take a deep breath. Toss out your C list! These aren’t real priorities so don’t worry about them.

6) Now there are no B’s or C’s, so you’ve cleared the space to just do the things on your A List. These are your priorities because they are what will move you closer to your goals. Working only on what’s really important will help you bring your dreams back into crystal clear focus.

If you’re serious about ReLaunching Your Life, snapping your dreams and goals into sharp focus is essential. Without a clear vision of what you want, you can’t get it. And unless you clear space in your life to work on what you need to do to realize your dreams, they won’t happen.

Create your A, B, and C lists. Then get them down to only what you MUST do.

Your A List is your ACTION List — so get up and get moving. If you don’t take action, you’ll stay exactly where you are right now.

Finding a Work/Life Balance can be hard. Even if you run your own business. Even if you make your own schedule. It’s easy to get caught up in all the things that you need to do for your business. “I’ll just answer these emails, put the finishing touches on this project, write that press release . . .” and poof! another hour or two gets added to your work day.

Here are two tips that make it easier for me to keep that balance. I think they’ll work for you too.

1) Set a timer and focus completely on just one project for one hour. Answer your emails. Add to your Facebook posts. Tweet away. Write a couple of business letters. Do some research for your next project. When the timer goes off, it’s time to stop. Take a quick break. If you’re on a roll with that research or in the middle of planning a program launch, you can always re-set the timer for another hour or two.

It’s all the time-sucking extras that a timer really makes you aware of. Like how much time you spend on Facebook. Or how easy it is to get distracted and not truly focus on anything. How many things have you started — or meant to start — but the time just slipped away and you got nothing done? Yeah, me too. That’s why I invested in a kitchen timer. Try it and let me know how it works for you.

2) Decide when your workday will end and stick to it. This is crucial when you work from home. If your workday starts at 9 AM and ends at 6 PM, call it a day when the clock reads 6 PM. Make a quick list of the 3 most important things you want to accomplish tomorrow. Straighten up the mess on your desk. (Oh, don’t tell me you don’t have some papers scattered about!) Then get up from your desk. Shut the door to your home office. It’s time for family, for friends, and for YOU.

The work will still be there in the morning but having that list of 3 priorities will help you quickly focus on what needs to be done. Clearing your desk at the end of the day means you can start in the morning without sorting through piles of papers trying to find what you need. And taking time to relax means you’ll be a lot happier and healthier in the long run.

And if you’re really serious about a Work/Life Balance, you must stick to a schedule that lets you have time off. After all, isn’t that one of the reasons you started your business in the first place? If all you do is work, work, work, then being your own boss becomes a grind. You get burned out. You start thinking that maybe going back to the corporate cubicle isn’t so bad. That’s what happens when you get too tired. Your exhausted brain stops thinking clearly. You can end up making bad decisions that you’ll later regret.

Do you have a favorite tip for finding Work/Life Balance? Please share!

Bonnie Pond is a career change expert for women over 40. She helps people who want to be their own boss find ways to turn their interests into income.

Do you dream of being your own boss? I can help you find realistic ways to profit from your passions! Call me at 931-438-8343 to schedule a complimentary 30-minute Discovery Session. Let’s talk about where you are now, where you want to go, and ways you can get there.

You really can find ways to love your work, love your money, and love your life again. Visit my website,www.relaunchyourlifecoach.com, for more resources to help you with your own ReLaunch journey.

If that’s you, it’s time to shift your thinking and get into your Creative Flow. Everyone, and I do mean EVERYONE, is creative. You don’t have to be a sculptor or a novelist or an architect to qualify as creative. Your special brand of creativity might be in the way you can fix just about anything. Or in the way you make fabulous videos of family events. Or it may be the way you can organize a messy office or closet. You ARE creative, just not in the stereotypical way.

And you know what? That’s not a bad thing if you want to start a business that taps into your personal gifts and talents. You’ve got a unique combination that no one else has — and believe me, there are people willing to pay you for those talents. These are your Creativity Sparks!

You want to make a midlife career change but you’re not sure how. Those Creativity Sparks are clues to working at what you love.

So, how do you tap into your Creative Flow? Here are some of my favorite ways to do that. First, find a place where you can just sit quietly with a notebook for 30 minutes or so. Jot down anything and everything you’ve ever done that was the slightest bit creative. These are your Creativity Sparks.

Title it “All the Ways I’m a Creative Person.” Did you crochet an afghan? Build a doghouse? Help a friend find a solution to her problem? Paint a room? Reorganize your garage? Wrap a gorgeous birthday gift?

The key is to do this without criticizing yourself mentally with statements like, “Oh, that was so easy for me to do. It doesn’t count.” Or “Yeah, I took those nature photos, but they aren’t really all that great.” Or “People say I make wonderful meals but that’s not creative enough to put on the list.” No criticism, no filters. Let go of perfectionism. My guess is you’ll have quite a long list.

Next, ask three people you trust to tell you about all the ways you’re a creative soul. If it’s not comfortable to sit and listen to all this praise, ask them to write about your creativity instead. Your list is getting longer and longer, isn’t it?

So how will this help you find a way to work at what you love and generate income? This is where you can really have some fun.

Let’s say that one of your Creativity Sparks is that you love being around dogs, playing with them, teaching them tricks, taking pictures of them. Move into full-on brainstorming! What can you do that involves dogs that will also create income?

Here are just a few ideas:

• Put together a show demonstrating your dogs’ tricks, response to commands, or ability to follow a scent trail. Figure out how you’ll tell an audience about this in a fun and interactive way. Gather some interesting tidbits of little known facts. Market your show to school assemblies, local festivals, or nursing homes.

• Take pictures of your dogs and create a line of note cards or greeting cards.

• Become a dog groomer.

• Put together “doggie & me” tours for people who want to take their pets on vacation.

• Specialize in setting up “doggie events” to enhance local community events. In our area, Lynchburg holds an annual Frontier Days celebration. The Ugly Dog contest always draws a crowd and generates additional publicity for the celebration.

To get your own Creative Flow going, see what you can add to this list. Not every idea is going to be a winner. This exercise is about freeing up your thinking and letting more Creativity Sparks happen.

You’ve had a little practice with the “doggie” idea so now it’s time to get your notebook and start writing about your own Creativity Sparks.

Don’t neglect asking three people you trust for input. It’s a real confidence booster and will give you more raw material to work with.

Take your list and spend at least 10 – 15 minutes brainstorming about ways to turn your Creativity Sparks into income. I guarantee this will kick-start your Creative Flow. If you get stuck, put your brainstorming away for a day or two. Come back to it several times over the next two weeks. Keep adding to your list.

Use this Creative Flow process with each of your Creativity Sparks. It will help you begin the process of finding ways to work at what you love.

How many times have I heard, “It’s too late for me to ReLaunch. I should have started when I was younger.” So many people let their chronological ages become an EXCUSE for not stepping up and stepping fully into their lives. Do you know anyone like that?

 Listen, age isn’t a barrier to ReLaunching — unless you decide to let it become one. I’ve changed course more than once in my life, working at a variety of jobs and even a couple of careers. In fact,  I didn’t really figure out what I wanted to be “when I grew up” until I was in my late 50′s. (Full disclosure here — I’m 61.) Maybe I’m what you’d call a Late Bloomer.

If you’ve convinced yourself it’s “too late,” let’s set the facts straight right now. Whether you’re 40 or 54 or 67, there’s still time to do what you love. BUT, you have to stop dreaming and start doing.

Don’t believe me? Here’s a list of Late Bloomers to inspire you.

 Maya Angelou was in her 60′s when her books and poetry became popular. Now she’s known around the world for her eloquent writing.

 Susan Boyle (you remember her amazing performance on TV, don’t you?) was “discovered” as a singing sensation when she was almost 50.

 Marjorie Stoneman Douglas started her environmental work well into her 60′s. At age 78, she began her long battle to protect Florida’s Everglades, a fight she continued until she was 100.

Remember the Little House on the Prairie series written by Laura Ingalls Wilder? The very first book in that series wasn’t published until she was 65.

 Grandma Moses, whose work is world famous, painted until she was 101. Keep in mind that she didn’t pick up a paintbrush until she was 76!

 Julia Child was 51 when The French Chef first appeared on TV and her first book was published only 2 years earlier.

From authors to marathon runners to film makers and founders of global corporations (Ray Croc was 52 when he opened the first McDonalds, Colonel Harland Sanders was 65 when he started the KFC franchise), Late Bloomers have made their indelible mark on the world. Many didn’t find their true calling until midlife but once they did, they stepped into their brilliance.

Tape this statement to your computer, your mirror, your kitchen cabinets:  ”Midlife is NOT over the hill!”

The best part of your life can begin right now. The key is to get started, to move beyond fear and outmoded thinking. Choose action over wishing and you can transform your life.

Here’s how to get started:

1) Sit quietly for 20 minutes and think about all the new beginnings you’ve made in your life. I’ll wager there were plenty of them and you were able to learn and grow, even when those new beginnings were sometimes painful and unwanted. You’re a survivor. You’re resilient. Congratulations! You have what it takes to ReLaunch.

2) Now, what do you still want to do with your life? Go ahead, remember those dreams, tap into what you love doing. Identify what’s important to you.

3) Choose one thing, just one, to begin this week. Imagine in as much detail as you can muster up exacly how you’ll feel when you reach your goal.

4) If a wave of overwhelm suddenly hits you, stop and breathe. Breathe. It’s OK. You don’t have to realize that goal by Friday. Just take one little step every day.

5) Explore. Look forward to the ongoing renewal of your life.

 Become a brilliant Late Bloomer!
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