I’ve got your number – it’s time to make the rest of your life the best of your life.

“I’ve decided to go backpacking in India for a few months”

“What….at your age…are you crazy!?”

Ever had a conversation start like this when you’ve reached a milestone birthday and you’ve wanted to spread your wings and try something new? The response makes you feel like someone sucker-punched you right in the place that hurts the most – your self-esteem.

I have friends, clients, and colleagues that reach 45, 50, 55 years old and they start to believe the negative hype dished out by the quartet of doom – society, media, family, and friends. You know how it goes –

“It’s time to slow down”

“You should cut your hair into a style that is more age appropriate.”

“If you haven’t done it (reached your goals, lived your dream) by now, it’s never going to happen.”

And the classic, “Your time has passed. It’s now time for you to let your children shine. Sit back and support your family, give advice and encouragement.” 

Meantime you’re supposed to sit quietly on the sidelines, while every fiber of your being is screaming, “But what about MEEEEEE?”

Come on – when did 50 become old anyway?

Let’s be crystal clear. This ‘somebody giving you advice but actually putting you down crap’ doesn’t work for me.

I think the time is NOW to revisit your bucket list and try something NEW. Something MORE. And most important, something that warms your heart. What lights you up? What shakes your groove thing?

Reaching 50 isn’t an age when some mythical black hole swallows your dreams and ambitions – it’s a trigger to light that spark in you that still flickers.

Yes, you do still have a spark, but maybe you just need help to fan that flame. Get motivated, take a leap of faith, find a new purpose. Whatever it is for you – choose something that brightens that spark.

That’s how I work with clients. We get clear on what you want and then I help you identify and take the steps to help get you to that place and beyond.

One of the first things we do is use the words” life change” as a code word for new achievements. Why? Because it’s time to make the rest of your life the best of your life.

Being a coach is much more than a business for me, it’s an education. And sometimes for you it’s even a change in lifestyle. We can all still grow, do more, or just do something different.

Stop thinking that it’s too late for you. You don’t need that kind of negativity!

You are not too old to find a new vocation – one that you like. You don’t need to stay in that place of unhappiness – you can make another choice.

Speaking of unhappiness, in a recent article published by Kindred Healthcare, one of the most frequent comments on “biggest regret” lists is: “I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.”

It’s never too late to kick-start change. Are you ready to live life being true to yourself – even in your 50s and beyond?

It’s great that we are all living much longer. Scientists tell us we’re an aging society with increased life expectancy.  And long lives means loads of experiences and lots of transition.  And TRANSITION in life can be hard. 

I’m good at educating and empowering clients and friends through the ups and downs of the real estate industry, where I’ve been working for the past  4 years. I can see that without someone in your corner, like your coach, ‘ride-or-die’ life transitions can seem impossible.

And if you’re wondering, yes. I do have my own coach. Which leads me to my own life transition:

The moment things shifted for me, was a point in my late 40’s where I started to hate the career that I used to love.  Or thought that I had loved. No wait! I still loved it, but something had changed. I don’t mean THE change, I mean I was changing and what was important to me was changing. Things that used to be fun became tiresome. Mentors started to sound like ogres and my once loyal team felt like they were turning on me.

And the worst part?

I had always been the forward thinker, the light and the driving force within our industry. And then I started to hear negative feedback about my work and feel bullied. ME of all people! That’s not me (and yet it was me).

Ready for the kicker?

The love of my life (well I thought he was the love of my life) decided that he wasn’t sure if he wanted to be married.

Unfortunately, he was actually married to me at the time.

I felt flat-lined, run over by a truck, wondering how or if I’d ever get my groove back.

I needed someone to help navigate those muddy waters with me and remind me that somewhere out there on the other side of this transition was more to life. Much more! I needed to know that not only would I find peace, happiness and love, but that I would be grateful for the entire experience. The same is true for you!

If you’re still wondering just how much more there is to life, consider this. Jennifer Aniston just turned 50! She’s basically one of us. If someone who we’ve grown up with looks and is as active as she is, I’m thinking it’s okay to talk about getting older. Am I right?

You can’t avoid getting older.  It’s happening right now. To everyone. That includes you. It also includes me. There is no magic wand you can wave about to stop the aging process. But what you can do is control this age transition in your life and even come out ahead on the other side. It starts with changing the way you see things – the way you approach and experience them.

Remember – the opposite of an impulse decision is a decision that’s made with some careful consideration and is informed by past experience. You have past experience. Use it.

What if instead of telling yourself that from now on its all downhill, you told yourself that the best is yet to come?

What’s stopping you from embracing the next exciting chapter in your life?

You’ve got this, and I’ve got you,

Dena

DENA BURTON

I’ve been a model, a real estate agent, and I’m a native Angeleno. (Surviving LA traffic not only shows my ability to stay level headed, it also shows my commitment and follow through.)