“To everything there is a season,” the ancient words of King Solomon. And so it is. Relationships end.  Careers falter.  Parents age.  Children grow up and fly the nest.  We experience loss in all its forms, and each of us feels it differently.

Maybe the kind of life you imagined is not the life you have now – but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a new beginning. And, as is often the case for many of us, it’s the beliefs we carry that can hold us back more than anything else – ‘I can’t’, ‘I’m too old’, ‘This isn’t who I am’, ‘What will others think?’, ‘What if, what if…’. .

I’ve always written –  stories, poems, half written books, journals full of words stuffed into drawers. This blog, which had been bubbling away as an idea for years faltered so many times because of my lack of self-belief. For me, losing my Dad in 2025 was a significant turning point. Though grief is far from linear, when things settled a little I had a slow awakening.  Thinking about the many facets of his life – how well he’d lived – gave my own life a fresh sense of urgency.  

Divorce also reshaped everything for me.  Forced to sit with myself in ways I never had to before.  It was so final – yet necessary. And whilst my confidence certainly wavered, I slowly rediscovered parts of myself – or maybe discovered who I was for the first time, travelling around Spain and Portugal for a year with my rescue dog in my 35 year old camper van.   I learnt to really be on my own and be okay with that, even when I was lonely or scared.  I faced many challenges and fears I’d avoided for years.  I connected with people of all ages, from all walks of life. I questioned the deep-set beliefs I held about myself, and instead saw someone who was brave, resilient, adaptable, willing to take risks.  For the first time I genuinely began to believe in myself. 

Now I’ve started to reframe some of my less successful life choices, seeing them for what they are – an integral part of my journey so far, rather than ‘mistakes’. This subtle shift has given me a renewed focus for future decisions.

What I believe

Some may call it reinvention – I prefer to see it as constant renewal.  Yes, there may be more bumps along the road, but you can navigate and accept these more easily with the life experience you’ve acquired so far. This is your superpower. So I’m embracing getting older, and I hope you do too.  It’s a deepening of who you are: acknowledging and celebrating how far you’ve come, whilst continuing to grow and stay connected in an often challenging world. And as you walk towards your true self without fear, my hope is that you discover deep inner joy, find pleasure in simple things, and remain open to the new life experiences you didn’t think were still possible for you.

And finally

I’ve worked in social housing for over 25 years and have been a part time carer and bid writer. I am now retraining as a life coach so I can support others to become their best selves.  I’m also a part time poet, the owner of a 11 year old dog, and someone who’s always dreaming of the next big adventure.