Now is the time to be even more courageous in our lives. As we age, we should see the wisdom in stepping back and evaluating those things that we have allowed to get in the way of being our best selves so that as we can move forward into what should be our best years not encumbered by our past.
I have always thought of myself as being fearless and bold – ready to take on the world. I truly believed that I was overflowing with self-confidence and self-esteem. Despite challenges that I faced, I have always been focused and successful. As I grew older I realized that I was putting on a mask of being confident, successful and fearless while hiding my true feelings and even some painful experiences. Those things only served to block me in my ability to love, to be truly confident, to be proud of me and not just of the person that I projected to others.
Something happened when I hit my 50’s. I started getting to know my real self. I listened to the voice of my pain instead of pushing it down so that I could just get through the day. I admitted that it was there and I had been making the choice to hold on to it because it was all I knew. I realized that it was getting in the way of me being me. As I let go, I started finding that I liked being happier. I had always enjoyed being alone and in that place no one could hurt me not realizing that I was only further hurting myself. Once I let go of those negative feelings I realized that I was no longer hiding in that aloneness or avoiding dealing with my personal pain or insecurities but getting to know myself and love myself for who I had become.
Now in my 60s and retired, I feel a sense of freedom that I never felt before in my life. I have truly dealt with those painful experiences and released them and the people who I had allowed to hold me back. In many ways I am reinventing myself using all the things that I love in my life to inform that transformation to be an even better version of me. Now the me that you see is truly the me that I am – the me that was always there inside me before but now she is free. With that freedom, I can give more, love more and let more love into my life and now I am truly loving the journey every single moment of every single day. If there is any way that I can reach back and help any woman find her way to be her best real self, I am eager to do so as should we all.
Aisha says
<3 how is it even possible to be a better you?
Clolita Vitale says
You are so sweet to say that! 💗