By You know why? Because most of them think they are 70 instead of 40. Their answer to everything is always based on how old they think they are — and this most definitely stops them from achieving a better life. Why are you making that face — are you in pain?No, my bones are not the way they used to be. Do you want to come and lift with us this weekend?No, my body isn’t built for heavy lifting anymore. You look angry; what’s wrong?I’m just too old for this S%*t! Why don’t you start that side hustle you always talk about?Nah, I think I’ve run the end of my line now.What the…? Sometimes, when I have conversations with younger people, I catch myself sounding like that grumpy old 40 years old. I get so tired of all the day to day dramas in work and life that I feel like everyone is sucking the joy out of me. Indeed, these bouts of heightened anger are nothing but the same grumpiness hidden within me. But I know it’s secretly because I’m a downright underachiever with an overachievers mindset. What the heck, I may as well just let it out — I’m frustrated at getting old & not achieving my full potential. There, I said it!
Somedays, it gets the better of me — especially when it’s time for me to do an uncomfortable activity (like spilling my vulnerability here). Sooner or later, I realise just what’s happening, and I pull my S*#t together, ending the anger & disappointment in myself. I acknowledge that I’m a lot healthier than most teenagers (if I’m honest). I mean, I’ve got a heap of life left within me — I do not lack energy or enthusiasm for that matter. So, how do I eliminate the over 40 bouts of underachieving grumpiness? Answer: By thinking about all the freakin’ amazing island holiday adventures and laptop side hustle lifestyle, I will have the pleasure of living one day. (Not to mention my dream of owning a villa in Santorini)
(This is where I use the power of Napoleon Hills words to make it a reality!) Maybe I’ve grown a few wrinkles, laugh lines, grey hairs, and perhaps I don’t recover as fast as I should from my weight training sessions — but there is no way I’m ever going to let numbers water down my enthusiasm & zest for life.
Life is a never-ending school, and maybe it’s taken me a little bit longer to realise my inner potential — but it’s never too late to do anything these days. I think about that beautiful villa in Santorini and the picturesque beach scene I wake up to every single morning. The extravagant lunches & dinners, the cobblestone designer boutiques that line the nearby village. I think about that magnificent sunshine warming my skin;- until I realise that I’m staring out of my balcony window, with my mouth wide open & a dry old cough startles me into reality. Sadly, it also occurs to me that I’m living a life I don’t want anymore, in a situation that no longer serves me, and my only ticket to a better and more fulfilled one is through the MacBook Pro in front of me. The only thing I have control over is the mushy stuff that I cook up in between my ears. Maybe I’m not going to buy a $20 million Santorini villa or shop in designer boutiques every day, but a young at heart, 40 something-year-old can still dream, can’t she? All this weight training, fasting, and healthy eating have to amount to some extended life (at least that’s what I tell myself every day). Maybe the universe has something even better for me down the line. I’ve got so much more within me, and I intend on picturing the future with passionate intent and purpose. Gosh, that Santorini villa has a marvellous Instagram worthy view. I’ll be sure to share that with you sometime soon. Watch this space. When you don’t feel happy about your age & the things you’ve achieved so far, imagine that place you want to be in & who you need to become to have that. Visit this secret place often, and make it bigger, brighter and more vivid. No one has to know it exists — it’s your dream, and you own it. Have fun with it — and never stop believing. So aim high, because if you do, there is every single chance that you will get somewhere halfway. Even if the villa is only a snug spot on Bondi beach, or the extravagant meals are from my favourite local Greek restaurant, I won’t care; I’ll be overlooking the sun rising in Santorini in my private pool. Now, if you excuse me, I’m set on writing that next masterpiece, and perhaps someone else out there who is of similar age can read this and go for their dreams too. (Care to join me on a Greek Island, dear friend?) Happy 40 something day-dreaming!