On Blooming Late

OK…

So I’ve been described by many as a late bloomer, and I guess it’s a moniker that I really can’t deny. Many of you know that I got started in pattern design late in life. As a matter of fact, I retired from the City in a whole ‘nother field of work before this business was a reality (I was a Chemist at the City Waste Treatment Plant).

So… Just to be clear, what exactly IS a late bloomer?

According to Wikipedia, a late bloomer is; a person whose talents or capabilities are not visible to others until later than usual. The term is used metaphorically to describe a an adult whose talent in a particular field only appears later in life than is normal – in some cases only in old age.

With this definition in mind, it would certainly be hard for me to deny being a Late Bloomer, and I really don’t have a problem with this label… as long as you’re not also referring to me as “old”.   🙂

But what about YOU?

My bet is that I’m not the only late bloomer in the crowd and I’d also pretty sure that there’s a lot of you out there who feel no passion for your everyday job, and yearn for the chance to try something new, something that inspires and excites you. But before you start protesting that it’s too late for you to make a major career change, check out the following THREE reasons that it’s OK — and, we daresay, actually pretty awesome — to take your sweet time before taking the plunge!

1) You’ll be in GREAT company– Although some of major cultural icons have achieved major success while still in their teen years (Taylor Swift, we’re looking at you), some of the greatest game-changers of all time have been late bloomers. Abraham Lincoln ran for Senate when he was 45 and lost. He ran again at 49 and lost AGAIN! Julia Child didn’t learn to cook until she was 40, and was 49 when she published her 1st book. Colonel Sanders opened his 1st KFC at 65. Nelson Mandela was almost 76 when he was elected President of South Africa. And the list goes on.

2) You’ll have plenty of time for self-discovery–  Being a late bloomer means you have the time and the opportunity to revise and revamp along the way. You can afford to take bigger risks because at this point nobody really expects anything spectacular from you anymore. There’s less pressure. You can totally reinvent yourselves as you discover who you really are!

3) You’ll need to bloom where you’re planted-  If we are to flourish as creative beings, we must bloom where we are planted. Right now, you might not have the perfect career, home, or relationship. Few of us do. But if you have the gift of today, you’ve got another chance to re-create your circumstances and make them as perfect  as possible with the resources that you currently have. Today, you get another chance to get it as right as you can make it.

Remember,

the people who get what they want and need in this world are the ones who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and when they find them, they make the most of them!

So be patient with yourself and move onwards. Because there’s LOTS of late bloomers in this world.

But now it’s YOUR turn!

Are YOU a late-bloomer? if so I’d love to hear some of YOUR story!  🙂

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