It’s Not Easy, But For Boomers, It’s Never Too Late To Fulfill A Dream

I have found that growing older is not the beginning of the end, but, rather, a new era of challenge and hope with far less obstacles and much more experience to rely on. So, here I sit, 60 years young, and, still pursuing my dream of working hard toward making a success of an online business. However, sometimes, it is easy to lose sight of the dream because the pressures and demands of reality, during the course of a lifetime, become priorities. Diversions contribute to frustration and sometimes you may feel completely overwhelmed.

It is important, however, to never lose sight of that which you want to succeed at. I, myself, have been criticized, doubted, laughed at, and, definitely not taken serious. Additionally, if you were a victim of the record-breaking divorce rate of the 70s & 80s, you, too, probably had no choice but to resort to the security of traditional 9-5 jobs to support your family. It seemed, at the time, that tradition and stability was the way to go. Any path that deviated from the straight and narrow was always eyed with aspiration, but, was avoided, at least temporarily.

So, if you, like me, are a member of the “Baby Boomer” generation, you saw the world constantly changing, mostly for the better, all around you, and, you longed to change with it. The average middle-class divorced woman, for example, torn between the responsibility of fulfilling parental responsibilities, and a desire to be an independent entrepreneur or career woman, more often than not, had to put her dreams on hold. I, embarrassingly, admit there were times when my particular dream was even forgotten - if only for a while.

During the seventies and eighties, the decades of broken homes, families of divorce needed a good support system behind them to make it through. If you had that, life was easier; not easy, but easier. The inner strength of divorced baby boomers was constantly being tested, and, I think we did well. During the 80s and 90s, we experienced the tech boom. Rapid strides in everything from medical miracles to amazing technological advances in the workplace, brought about new jobs and a longer life span in which we could perform them. If you were one of thousands of women who courageously ventured back into the work force during this point in time, mainly out of necessity, you were exposed to an array of technology, the likes of which you never could have imagined. Your brain became a sponge, absorbing and processing data, and, your imagination often ran rampant with creativity and what you would like to do if only…

Often, it was not uncommon to take tiny steps in the direction of your rainbow, but, then, giant steps back. The pot of gold was, however, always beckoning. “If you can imagine it, it can be done.” A wonderful co-worker and friend once spoke those words to me, and, I try to never lose sight of their meaning. Boomers have changed the aging process for the good, thus, I think, we have more time to turn our talents and new-found longevity into making real contributions that not only fulfills our dreams, but, allows us to become an inspiration for generations to follow.

Do not worry about age, it’s just a number. Don’t be afraid to go back to school, to start a business after retirement, and don’t be intimidated by young people in your endeavors. Have confidence in yourself. Know that while we offer the young the benefit of our experience, so, too, we benefit and learn from them. Go forward with the knowledge that the second half of our lives can afford new opportunities for accomplishing extraordinary goals with renewed optimism. Never give up.

My name is Pam Russo and I am a new senior citizen who created a fun and diverse website called elephantMama Gift Shop located at http://www.elephantMama.com selling gifts for all-occasions.

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