Susan Banks

Are you where you want to be in your life? Or, where you thought you would be in your life.

I have friends who seem to have the perfect life. Planned their careers, their children, their retirement. They have well paying secure jobs, successful talented kids, a beautiful home and a beautiful cottage. In a couple of years they will retire with great pensions. They have worked hard and they deserve to be happy and successful, I just sometimes wonder what happened to my life?

I am definitely not where I thought I would be half a life ago.  I have made decisions – right or wrong – that have led me to where I am right now. I did not stay on the beaten track, but changed careers paths, stayed home with my kids, went back to school and finally dropped out of the rat race. I could not see myself spending the rest of my life going from one crappy job to another. I was too old for that.

So, now at 51, I am once again reinventing myself. I seem to have a 10 year cycle of doing this. Became a mother at 30. Went back to school full-time at 40.  Ventured into self-employment at 50.

It has been an interesting two years since I first embarked on this journey, with a lot of ups and downs. Financially more downs than ups, but in many other ways the best thing that ever  happened to me.

I have met some of the most amazing people in the last couple of years. People I would never have met had I not embarked on this journey to change my life.  People with a passion for life and all its possibilities. People who believe in themselves and are helping me believe in myself.

I still have a long way to go, but I have a vision. I know I will be successful because failure is not an option.  Or should I say, failure is just one step on the path to success. So, at this rate, I must be getting close!

Susan

Life is a journey, not a destination.

Today was another beautiful sunny day in Toronto. On a day like this it is easy to feel joyful and optimistic about all life’s possibilities.

Every day when I walk the dog I look up into the  sky. I continue to be amazed at how many beautiful blue cloudless skies I have seen in the last month. More I think than I have seen in the last two “summers”. I think we are finally being rewarded.

But I digress. Yes, the beautiful weather makes me do that. I even felt inspired to clean the house today – as I danced around the dining room accompanied by Tina Turner. Life is good!

I think about gratitude a lot. I feel very blessed to live in this wonderful country of ours. I was not born here. My parents emigrated twice before I was nine and I am forever grateful for that. We live in what I truly believe is the best country in the world. I have been telling my children that since they were born!

Canadians are rich is so many ways. We live in a excitingly diverse country in both people and in habitat. We have a wealth of natural resources. But, most importantly we have freedom and opportunity.

So come rain or shine, it is a beautiful day when you wake up and you have the freedom to choose. How are you choosing to live your life?

Susan