What struck me in this piece is what you said about life taking detours, but we can still pursue our passions despite taking another route to get there. I truly believe this is how life works. It's never a straight path.
This was a fantastic article. My start in life was not great, and for a long time, I was fixated on what I hadn't done. Slowly, I started realising that just because my life took a non-traditional route, it doesn't mean I failed. And finally, now in my late 40s, I am making moves to live my life the way I want to.
I studied psychology and took the neuro psychology modules so I understand why you found neuroscience an open door. Although my area of interest was abnormal psychology.
I love the way you circle round to 'It's never too late' - because I am a great believer in that - we must grab every moment
Many people didn't believe I could actually do this, because it was not in the "book". They cared more if I was in a corporation, unhappy, and when I started on my own, it was really hard sometimes because people wouldn't understand. I didn't make the change for them, but for myself.
I do believe that age is just a number and doesn't define us, so it's never too late.
Sometimes I am amazed at how beautiful and young at heart are some people in their 50's - 60's, thriving, because they trusted themselves, and did what was right for them, no matter the social whisper.
When my sister and I were kids a new baby came along, a half sister. We enjoyed caring for her and sometimes tried experiments with tones of voice. "You're so pretty," we said in a gruff voice which made her cry. Then followed with: you're ugly in a sweet voice which made her giggle.
Years later I studied psych (and education) in college. Besides thinking I had every disorder I learned about, I was fascinated. I wanted to be a child psychologist, but feared the GRE to get into grad school, so didn't take it.
My first career job was as a psychometrist in a child guidance center. There I administered psych tests to kids, wrote up reports for the psychologists, and worked with groups of kids with learning disabilities which led me to a 15 yr teaching K-3 in LA. It was great at first and I was very good with children. Yet the problems of 32 inner city kids every day resulted in burn out.
I retired early to write poetry, stories, and picture books for them. It was a long, tough haul and I ran through my retirement funds quickly, so then started a cleaning biz for the rich, second homeowners in the Hamptons while I continued writing.
I am now a published author with hundreds of poems, stories, and five picture books available to children. What a circuitous journey I've had. Yet, it has been very exciting and rewarding.
Lots of people can't map out their lives the way they've planned.
Wow, what a rollercoaster of adventures. This sounds truly inspiring. I will definitely check the books out.
I have something in progress right now and had some issues with published books, being self-published, and all, but I feel you on this and I do believe every experience can be transcended into art one way or another. At the right moment, everything settles down as it should.
Yes! I trust in the universe. 2 books available on Amazon. Sadly 3 are out of print, but I finally got an agent last year. She's shopping around 4 more. The current social climate has greatly effected the book biz and the fact that reading is not a current passion of lots of people doesn't help.
I've actually been in quite a few houses where I've seen NO books anywhere. It's very scary to me.... Thanks for your interest.
What are some non-verbal clues have you gotten lately?? I'm just wondering because I've experienced very intrusive and rude people these days.
Lately I see lots of confused people, but I do believe it's caused by the heat wave we've been experiencing these past few days. Sometimes it's hard not to judge when everyone is all over the place, without any reasonable amount of spatial orientation. I've had my fair share of intrusive and rude people in some other countries we've been to and was not pleasant at all.
I know what you are saying about no-books-houses, it's very sad.
I started reading more on my own after University, even more later on, and after I had my baby, I would read to him everyday. Being exposed to books, reading and stories my husband and I created for him made him love reading. Reading should be an everyday relaxing activity that powers the brain.
But on a side note, when I was living in another country where the pollution level was very high (and because we had respiratory problems), all my books from the living room would be stored in closed Ikea shelves so as not to gather any dust and the only big open shelves with easy acces where the ones in my child's room.
A wonderful post, Andi! I believe we should always trust the detours, because every step leads us exactly where we're meant to be.
Also, a warm welcome to KTHT!💜
Thank you so much, Diana!
What struck me in this piece is what you said about life taking detours, but we can still pursue our passions despite taking another route to get there. I truly believe this is how life works. It's never a straight path.
Otherwise it would be too simple, right? 👀
True!
This was a fantastic article. My start in life was not great, and for a long time, I was fixated on what I hadn't done. Slowly, I started realising that just because my life took a non-traditional route, it doesn't mean I failed. And finally, now in my late 40s, I am making moves to live my life the way I want to.
Good for you! I am really glad you are closer to what you want to do. Keep up the momentum.
I studied psychology and took the neuro psychology modules so I understand why you found neuroscience an open door. Although my area of interest was abnormal psychology.
I love the way you circle round to 'It's never too late' - because I am a great believer in that - we must grab every moment
Many people didn't believe I could actually do this, because it was not in the "book". They cared more if I was in a corporation, unhappy, and when I started on my own, it was really hard sometimes because people wouldn't understand. I didn't make the change for them, but for myself.
I do believe that age is just a number and doesn't define us, so it's never too late.
Sometimes I am amazed at how beautiful and young at heart are some people in their 50's - 60's, thriving, because they trusted themselves, and did what was right for them, no matter the social whisper.
When my sister and I were kids a new baby came along, a half sister. We enjoyed caring for her and sometimes tried experiments with tones of voice. "You're so pretty," we said in a gruff voice which made her cry. Then followed with: you're ugly in a sweet voice which made her giggle.
Years later I studied psych (and education) in college. Besides thinking I had every disorder I learned about, I was fascinated. I wanted to be a child psychologist, but feared the GRE to get into grad school, so didn't take it.
My first career job was as a psychometrist in a child guidance center. There I administered psych tests to kids, wrote up reports for the psychologists, and worked with groups of kids with learning disabilities which led me to a 15 yr teaching K-3 in LA. It was great at first and I was very good with children. Yet the problems of 32 inner city kids every day resulted in burn out.
I retired early to write poetry, stories, and picture books for them. It was a long, tough haul and I ran through my retirement funds quickly, so then started a cleaning biz for the rich, second homeowners in the Hamptons while I continued writing.
I am now a published author with hundreds of poems, stories, and five picture books available to children. What a circuitous journey I've had. Yet, it has been very exciting and rewarding.
Lots of people can't map out their lives the way they've planned.
Wow, what a rollercoaster of adventures. This sounds truly inspiring. I will definitely check the books out.
I have something in progress right now and had some issues with published books, being self-published, and all, but I feel you on this and I do believe every experience can be transcended into art one way or another. At the right moment, everything settles down as it should.
Yes! I trust in the universe. 2 books available on Amazon. Sadly 3 are out of print, but I finally got an agent last year. She's shopping around 4 more. The current social climate has greatly effected the book biz and the fact that reading is not a current passion of lots of people doesn't help.
I've actually been in quite a few houses where I've seen NO books anywhere. It's very scary to me.... Thanks for your interest.
What are some non-verbal clues have you gotten lately?? I'm just wondering because I've experienced very intrusive and rude people these days.
Lately I see lots of confused people, but I do believe it's caused by the heat wave we've been experiencing these past few days. Sometimes it's hard not to judge when everyone is all over the place, without any reasonable amount of spatial orientation. I've had my fair share of intrusive and rude people in some other countries we've been to and was not pleasant at all.
No it isn't and takes much effort, for me, to stay calm and not react.
But I believe the whole world has gone mad! A guy I know moved back to Ireland when T got elected and many people seem totally stressed out.
I know what you are saying about no-books-houses, it's very sad.
I started reading more on my own after University, even more later on, and after I had my baby, I would read to him everyday. Being exposed to books, reading and stories my husband and I created for him made him love reading. Reading should be an everyday relaxing activity that powers the brain.
But on a side note, when I was living in another country where the pollution level was very high (and because we had respiratory problems), all my books from the living room would be stored in closed Ikea shelves so as not to gather any dust and the only big open shelves with easy acces where the ones in my child's room.