Years ago, before I was in the Hay House family, I was attending a lecture by Louise Hay in Toronto. She started by asking, “How many of you think you are behind? In life, in your career, in your love life? Who here thinks they should be further along for their age?” Every hand, including my own, went up. She went on to say, “Please consider the fact that I didn’t start on my spiritual path until I was fifty-two. And I didn’t start Hay House Publishing until I was sixty.” Suddenly I felt like I was right on time.

Though almost everyone has cultural, societal and personal ideas of what it means to be a certain age. This goes on to include what life should look like at any particular number. Most of you have ideas of what should happen when, particularly when it applies to your own life.

No matter how old you are now, YOU are NEVER too young or too old to go after what you want
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Though every day people are breaking the age barriers of what can and cannot be done, without any regard to numbers. We live in a time of extreme diversity where age has no boundaries. We see women having children up into their late forties, while twenty-five year olds are running their own companies. Though, most people still find these cases to be quite extraordinary and have a tendency to still practice ageism in their own lives, most often against themselves.

Age is just a number. It does not have to define what you can do.

Setting up your dreams and life in accordance with your age is a wonderful way to limit yourself before you even start. While having deadlines to your goals is admirable, for most people life rarely happens as planned. Even with the best intentions and efforts, life has a way of throwing curveballs and speed bumps your way.

You may have expectations of what needs to happen by when, in order to be happy. These expectations, whether you are aware of them or not, are molded and fueled by family, society and cultural beliefs. Wishing you were further along on your career path or comparing yourself to someone younger than you will bring more power to the limiting belief that you are either ‘too old’ or ‘too young,’ to do, dream or have what you desire most.

Forgive yourself for not being where you thought you would be by now. You can even take some time to mourn the dreams that did not pan out. Then take a look at your current goals and get really honest about where beliefs about your age are keeping you from moving towards them. This process can free you from limiting thoughts and feelings that no longer serve you so you can be free to re-calibrate your dreams.

This year, at age ninety-one, Harriette Thompson of North Carolina broke the U.S. record for the fastest marathon time in her age group. She started running marathons at age seventy-six. Harriette and so many others (think Malala winning the Nobel Peace Prize at age seventeen!) are just a few of the thousands of examples of life showing you age does not have to limit us. Whether you are seventeen or seventy five your dream matters. Dreaming creates hope.

We all need HOPE!

Now I want to hear from you! In the comments below share with me one dream you have that you feel is limited by your age. Then tell me one step, despite thinking you are too young or too old, that you are going to try and make that dream a reality. We are all here to support each other so don’t be shy. Ideas have a better chance of becoming a reality when shared, so go ahead and post now.

Age is an idea but life at any age, is what you make it. Keep going for your dreams no matter what and remember as always, take care of you

Love Love Love

Terri

Terri Cole is a licensed psychotherapist, transformation coach, and an expert at turning fear into freedom. Sign up for Terri’s weekly Tune Up Tips and follow her on Twitter.

Image courtesy of Janet Ramsden.