It’s Not Too Late. You’re Not Too Old.
“It is never too late to be what you might have been.”
I heard a brilliant news story this week.
A 97-year-old woman in Belfast has just become the oldest person in Europe to complete 250 parkruns. And here’s the best bit: she only started running when she was 88. AND she’d had heart surgery just 4 weeks earlier! What a legend.
She’s proof of something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately: it’s not too late, and you’re not too old.
I’ve just finished reading Second Act by Henry Oliver, a book about late bloomers who’ve done extraordinary things later in life. One story that stood out was about a woman in her 60s who quit her job, took up canoeing in Alaska, and ended up becoming a world-class explorer. The book is full of great examples of people thriving because of, not in spite of, their age and experience.
And it made me think about my own journey.
I’m 46 now. I started Female Lawyers’ Club two years ago, at 44. To be honest, I couldn’t have started it any earlier. It needed to come from the lessons and mistakes I’d collected over two decades in law. Plus, I care less now what people think of me. The agonising second guessing I constantly did about myself would probably have stopped me doing this earlier in life.
In many ways, Female Lawyers’ Club is an ongoing letter to my younger self; a reminder to keep going, to believe in yourself, and to stop doubting your worth. And I know so many others need that reminder too.
That doesn’t mean I haven’t questioned myself. Often. I’ve caught myself thinking: Am I too old to be doing this? Especially as I’ve had to learn a whole new world of skills: building websites, marketing, social media (which I never touched before and now spend a lot of time on). I’ve loved learning these new skills and the creativity that comes with writing these emails and producing materials is a lovely antidote to the seriousness of my day job.
And when those doubts creep in, I look to role models who prove what’s possible. Anne Boden, for example, founded Starling Bank in her 50s. If she can reinvent herself and shake up the banking industry at that stage of her life, then really, what’s stopping us?
So here’s the reminder I want to leave you with:
You’re not too old.
It’s not too late.
If something’s calling you, whether that’s taking on a new challenge at work, learning a new skill, or picking up a hobby you’ve always wanted to try, go for it.
And finally, a little note from me to those of you (like me) spending this summer juggling work, childcare, screen time battles, and the beige-snack requests: this is not me telling you to do more, right now, on top of all that. This is not a call to action that makes you feel like you’re failing if you’re not launching a new side hustle in between runs to Subway.
It’s simply a good news story and a gentle reminder that even if you sometimes think you’ve missed your moment, you haven’t. The world is still waiting.
Maybe just after the kids are back in school.
Enjoy the rest of your week.
Rachel