If you’ve been following my blog posts for any length of time you will have hopefully picked up on two main themes. First, although it may not be the most desirable thing to have happen, closing a business is not uncommon in today’s economy. Second, when you close a business and you happen to be in your late to mid-50’s, it really isn’t the end of the world. I have pointed out several times that if you are in your 50’s and beyond, you have far more value in the workforce than you may realize. This is one of the points that helped guide us through our midlife career change.
There’s Also That Other Thing… I would be remiss in not mentioning that for my wife, Brenda, and I, our transitioning was made much easier because we each already had potential career options in place. You should already know that we actually turned two hobbies into careers. I truly understand that this is not always the case when you are faced with the need to shift your work focus. However, it also allowed me to share with you that sometimes the answer is already there. We just need to be pushed into a place where a decision has to be made on whether or not to jump ship or start over - with something we already have invested time into but as just a sideline instead of a serious venture. Where Am I Going With This? Well, as it turns out, my life is going to go through yet another career shift of sorts. I was elected to a Councillor seat in our local government following the Municipal Election on October 20. I am part of a five-member Town Council (one mayor, four councillors) and it is a four year term. This is a very different direction for me, although I have already been heavily involved in my community. In a way, I see this opportunity as the ‘next step’ in helping do good things for others. I have been volunteering extensively over the past 30+ years in my community. I enjoy working with others who are trying to improve various conditions. Holding a local government seat should be all of this and a whole lot more. The other members of Council who were elected with me share the same desires and I can’t wait to see where this takes each all of us and our community. What Does It Mean? There are going to be some adjustments made in our household, without a doubt. I’ll still be able to write for my existing ghostwriting clients. If anything, I appreciate even more how flexible my writing career is as that should allow me to put in many hours monthly on Town Council and still maintain my writing client base. It won’t have much of an impact on Brenda’s venture as I’ll still be able to participate in vending activities with her. There are going to be exceptions, but overall I can honestly say that our lives are at a place where we can flex around the other commitments much easier than we could in our previous careers. As for me, personally, the election to Town Council means I am part of a team that can do great things for our community. I am truly looking forward to the challenges to come in the next four years in that position. Find Out More About Our First Midlife Career Changes I have an eBook I published shortly after Brenda and I closed our weekly newspaper business. It outlines how you can make a career change later in life and shares tips and advice on how to do it smoothly. You can find it on Amazon – “Surviving Midlife Career Changes.”
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AuthorMy name is George Elliott. I have been in the Media Industry since 1978. I spent 23 years in Broadcasting and worked in a total of six different radio stations located in southern British Columbia Canada during my career. In 2000 I switched gears and moved into the Print Media Industry at a small town, local weekly newspaper. In 2004 I bought the paper and operated it with my wife, Brenda until July 2016 when we closed it. I launched a freelance web content and article writing business from my home in January 2014. Archives
April 2021
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