I received the following email and I wanted to share it with you…

Nice to “meet” you. I’m Donna. I live in the Dallas-Fort-Worth region of Texas. I found your page on Facebook. I have been thinking about creating a similar page. As I linked out to your website, I found I felt like I already “fit in”, like I related to what I saw. Simple, common, over-50 women things…nobody selling me anything. Nothing popping up at me telling me to subscribe today to win something. Just realness. So thank you.

I’m going to share my story, because I too have thought about this concept, and believe 100% in it. We all have something. We all have a story. How we got here. What’s happening. We’re all different, yet so much the same.

So here’s to you! To your site! And to letting me share my story and journey with you. Thank you for having the courage and willingness to create your site and share it with the world. That’s pretty darn great and I’m glad I found it today. 

-Donna

If you connect with Donna’s story or have any questions for her, it would be great of you to leave her a comment below, or just a thank you to her for sharing her story with us and letting her know that you read it.

And now, I’m turning it over to Donna.

Donna’s Story: Reinventing My Life

I grew up in a small Midwestern town. Nothing crazy. Nothing too much out of the ordinary. I was raised with a religious background, however my parents quit attending when I was in high school, so while I have continued faith and beliefs, that’s pretty much where that stays. I learned early on, though, how powerful our creator and maker is. I still believe today, that we were created with love and beauty. That we are such incredible beings, and the world we have been given is quite the gift.

I married in my mid 20’s. I don’t believe I was in love at the time. I believe I felt it was what I “should do” next. I think I was glad someone was so into me, and even though I had my reservations, I quieted them and to the courthouse we went.

I had a few jobs in my 20’s.  In 1991, I took a temporary job, that was supposed to last the week. I ended up still there months later, and the following year was officially in the door with a large telecommunications company. Someone told me that first week, “Congratulations. Keep your nose clean, do your job well and you’ll be set for life”.  I stayed with that company, through its many mergers, reorganizations and process improvements and workforce reductions. Twenty-three years later, I opted not to re-locate, looked for another position in the company, but ended up finally off payroll at the end of 2015.

During my late 30’s, I realized my marriage was never going to work, especially when my (now ex) husband had told me he no longer wanted to be a husband or father. I wasn’t about to beg him to want it. He clearly didn’t, and it was best for our son, to let it end. As I faced the daunting thought of dating in my 40’s, I thought at times I would be that crazy cat lady on the beach somewhere before I found someone who wanted to be with me, and I wanted to be with them! What the heck happened? When did I put on the extra pounds and stopped caring how I looked? When did I stop caring about myself period?!!  It was a crazy wake up call.  I remember seeing a picture of myself, and literally not recognizing who I was looking at.

So long story short, I kicked my butt in gear, quit smoking, started exercising, stopped eating so much sugar and junk food (put down the jar of frosting and learned to eat more than cookies and cake).

I started dating again, but stopped. Then started again, for another week or two. It’s nuts dating in your 40’s. At least it was then. The whole time though, I immersed myself in the world of health and fitness. I found meetup groups that weren’t for people wanting to date. I joined one to learn ballroom dancing. I joined another to hit the tennis ball around again (something I used to enjoy in my teens). I paid for swimming lessons, so I could learn how to swim better. I bought a road bike, and starting finding trails near my house. I loved being healthy, being fit, being outside, feeling alive!!!

Eventually I poked around the online dating sites again, and lucky for me, met the most fun, smart and talented man!! We dated for awhile, and eventually decided it was silly having two different places, so he moved in with me and we’ve been enjoying our lives together ever since! He never ceases to amaze me. He has a heart bigger than Texas and talent bigger than the world, I think!

When I knew my corporate job was coming to end, I discussed the possibility of starting my own business with him. He knew my heart. He knew my dream. To have a place where anyone could go, to get healthy, get fit, find their confidence and skill. To help others find happiness. I didn’t want to own a gym. I wanted a place where anyone could go, when they wanted, and just enjoy life.. enjoy outdoors, enjoy health.  I wanted to help children learn what they are great at, to have them experience confidence in themselves and taste things besides soda and candy and do more than play video games or watch television. I wanted a place where aging adults can find excitement and laughter, relaxation and care.

I have yet to finish my dream, but I started my new path, at the end of 2015. I studied and became a certified trainer in 2016. I kept studying and practicing what I was learning with friends and family. Earlier this year, I became a certified health coach, and last month, finished my nutrition studies, so I’m now a certified nutrition coach as well. With my boyfriend’s help, we turned my son’s old bedroom into a cardio room and our garage into another workout area.  I’m starting a small in-home health and nutrition coaching business, where I plan to offer services to women who are looking to start getting back to self care and confidence, either in my home or theirs. I plan to offer training to active seniors who just want to move a little more, or need help preparing healthy food.

I believe in the power of a positive mind, and feel that no one is better than anyone else. I believe we can be our own best friend or our own worst enemy. Some days we can be both. I do things from my heart and put all I have into them. I want to touch the lives of women, who like me, for so long felt like I wasn’t just quite good enough, that if only xxx or yyy would happen, I would be happy. Life is too short to live waiting for xxx or yyy.

I want to live now and although I have my super scary days, where I think maybe I’m not really good enough after all… I am reminded that I am as good as anyone else who has gone before me. We live in a time where we can learn, grow, experience and so much more… anything we want.

I believe aging can be exciting. It comes with health challenges, but I don’t think that means we have to just accept aches and pains as part of getting older and stop enjoying the things we truly love to do. I think with age we gain wisdom, strength, and experience.  

Until next time, peace out-