Recently David Brooks, the New York Times columnist, asked people over 70 to send him essays about their lives and what they have done poorly or well.
One of Brooks’ conclusions after reading all of these essays was: Divide your life into chapters.
According to Brooks, the people who see “time as an unbroken flow, with themselves as corks bobbing on top of it” are the unhappiest.
The happiest people are those who divide their lives into phases or chunks. These people discovered that they “could easily stop and self-appraise. They had more control over their fates.”
The new year is a good time to begin a new chapter in your life. Make a big change. Or, some little changes. Take a big risk. Or, a little risk.
I’ve always believed in the power of starting over. I used the poise and discipline I learned as a model when I went back to school and became a counselor. Then, I used the business skills I mastered running a treatment center when I started a new career in real estate. And, the insight I gained as a counselor has helped me when I’m working with people shopping for a new home.
It’s never too late to begin a new chapter in your life. When you do, you’ll find that you will succeed because of all the wisdom you’ve gained during your previous chapters.
–Fayteen
