Starting Over

Starting again can feel like walking into the first day of school, except you’re older, wiser and far more aware of what could go wrong. I’m sitting in a quieter space between guest chats to talk honestly about what it means to begin again, especially when life has trained us to believe we should have everything sorted by a certain age.

I share what it was like to start a new role at 50, from the testing and interviews to that nerve-rattling first day where you wonder if you’re cut out for it. Then we get into the part we often forget, you’re not starting from zero. You’re bringing leadership skills, life experience, problem solving, people skills and the kind of resilience you can only earn by living through heartbreak, loss, career changes, money stress, health stuff and family challenges. If you’ve ever felt imposter syndrome during a career change, or you’ve been hit with quiet ageism, this conversation is a reminder that your experience is not baggage, it’s leverage.

We also unpack the self-talk that stops us before we try such as I’m too old, I’m not qualified, what if I fail, what if people judge me. I offer a different set of questions, including what if the opposite is true and what if your age is your advantage. The biggest takeaway is simple, confidence doesn’t come first, action does. When you give it a red-hot crack, you often discover you were capable all along.

If this resonates, follow the podcast, share it with someone who needs permission to begin again, and leave a quick review so more everyday warriors can find this space.

Thanks for listening in!

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Music Credit: Cody Martin - Sunrise (first 26 episodes) then custom made for me.

Disclaimer: The views, opinions, experiences and stories shared by guests on the Everyday Warriors Podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host, Trudie Marie, or the Everyday Warriors Podcast.

Guests are responsible for the accuracy of the information they choose to share and speak from their own personal experiences and perspectives. While every effort is made to provide a respectful and supportive platform for open conversation, the host accepts no responsibility or liability for the statements, opinions, advice, claims or recollections expressed by guests during a...

Transcript

Welcome And A Quiet Pause

Trudie Marie 0:00

This is Everyday Warrior Moments. Thank you, truly, for being here and for choosing to subscribe and support the podcast. It means more than you probably realise and it allows me to keep creating these conversations and this space. This is a quieter moment between our guest episodes, a place to slow things down, to reflect and to take a breath. These episodes are just me, sharing thoughts, lessons, and gentle reminders as I continue to walk in my own journey too. So wherever you are right now, whether you're starting your day, ending it, or somewhere in between, let's take a few minutes together.

Starting Over Versus Starting Again

Trudie Marie 0:48

Welcome back to Everyday Warrior Moments. Today I want to talk about something that feels very relevant to my life right now, and that's starting over. Or perhaps more accurately, starting again. Because I think there is a real difference. When we were younger, starting over felt exciting, like we had our whole lives ahead of us. We expected to learn, make mistakes, and not know everything. But somewhere along the way, society gives us this message that by a certain age we should have it all figured out. We should know who we are, what we're doing, what our career looks like, where we're living, and ultimately how our future unfolds. And if we do change directions somewhere after that point, it's like we've somehow failed. And I don't believe that anymore. In fact, I think some of the most courageous people are those who are willing to begin again when everybody else expects them to stay just as they are.

A New Role At 50

Trudie Marie 1:55

Now I recently started a new role at 50, and I'm not gonna lie, it was daunting going through the testing, the interview process, the inductions, even starting on my first date not knowing what I was gonna walk into. The feeling of nervousness, yet excitement, but then at the same time wondering, am I even cut out for this? But what surprised me was how easily I could draw on previous experience and wisdom and bring that to the new role. That the processes I was looking and at and learning were similar to ones I'd had in the past. And all I could do was just take one step at a time. When I look back, at 20, I had enthusiasm, but at 50, I have experience. And at 20, I thought I needed to know everything. And at 50, I'm comfortable to admit that I don't. And that's where I believe the strength lies. Because wisdom isn't knowing all the answers, it's knowing how to find them, it's knowing how to communicate, how to work with people, how to stay calm under pressure, how to navigate uncertainty, and obviously how to learn new things.

Remember What You Bring

Trudie Marie 3:19

And it's funny that when we start something new, we focus on everything we don't know and forget about everything that we already bring to the table. I know that I have years of things like leadership skills, life experience, problem solving, the people skills I've learned, the ability to adapt and to show up when things feel really, really uncomfortable. And let's be honest, if you're listening to this and you're over 40 or 50 or even 60, you've already survived things that you could not imagine or that your younger self couldn't imagine. I'm going to guess that you've navigated heartbreak, loss, disappointment, career changes, financial challenges, health and family challenges. You're carrying decades of knowledge, whether you actually realize it or not. I know I've had multiple jobs or career changes in the past. Some because I was bored, some because companies were liquidating, some due to moving town, and others due to starting a family. I've already started over so many times that part of me wonders why at 50 it feels so different.

The Stories That Talk Us Out

Trudie Marie 4:45

What I've been reflecting on is that we often talk ourselves out of opportunities before we've even tried. Because we say things like, I'm too old, I'm not qualified enough, there's somebody else that could do it better than me. What if I fail or look stupid? What if people judge me? But the question I'm going to ask is, what if the opposite is true? What if you are the person that is the right person for that opportunity? What if your age is actually your advantage? What if all those years you've spent growing, surviving, adapting have actually prepared you for this very moment?

Action Builds Confidence

Trudie Marie 5:32

Because here's what I've learned confidence does not come first, action does. Most people think confident people take risks. But I think people become confident because they took a risk. They stepped into the unknown before they were even ready. Whether that be applying for a job, starting a business, going back to study, just having a difficult conversation. Somewhere along the way, you realize that you're capable all along. And I can say the same for doing things in my late 40s. I hiked the Bibleman track when I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I wrote a book. And yes, I even started this podcast. I like to be reminded that age is just a number. Not because age doesn't matter, but because age does not determine our possibilities. And you see all the time where people reflect on the different things that people have done or achieved at different ages. And me

Age Does Not Limit Possibility

Trudie Marie 6:45

myself, I've met people in their 20s who have given up before they've even had a chance to start. But then I've met people in their 70s who feel like they're just getting started or are still up to stuff. So it's not about how many birthdays you've had, it's whether you're still willing to give it a red-hot crack. That you're still willing to learn new skills and say yes to yourself. Because I think one of the saddest things would be reaching the end of our lives and realizing that we let fear determine our decisions. That we stayed because it felt safe or comfortable. That we never gave ourselves permission to really find out who else we could become. And maybe that's what starting over really is. It's not abandoning who we were, it's building on everything that we already are. It's taking that wisdom, the scars, the lessons, and the resilience and carrying them into the next chapter of our lives. It's about honoring the person that we've become while making space for who we're going to be in the next chapter of our lives. And who knows? Maybe on the other side of the risk, on the other side of that uncomfortable first step, is a version of ourselves that we've been waiting for. A version that is stronger, confident, more fulfilled, and definitely more aligned. And I think that version of ourselves is only revealed when we decide to begin again.

Reflection Questions And Closing Breath

Trudie Marie 8:28

So I want to leave you with a question today. What would you do if age wasn't holding you back? What would you try? What are the conversations that you could have? What's an opportunity you could say yes to? What's a dream that you could revisit? So spend some time with that today because I think you might be surprised by the answers. So now I want you to take a deep breath in and let it go. Come back to yourself. And remember, everyday warriors don't give up. They continue to rise. Thank you for being part of the Everyday Warrior community and for supporting the podcast. It really means a lot. If something in this episode stayed with you, I invite you to share it a message, a post, a simple recommendation. It helps more people feel seen and supported. And don't forget the Everyday Warriors podcast is always there for deeper conversations and real stories from around the world. Take care and I'll see you again in the next moment.