The ‘Life Stage’ Box We Put Ourselves In.

“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” — C.S. Lewis  

Most of us are socialized with an extremely linear understanding of the stages of life. What comes first, what comes next. What it looks like to build a career or a family or a life for yourself. Education comes first, then career development. You need to work for X number of years before you can start your own business. You need to have kids while you’re in your twenties or you’ll be the old mom that’s waited too long. You need to call it quits at a certain time in life and embrace retirement even if that’s never been something you’ve wanted.  

We allow these constructed life stages to dictate the way that we view our lives, the ways we spend our money, and the risks we do or do not take. But as C.S. Lewis put it so eloquently, “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” This sentiment defies the socially established life stages that we inherently understand, and creates space for blurred lines and gray areas; for continued growth to take place at any stage of life. 

This awareness can be echoed into any life stage. You’re not too old to set another goal, nor are you too young to achieve the ones you’ve established.