The beginning…

So the name of this blog is a misnomer since I’m actually “almost 62” but I chose the name “almostsixty” because that’s how old I was when I began this journey. Two  years and two months ago I was sitting in a breakout session of a work-related conference in San Diego and I was having an existential crisis. I was feeling terribly alone and disconnected despite being at the convention with over 5,000 other people. It was the one and only time in my entire life when I found myself thinking “Ok, just in case there is a God, I’m turning things over to You because I’m clueless how to make myself feel better.”

In addition to this loneliness that I was feeling was the looming approach of my 60th birthday. For the first time (all these terrible firsts!) I thought, “Oh my God, I’m old!” and I HATED it. I can’t articulate how much I hated the idea of turning 60. When I delved deeper, I had to face the fact that I was not liking the life that I was leading – it was an unfinished, pale life and I was terribly disappointed in myself.

So when I got back to Atlanta I started to take action. First I went back into therapy, something I’d done before but not for quite some time. Then I joined a gym (primarily to control my high blood pressure) and got talked into working with a trainer. That was two years ago…

Much to my surprise, it turns out that I love working out, something I now do 4-5 times a week. Becoming strong and fit has changed how I feel about myself. Feeling better has given me the impetus to look closely at other areas of my life such as making the decision to leave a job I’ve had for 17 years with no clear plan for what comes next (gulp!) I definitely have issues with food, and have recently acknowledged that I need one-on-one help to tackle this particular challenge once and for all, something I am poised to begin doing.

I’m not the same person I was two years and two months ago. I’m thinner, fitter, and happier. But I’m not done. I’m determined to reinvent myself and my life, to age well. I want to get to a place where I no longer hate being whatever age I happen to be because I’m living the life I want, in all its colors. That journey is what this blog will be about.