My Career Shift to Writing at 51
At 51, I made a dramatic career change: I decided to pursue my lifelong dream of becoming a writer. I left behind a full-time job with benefits to work from home, drink coffee, and toil at my computer in my pajamas. It wasn’t due to The Great Resignation.
Midlife Career Changes with Courage and Ambition
In my 5th decade, I strongly understand “it’s now or never.” I only have ten or twelve years left in the workforce (if I’m lucky). I don’t have any grandchildren to dote upon yet. I have a window of time to do all the things I wish I’d done and have the career I always wanted.
Journey from Practicality to Passion
I discovered a love of writing early on, but it didn’t seem a practical choice, and I am nothing if not suitable. Growing up in rural Kentucky in the 1980s, I was exposed to only two professional career options for women: teaching and nursing.
Facing Educational Realities
Being a strong student with a weak stomach, the choice was easy. I would be an English teacher, so I could at least share what I loved with students. It wasn’t just the safe choice; it was my only choice. During my first few years, I naively expected my students to be the type of students I was, and I quickly found most of them were the opposite. I felt like I had made a terrible mistake.
A Missed Opportunity: Reflecting on Past Choices
In my mid-twenties, I saw an ad for a position at a local hospital writing monthly newsletters and other correspondence. I interviewed and was offered the job but I didn’t take it. I had just received tenure, the golden ticket to job security, and it felt too risky to walk away. I have often looked back at that choice with regret. I was young, single, and child-free. Why wasn’t I braver?
Taking Calculated Risks in Midlife for Personal Growth
Well, I’m brave now. I have finally learned to take risks (calculated ones, anyway) and go after what I want.
Changing careers in midlife has been challenging. It was hard to explain to friends, acquaintances, and loved ones that while my career as an educator has been rich and mostly fulfilling, there is an untapped potential I have to explore. I don’t want to look back on my life in my 60s and 70s and think, “What if?” I’m also not ready to settle, to jog in place for these next ten or so years. I want to keep moving forward. For me, moving forward means chasing the dream of being a writer.
The Leap of Faith: Resigning to Pursue a Dream
On a warm spring day, I took a leap of faith and turned in my resignation. I began to take the first tentative steps to becoming a freelance writer. I immersed myself in books, blogs, and communities about starting a freelance writing business.
Beginning a Freelance Writing Career
I found not one but two mentors who were invaluable resources. I pitched articles to a few outlets, applied to over fifty job postings, and networked with writers and businesspeople on LinkedIn. At times, I experienced rejection and frustration early on, but I persevered.
Celebrating Milestones and Building a Client Base
My diligence eventually started paying off. Within three months, I started a freelance writing business and made my first $1000 as a writer, which felt like an important milestone. I have several consistent clients right now, and I work from home 20-30 hours per week doing what I love (and yes, sometimes in my pajamas).
What did a midlife career change bring to my life?
• Enthusiasm
• Passion
• A creative outlet
• A feeling of accomplishment
• Productivity
• Intellectual stimulation
• Confidence
• Flexibility
Challenging Societal Norms: Thriving Post-50
I no longer dread my morning alarm. I’m learning something new every day. I have new goals, and I’m accomplishing them. I’m growing.
That’s really what it comes down to for me: growth. Society tells us that people over 50 are starting to become obsolete, but I feel like I’m in the prime of my life. Changing. Growing. Creating.
Is it all sunshine and roses? No, it’s not. First, I took a pay cut when I left my old job. Not everyone can do that. Health insurance is another significant issue. Freelance writers are contractors, so employers don’t offer us insurance benefits.
Overcoming Guilt and Identity Crisis in a New Career
And then there is the guilt. I felt guilty about leaving my steady income for the unpredictable world of freelancing and contributing to the shortage of teachers. I am teaching a writing class once a week at the local community college to alleviate some of that guilt.
Finally, I have struggled at times with fear and doubt. My identity has always been a teacher. I know very little about running a business and the corporate world in general. There has been quite a learning curve.
Change can be uncomfortable, but I’m embracing the discomfort.
Finding Joy and Purpose in Midlife Career Transformation
Overall, this career transition has been scary and challenging, but my newfound enthusiasm for work overshadows the negatives. I never dreamed I would own a small business or be paid to do something I enjoy so much—writing. I have been blessed with the support of my husband and my children during this process. They are my cheerleaders and my comforters. As with any new endeavor, I may fail, but I won’t know unless I try.
My advice to the other fifty-somethings out there: Be brave. Take risks. Live midlife fully.
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