In my younger years, which I describe best as the "first half" of my life, my choices and beliefs were mainly influenced by physical energy and less by the mental. The emphasis was on physical performance, like cycling, running, swimming and so on. Wonderful feeling.
I wandered through the Europe Alps on high, fairly impassable paths for days during my holidays. Tracks with staggering precipices and ridges. Every step a risk, but it did not bother me. I was aware of it, was careful and chose what I trusted, to be safe.
When I write this, I find myself in the “Second half” of my life and I experience that I have developed vertigo. Did I take stupid risks when I was young, or do I now have fewer physical capabilities? Anyway, I do realize that I have to adapt my choices to the physical possibilities of today?
Getting older means that I now learn to rely more on my mental experiences and that I accept that the confidence in my physical strength decreases. As a young man I learned to rely on my physical strength. I was not afraid to fall. I was secured with ropes and I dared to take the steps on dangerous ledges at dangerous heights.
Being older now I learn that I mainly choose my ways based on mental considerations. By exchanging experiences with others about opinions, thoughts and beliefs, I see my actual position and I understand more and more where my doubts are and where my beliefs are. In other words: this time not secured with ropes on dangerous paths, but secured on mental roads that I discovered.
It is like the bird spreading its wings on a ledge at hundreds of meters high. She trusts her wings and knows how to fly. She has no fear of falling. Find in that experience the trust that you too can spread your wings. How it can feel to dare to trust that there are opportunities to change your life if you know where your strength is.
Mark de Breet
Coach, writer