<!--www.crestaproject.com Social Button in Content Start--><div id="crestashareiconincontent" class="cresta-share-icon fourth_style"><div class="sbutton crestaShadow facebook-cresta-share" id="facebook-cresta-c"><a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.simplemindfulness.com%2Fits-never-too-late%2F&;t=It%E2%80%99s+Never+Too+Late+%E2%80%93+Change+Is+Always+Possible" title="Share on Facebook" onclick="window.open(this.href,'targetWindow','toolbars=0,location=0,status=0,menubar=0,scrollbars=1,resizable=1,width=640,height=320,left=200,top=200');return false;"><i class="cs c-icon-cresta-facebook"></i></a></div><div class="sbutton crestaShadow twitter-cresta-share classic-icon" id="twitter-cresta-c"><a rel="nofollow" href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=It%E2%80%99s+Never+Too+Late+%E2%80%93+Change+Is+Always+Possible&;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.simplemindfulness.com%2Fits-never-too-late%2F&;via=SimpleMindfulns" title="Share on Twitter" onclick="window.open(this.href,'targetWindow','toolbars=0,location=0,status=0,menubar=0,scrollbars=1,resizable=1,width=640,height=320,left=200,top=200');return false;"><i class="cs c-icon-cresta-twitter"></i></a></div><div class="sbutton crestaShadow linkedin-cresta-share" id="linkedin-cresta-c"><a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.simplemindfulness.com%2Fits-never-too-late%2F&;title=It%E2%80%99s+Never+Too+Late+%E2%80%93+Change+Is+Always+Possible&;source=https://www.simplemindfulness.com/" title="Share to LinkedIn" onclick="window.open(this.href,'targetWindow','toolbars=0,location=0,status=0,menubar=0,scrollbars=1,resizable=1,width=640,height=320,left=200,top=200');return false;"><i class="cs c-icon-cresta-linkedin"></i></a></div><div class="sbutton crestaShadow pinterest-cresta-share" id="pinterest-cresta-c"><a rel="nofollow" href="javascript:void((function()%7Bvar%20e=document.createElement(&apos;script&apos;);e.setAttribute(&apos;type&apos;,&apos;text/javascript&apos;);e.setAttribute(&apos;charset&apos;,&apos;UTF-8&apos;);e.setAttribute(&apos;src&apos;,&apos;https://assets.pinterest.com/js/pinmarklet.js?r=&apos;+Math.random()*99999999);document.body.appendChild(e)%7D)());" title="Share on Pinterest"><i class="cs c-icon-cresta-pinterest"></i></a></div><div style="clear: both;"></div></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><!--www.crestaproject.com Social Button in Content End--><blockquote><p><em>&#8220;The only difference between successful people and unsuccessful people is extraordinary determination.&#8221; ~Mary Kay Ash</em></p></blockquote>
<p>I was recently perusing the <a title="Simple Mindfulness archives" href="https://www.simplemindfulness.com/archives/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Archives page</a> of my site, reflecting on the evolution of my adventures online. For the first year and two months of my blog’s existence, I was blogging in the wind.</p>
<p>My subscriber list hung at about 50 people, most of whom I’m sure weren’t reading my posts. I had between zero and maybe three comments per post. My post titles were pretty weak and my writing left something to be desired.</p>
<p>Most people give up after about three months of results like this. Why did I keep going?</p>
<p>Because I felt like I had something to say and that I was destined to impact many people’s lives.</p>
<p>I kept learning and practicing and trying different things. I <em>knew</em> it would work. I persisted.</p>
<p>I get a bit miffed when I hear people say that they can’t change course, learn new things, change careers, follow their passions or make much of any change in their life because they think they’re too old or it’s too late.</p>
<p>The only time it’s too late is when you’re dead. If you’re reading this then I’m betting that you’re not there yet so – <em>it’s not too late.</em></p>
<p>As I mentioned <a title="My Beliefs Have Hijacked My Brain" href="https://www.simplemindfulness.com/my-beliefs-have-hijacked-my-brain/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in my last post</a>, it all depends on what you choose to believe is possible for you. Here’s some background on what it took for me to get this site off the ground.</p>
<h2>The Techie Stuff – It’s Not That Hard</h2>
<p>Before I started my site, I knew nothing about websites. I didn’t even know what a blog was. Although I’m a fairly competent person in the technical world, I thought putting together a site was over my head so I looked for people to do it for me.</p>
<p>After doing some research, I found that hiring someone would go way beyond the tiny budget I had for this. Obviously, I didn’t let this stop me.</p>
<p>I just needed to know the first few steps to start things myself.</p>
<p>I bought a program called <a title="Monetize Your Passion - free book" href="http://www.easywebautomation.com/app/?Clk=3990486" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Monetize Your Passion</a> that laid out those steps. Then I actually <em>read</em> the whole program – twice. Then I did what about 2% of people who buy programs do – <strong>I took action</strong> and did what the program laid out.</p>
<p>At first, things were confusing. I made mistakes and learned from them. I didn’t let the mistakes stop me. I was stepping into a brave, new world that I knew nothing about so mistakes were (and still are) inevitable.</p>
<p>In addition to learning the technical side of blogging, I also had to learn how to write.</p>
<h2>But I’m Not a Writer &#8211; Yet</h2>
<p>Unfortunately, ever since I was a kid, I held the belief that I couldn’t write.</p>
<p>When my brother and I were young, we would make hand-made cards for birthday’s, Mother’s and Father’s days and any other special days. We would pull out our big pad of colored construction paper and create cards by cutting out and gluing designs, drawing and coloring.</p>
<p>We tried to be witty by writing a clever poem on the inside. Of course, as kids, we thought that poems had to rhyme. My brother was pretty good at coming up with great poems. He was the writer. We both agreed that my designs were better than his so I was the artist.</p>
<p>We would both laugh so hard we cried when we read my poems because we both thought they were so bad. I was <em>not</em> the writer. Little did I know that this belief would be branded in my subconscious for another forty years.</p>
<p>Before starting my site, I never had a reason to learn to write creatively. Knowing that writing to help others was one of my purposes in life, I now had a very strong reason.</p>
<p>I started where I was and simply began writing. Looking back, my early writing kind of sucked.</p>
<p>But I kept writing and reading and learning and getting better.</p>
<p>At this point, I had a blog and I was writing every week. Why weren’t people flocking to my site? Because I wasn’t telling anyone that I was out there.</p>
<h2>Can Anybody Hear Me? – Marketing Yourself</h2>
<p>When I started, I imported my 350 contacts from Outlook and emailed them my weekly posts. Many people unsubscribed. When I figured out how to see my “open rate” (how many people actually open those emails), I was appalled. Almost no one was reading my emails.</p>
<p>I had grand visions that those 350 people would read everything I sent them and tell their friends and my list would grow. Silly, silly me.</p>
<p>Once again, I had to overcome a couple more beliefs in order to move forward.</p>
<p>I was an accounting major in college and hated the one marketing class that I had to take. I never thought I would ever use the information. Never say never.</p>
<p>I also held the misguided belief that sales was a slimy process and I would never have to do it. [Side note: I HIGHLY recommend <a title="To Sell Is Human" href="http://ow.ly/j3w2X" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daniel Pink’s new book, To Sell Is Human</a>. You’ll learn why we’re all in sales, regardless of your job title.]</p>
<p>One of my first steps in marketing myself was to comment on the blogs I had been reading. This helped me to become a part of the communities that others were building.</p>
<p>Then I was invited to participate in a group where we all shared each other’s posts on our social networks. This helped immensely on many different levels.</p>
<p>Many new readers learned about my site and, more importantly, I made new connections &#8211; new friends.</p>
<p>We shared our communities as well as our knowledge. If we had questions or technical issues, the group was there for us.</p>
<p>I learned that sales and marketing – done the right way – can be fun. I learned that no one can benefit from your messages without some sales and marketing to get the word out.</p>
<p>I also learned that sales and marketing are art forms that require constant learning and practice – just like everything else we want to improve.</p>
<h2>Putting the Pieces Together</h2>
<p>I’ve simplified the story of my online journey in an effort to make a point.</p>
<p>If you want something badly enough – even if it’s something you know nothing about and you have no idea where to start – all you have to do is take the first step.</p>
<p>Change is possible anytime, anywhere.</p>
<p>Believe that you can do it. You don’t have to know how. You just have to <em>know</em> that it’s possible for you.</p>
<p>And you have to <strong>take action</strong>. Take the first step. Fall down. Learn. Take another step. And another.</p>
<p>Each step builds on the last. Make sure you somehow record all the little steps you take. Reflect on them and how far they’ve taken you.</p>
<p>Celebrate your progress.</p>
<p>Acknowledge your awesomeness.</p>
<p>I <em>know</em> you can do it.</p>
<p>Now, go do it!</p>
<p><em>What step will you take today toward something you used to think was out of your reach?</em></p>
<p> ;</p>
<h3><em>Awesome resource:</em></h3>
<p>I recently reviewed Brendan Baker’s <a title="Change Your Life program" href="http://paigepaige.starthappy.hop.clickbank.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Launch Your Life program</a> and I honestly have to say that it’s one of the best programs I’ve seen for changing direction in your life. It combines the most important exercises and practices necessary to create your own, unique, amazing life. Even at 182 pages, there’s no fluff here – only focused information that, if you give yourself the time to work through it all, will completely transform your life.</p>
<p>This isn’t just some goal setting exercise. It delves into values, beliefs and habits which are all critical in making life changes. The program looks at where you’ve been, where you are now, where you want to go and helps you to understand your big “why” that underlies it all.</p>
<p>I highly recommend investing in yourself and the amazing life locked inside of you by taking advantage of Brendan’s opportunity to <a title="Change Your Life program" href="http://paigepaige.starthappy.hop.clickbank.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Launch Your Life</a>.</p>
<p> ;</p>
<h3><em><strong>Check out my latest guest posts!</strong></em></h3>
<p><strong>A Daring Adventure:</strong> <a title="If I Can Do Something Crazy Like This, You Can Too!" href="http://www.adaringadventure.com/guest-posts/if-i-can-do-something-crazy-like-this-you-can-too/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">If I Can Do Something Crazy Like This, You Can Too</a></p>
<p>Many people feel trapped in their 9 to 5, thinking there is no way to escape, but I explain that welcoming failure as feedback and knowing your core values can mean otherwise.</p>
<p><strong>Get Motivation:</strong> <a title="What’s Your Why?" href="http://www.getmotivation.com/motivationblog/2013/03/whats-your-why/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">What’s Your Why?</a></p>
<p>Do you have a hard time getting <em>and staying</em> motivated toward your goals and dreams? There are certain things you have to get clear about before starting a new habit, making a change or moving toward something you want. This article helps you to identify and put in place what you need to get <em>and stay</em> fired up.</p>
<p> ;</p>
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It’s Never Too Late – Change Is Always Possible
