“Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.”

Hi There. I’m Sheila…and, that’s me up there with Hoda Kotb, co-host of the Today Show with Kathie Lee. Hoda and I recently met when she interviewed me and a panel of women for a segment on body image. I had been lamenting my recent 40th birthday when Hoda proudly shared that she would be turning 50 that same year. While I desperately longed to turn the hands of time back a few decades, Hoda was bright, cheerful and bubbly about turning a decade older (exactly what kinda wine do they drink on that show?).

Then, as life would have it, Friday night of that very same week, I walked into the bookstore (yes, they still have a few of those left) and happened upon a display of Hoda’s book, Ten Years Later: Six People Who Faced Adversity and Transformed Their Lives. While reading her book, I had an ‘Ah-Ha’ moment about my own life. I realized I had a choice to make about how I would spend my next 10 years. I could either continue over-embellishing how rip-roaring my 30ies had been (c’mon, how exciting could my life be if I’m at a bookstore on a Friday night!) or I could spend the next decade creating my very own Ten Years Later story.

Each of the people in Hoda’s book had one pivotal ‘game-changing’ moment that altered the trajectory of their lives and ultimately prompted them to take responsibility for transforming their lives into something more authentic and meaningful. I hope that my meeting Hoda very well turns out to be the game changing moment of my life. Instead of mourning over the so-called loss of my youth, I’ve happily turned my attention to consciously creating the next 10 years of my life.

I have a mental sketch of what I want my life to look like in 10 years. I also have a sense of each of the 10 areas I want to improve over the course of the next 10 years. Of course, I’m not 100% certain of where my plans will take me, but for now, I’m reminded that Bill Gates once said:

“most people underestimate what they can do in 10 years.”

If Bill (don’t you love how I’m on a first name basis with everyone) is half as right as he was with Microsoft…my 40ies look oh so bright from here.

I hope you decide to join me on my Ten Years Later Journey. And, if you do, what areas do you want to work on?

Sheila