As more and more of my fellow millennials officially venture into their late-twenties, I suddenly am hearing the phrase “quarter life crisis” thrown around quite a bit. Which isn’t all that surprising, considering the fact that we are a generation who was faced with an economic recession immediately following graduation and will likely go down as one of the most debt-ridden generations of all time. To be blunt, adulting is hard, and it’s understandable why most of us feel like we are several giant steps behind those who came before us (at my age, my parents were married, had me and owned an apartment in New York City). We are also a generation addicted to our phones and social media, which brings about an unfortunate side effect of being so connected to others that we are constantly comparing ourselves and measuring how our lives stack up to theirs. Not exactly the most healthy way to live.
It may seem like this blog post is taking a pretty depressing direction, but it’s actually just the opposite. As a 25 year old, I’ve come to realize that I still have an entire life ahead of me that I am just now beginning. Sometimes it seems like people around me just have it all figured out while I’m still pretty much just winging it. However, it’s important to remember that most people have no idea what they are doing in their twenties, and even some of the most famous and successful people were totally lost at my age and well into their thirties. Here are a few examples of some late-in-life success stories of women who inspire me and can give all of us struggling twenty-somethings some hope.
1. Bethenny Frankel
As a die-hard fan of anything Bravo-related, to me it seems like just yesterday we were watching Bethenny on season 1 of the Real Housewives of New York City selling her skinny girl products in grocery stores (relatively unsuccessfully). On a show filled with wealthy women who lived in lavish Upper East Side penthouse apartments, Bethenny stood out as the relatable one who was still struggling to make it. Fast forward to present day, and Bethenny is one of the most successful housewives in all of Bravo history; in fact, she is among the most successful businesswomen in the entire country. With an estimated net worth of $25 million, Bethenny fully embodies what it means to be a self-made woman who spent most of her early life struggling before she made it big.
2. JK Rowling
As anyone who knows me can attest to, I am an avid reader and my passion for reading began as a child when I picked up Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone for my first time. Like many 90s kids, JK Rowling’s imaginative and one-of-a-kind series has a special place in my heart, as does this story of this incredibly inspiring woman. Her rags to riches story is well-known, and even more importantly she has spent much of her Harry Potter fortune supporting charities around the world. So, when you’re sitting at your unpaid internship wondering where your life is going, remember that when JK Rowling was 30 she was jotting down notes about a magical boy with a scar on napkins and wondering how she was going to make rent. Now, she is one of the wealthiest women in the world.
3. Anna Mary Robertson Moses (aka Grandma Moses)
At the ripe age of 76, Anna Mary Robertson Moses, commonly known as Grandma Moses, decided to pick up a paint brush and pursue an art career. This was more than just a little hobby: the woman had serious talent, and went on to sell one of her paintings for $1.2 million. Not too shabby for a little old lady. Today, much of her art hangs on the walls of museums throughout the country and the world, and her legacy proves that it is never too late to pursue a dream.
