Starting over at 50

It's been 3 months since I was let go and found myself out of what I had thought was my forever job. I'm excited to report that as of Monday morning, I'm back on the ladder and excited about my new opportunity with a massive global company! I know that many folks are finding the job market slimmer by the day. Big companies are starting to watch their bottom lines as earning season ramps up. 2nd quarter closes out in just a couple days and the numbers are not looking good. But I'm hearing on the street that people are looking for more mature workers now. They have hired young people who pick up and leave after a year or two always chasing the almight dollar... or taking part in the great resignation. I'm sure many of them are starting to question their participation in that now as well. I can't say enough about my team of friends and former co-workers who put in a good word for me, provided references, or my career coach from the Hanah Group. Thanks Kim! For each of you who is out there now. I am saying a prayer for you and hoping that your next opportunity is right around the corner. In fact... I know it is. Just have faith!

It's been a month of so since our last chat. I caught some kind of cold that messed up my voice and I've been chaotically getting things back to normal here in the new house. I have been working with a career coach from the Hanna Group who has helped out tremendously. She's in HR and has provided insight into my resume and my overall job search. It's been very helpful and I will be posting my new resume and cover letter on the Facebook Page later today. I hope you all are doing well and finding your next steps as we start over...with the next phase of our working life.

We sold the house and we're moving. Less than a month from start to finish! Moving all our stuff from one house, to a smaller house has taught me all about the "carrying cost" of the stuff we keep in our lives. Take a moment to listen, learn, and perhaps go through that bin of receipts in the bottom of your filing cabinet!

Do we go through the cycles of grief or something similar when we lose our jobs...and are faced with the unknown? I think so. I have just completed my first week of being un-employed... again. And with the sale of our home, the move to our rental home and all sorts of univeral chaos going on. Perhaps it's best if I take a breath and evaluate what it will take to move me forward. I appreciate each and every one of you who are on this journey with me. Is there anything I can do to help? Ask away....

So after just a few weeks more than a year at what I believed to be my forever home, I'm back in the dog shelter. Corporate structural changes, an ignorant and incapable new manager and a failure to see the flashing red lights have left me back out on the street. This time, I'm leaving with a new skill set, new contacts, and a hope for new and exciting opportunities. Additionally, as a sales rep, remote work is now more popular than ever, so our hope of moving to Florida and starting over is higher than ever. At the end of the day, its just a job, its just a paycheck... so on to the next opportunity!

Been gone for a couple weeks. Just an update to let everyone know whats going on in Vegas...and Florida! Some times the next chapter is in the next book... Time to start wrapping up our time in Las Vegas and searching for our next adventure in Sunny, Friendly, Freedom loving Florida!

I've been working tradeshows for the last two week...not Virtual shows, not remote viewing opportunities, but real hand shaking, elbow bumping and... oh my gosh, I'm not wearing a mask Tradeshows. So many of us believed that we didn't lose much when the world went virtual. Rest assured, when you get that opportunity to emerge from the cavern and share connectedness with other human beings that are not your family, you'll understand why person to person communication is NOT going away. So spend a few minutes with me. I'll be your canary in the coal mine. It's ok to get back out there.

This weeks marks my third episode for 2022...matching my total for 2021. At the end of February, I'll hit 1 year back as an employed person. I admit that once the day to day desperation ended...I am finding it harder to get motivated for achievement. The binge watching of #yellowstone and #TedLasso not to mention those IPhone games that we tell ourselves we will only play when we go to the restroom. They all turn us into couch potatoes and waste our quasi-valuable time. I'm committed to starting the process of taking back time. Setting limits and making the hours in my day more beneficial and meaningful. At 54, its time to live with more purpose, drive and determination. Hoping I still feel this way at the end of the month...or the end of the week....or by noon Monday.

I was fortunate enough to attend the CES (Consumer Electronics Show) this past week here in Las Vegas. While attendance was down it was interesting to compare the "tech heavy" CES show to some of the other shows we've hosted over the past several months. Why did other shows "Show Up" when CES decided it was too dangerous? Don't ask me, you likely wont take kindly to the answer, but I'll go ahead and spend a few minutes on it anyway. Finally, as a dyed in the wool Georgia Bulldog (Class of '90) I'm excited to be cheering on my Georgia Bulldog Football Team during the College Football National Championship Game tonight! I'm so excited. So, I checked the audio and I did get it recorded. If you're able to stand another 10 minutes, then head over to my facebook page and start asking questions or suggestion topics you'd like my opinion on. clickee the linkee right here. https://www.facebook.com/StartingOverAt50

For some of you who tuned in yesterday for the start of our weekly 2022 podcasts...you heard NOTHING! Yup, apparently my microphone was not plugged in correctly and I was out of practice. I promise you only missed out on the answer to life the universe and everything... (42) Back in the saddle for 2022, we're turning things around and focusing on how to make progress as a seasoned professional starting over in mid life. We've got new plans, new guests and exicting new ways to follows our dreams! So spend a few minutes with me/us each week, and perhaps you'll laugh a little, think a little....and in the end we'll all grow together.. And yeah...again...sorry about that podcast that I posted yesterday...nothing more exciting than 10 minutes of dead air!

So I'm back working in 'corporate'....for what that means in the age of covid...that's anyone's guess. What's it like having a boss after being the boss? What happens when you are back playing the political game at work? Well, that's what I'm finding out right now. Come back and check out our new direction...

Its been over a month since my last new years update. So much has happened that every time I sat down to record something...something else happened. Look..SQUIRELL! Lots of changes going on here, hope for the future and strength for today! I look forward to be back online on a regular basis more. Thanks for hanging in there. Go out and make a connection. It's important!

It's my 53rd birthday today. Am I where I expected to be? Certainly not. Am I where I'm going to end up? Certainly not. Time to take stock and start working to focus on where I want to be next year, next month, next week, and tomorrow. If you're interested in my daily journal, I'm going to be starting over on MeWe. https://mewe.com/p/startingoverat502/show/5fb2c2cd17aa905a845580c1 Let's get this show on the ROAD!

As we close out 2020, a trying year for all to be certain, some reflection is needed to put things in perspective. What are you dwelling on? What has happened to your life in the past 9 months? What is your focus? As we look forward to a new year which is really just another day on the calendar, can we take steps to focus on what is important and valuable to us as individuals and as a community. Spend a few minutes with me as I go over what we should be focused on. Happy holidays to each and every one of us.

So we had to talk about it at some point. Yes, this episode is about the election and what I see as real issues moving forward. Democrat or Republican, Anarchist or Libertarian, we're all in this mess tegether. I know many of us are feeling uncomfortable right now, but perhaps that means its time to make some serious changes to preserve our republic and start rebuilding some sense of unity. On the other hand, stocking up on guns and ammo might also be a good idea.

No, there are no recipies here about what to do with left overs, its more a compilation of topics and thoughts that have been building up for a while. Now don't you worry, not a single word about the election, we're an election discussion free zone here. Not because I didn't want to say anything about it, but want to perhaps spend more time putting thoughts together on that. So...without further delay, we'll be talking about football, cars, insurance and getting up on the right side of the dirt. Have an amazing day and if you're interested in following me on Parler @chbenton or Curtis Benton on MeWe. Be Blessed and go out and grab that brass ring!

When your favorite team takes the field, you hope that both sides are competitive and its a fair match. Unfortunately, our media and Big Tech are putting their sizable fingers on the scale today. Know your rights, respect the rights of those around you, and get out and enjoy the fall...and while you're at it Go Vote! As to my pick for the Georgia v Alabama contest this weekend... I believe you're going to see Alabama struggle against the intense defense of the UGA Bulldawgs. I believe that Najee Harris is going to put up some points, but the Dawgs will hold him to under 150 yards in total offense. My pick is the Dawgs over the Tide 23-17 (current Vegas line is 4.5pts) ** If the Dawgs defense is able to get to Mac Jones (Bama QB), I think it could get ugly...28-10 **

When you're out there on your own its easy to get side tracked.... in a good way or a bad way. But then you still have to get back up on the horse. Today is Monday and Day 1 of this week. We are going to go out and kill it this week... going to give it big effort and hope for big results! If you're wondering why things aren't happening for you...perhaps its a matter of consistent effort. The effort comes before the payoff. Be blessed! Go Vote and have a wonderful week!

Have you wondered why your spirits fail? Why you feel alone and isolated? Perhaps because we ARE ALONE AND ISOLATED! Our generation was not brought up on facebook updates and instagram or twitter posts. We grew up as part of a social community. That group of boys we played cowboys and indians with, that group of friends who played kick the can and rode bikes with through local trails. We have accepted a life of self isolation and virtual community. This is simply not how we were designed by our creator. We are designed to be social, to assist and care for others... And this just doens't really work in an online world. Get out there this week and make a connection. Have a beer with friends, go bowling or see a movie. We need to take back our society and re-establish our human connections.

We all know where we were 19 years ago today. We still feel that wound in our hearts and cry at the images that will never leave our minds. In 19 years we've gone from a country united together as Americans to something that resembles a third world country in some of our cities. A special podcast this week to celebrate perhaps the one thing that can start bringing us back together.... Gratitude. I'm an American and I will never understand the depths of the price that has been paid by the millions of soliders, military members, first responders, law enforcement officers, and everyday heros who have given all to preseve the freedom and opportunities that we enjoy. It's time we say THANK YOU...to everyone. We have so much to be thankful for in this country, and if you're not an American, you can still be thankful for all the little and big things that makes your life what it is. #NeverForget

We're starting off this week with a realization that there are always folks out there who are going through stuff you can't imagin, and they are doing it just the same. What is your excuse? I'm all about setting daily goals this week. Not worrying about next week or next month... just focusing on making today the best it can be, and keeping up the pace to make my life a better place than it was yesterday. Join me as we jump on our own bandwagon and work hard to make our world a better place for all of us!

It's Monday and the world is still coming apart at the seems. Kids are going "back" to school virtually and businesses are trying to come back from the economic destruction of the political pandemic. But there are opportunities in the madness if you're willing to find them and get uncomfortable. It's Monday...go make it a great one!

So many people are today where I was a year ago. Waking up to an uncertain future with little to no support structure in place. Feeling totally isolated and alone on a stormy sea. You are not alone. Reach out for help, Be Social... there are others in this boat with us. Wake up, get outside, realize that today is another opportunity to make your future amazing... it just may not be what you thought it was going to be a year, a month or a week ago. YOU ARE NOT ALONE! Reach out if you need help, and reach out if you can lend a hand.

When you're in the life insurance business, you learn about mortality.  What do the numbers tell us about the impact of CV-19?  Well, as I've mentioned before, numbers don't lie!   https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/covid19/index.htm We are in the midst of a chaos maelstrom created for just that purpose.  I'll add links to graphs and data a little later, but for now, I need to get back to work and get this uploaded. Stay safe, stay armed

He who lives by the sword shall die by the sword... Matthew 26:52 In this day and age, we don't use the sword that often, but we certainly are a data driven society. People are complaining that we don't have enough of this or that, or that someone screwed up and we should have had enough toilet paper to go around the world 12 times, The reality is simply that as our world has grown more reliant on data...for everything... that events such as the Coronavirus more easily catch us unawares and we simply don't have the reserves to address those instant needs for 20x of what we needed last month. I prefer to focus on those things within my control, taking each day as it comes, and working to avoid the mass panic that seems to be spreading from the concept of social distancing to advanced hermitology. Oh...and I tell you how I was able to grab my sweet Oculus Quest that I spoke about last week! And if you like Frank Sinatra, and Whiskey... I strongly suggest you check out Frankly Drinking wherever you get your podcasts from. Sainte FranklyDrinking.com Go and enjoy something new and tasty!

What is your new normal? For so many of us, that means a virtual lockdown inside our homes. But in this episode, I'm going to talk about some technology that can expand your boundaries. Welcome to the world of 3D Printing and Virtual Reality experiences. We've taken these technologies for granted, but what happens when we're forced to rely on technology to eliminate our isolation. Give it a listen and let me know your thoughts on our FaceBook Page. Links To Products Referenced Finder 3d Printer : https://www.amazon.com/FlashForge-Finder-Printers-Cloud-connectivity/dp/B016R9E7J2/ref=sr_1_3?crid=QFOWR5U25Z6X&dchild=1&keywords=flashforge+finder+3d+printer&qid=1586543893&sprefix=flash+forge+finder%2Caps%2C506&sr=8-3 Oculus Quest VR Headset : https://www.bestbuy.com/site/oculus-quest-all-in-one-vr-gaming-headset-64gb-black/6342914.p?skuId=6342914

This one is a bit of a rant. Going on wrapping up week two in social distanced isolation, we're getting a bit stir crazy here. I felt that I just needed to get out some of my thoughts about what's going on right now, hopefully a year from now I'll look back and not believe what we had to go through... but till then, I'm frustrated, fat and ready to get back to work. Being in Vegas is different from most other states. We're one of the few that have a low number of infections and Deaths 455/10 as of today and yet we are on a full economic and social lockdown. We are ALL about service here in Vegas and it seem that our entire economic engine has been put on pause. If you want to share your story, let me know. Who knows, perhaps we'll have you as a guest on the next podcast. Otherwise, have a great weekend...if you're on lockdown, it's basically the same as the last two weeks. If you're not on lockdown.... appreciate it by doing things we can't do here.

So what do you do when they send your kids home from school without a plan? Shut down all major businesses in town and the strip is boarded up and silent? Who would have ever thought that they could bring the engines of the world to a halt... but they have, and here we sit. For those of you who still have open businesses, rejoice, but be prepared that as drastic actions have taken place in the major cities, it is only a matter of time before trickle down government reaches each and every mainstreet in America. Stay Healthy... Turn off the News... Be good to each other.

Shelter in Place, Don't go Out, Ensure Social Distancing.... Seriously people? Why are you running to the store to stand in line with 2-300 other people at 6am to buy 20 rolls of toilet paper. It's not like we're dealing with Cholera here. Our social structures are being pushed to the limits....but WHY? There is no shortage of food, water is still coming out of the faucets, and there are no ZOMBIES running through the streets! I bet if you go frame by frame through Brad Pitt's World War Z, you would be able to see open restaurants in NYC while the zombies ravage downtown Manhattan. Start using your brain people. We're not running out of water, milk, cheese, or toilet paper. The only thing we don't have is the logistical means to restock stores which have been cleared out like some endless black friday sale!

Day 1 of the Vegas Coronapocolypse... Casinos closed, kids out of school, runs on so called necessesities at the market. Thank goodness we have unlimited streaming on Disney+, Hulu, Netflix, Prime and YouTube! I think I'll take a moment to check out the Joker movie now as the world has been turned on its head. Head on over to Starting over at 50 on Facebook and share your stories of your world gone mad! Stay safe, stay well, and I'll check in from the bunker soon!

Life is never easy. It takes work, it takes effort...and you're going to have good days and bad days. Have had more challenging days recently, but I realize the importance of focus, but at the same time, it's difficult to watch people who are having success who are much younger or less experienced. Focus...Focus...Forward. Oh...and I hope you had an amazing Valentine's Day. I believe it's a Hallmark Manufactured Holiday...but it is important none the less.

Happy New Year! It's been a while since my last podcast. I've been dealing with that nasty upper respitory bug and wrapping up my chemo treatments. I thought those things were hard....but let's be honest, getting off the couch that you've held down for the last 8 months is prehaps the hardest task of all. Having recently celebrated big 52... I realized that many things are easier said than done. And so we begin Operation Day 1 Each day is the first day to get started again. I'm going to stop feeling bad about what I didn't get done yesterday, and just focus on getting stuff done today. Thanks for all of you who have been with me over this past year in dealing with my cancer and job loss...but its a new day, join us as we put a fire under our a$$ as remake our future into something amazing.

I know it has been a while since I checked in here. So much has been going on with the final few months of chemo and the move from cancer patient to new business venture. Take a moment and reach out to connect at this special time of year. Celebrate those who bring you joy, say the words you should say every day, and enjoy the love and connections that make the world a better place. For those of you with friends who are battling cancer of any kind.... take a moment to reach out and be present in their lives. Tell them you support their fight and that you support them. WarriorUP, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. We will see you in the new year with regular updates and exciting new journeys!

Facing cancer, joblessness, underemployment, bills and responsibilities...it's easy to see the world as too much to handle. It's easy to give into fear and depression, anxiety and stagnation. The TV, Facebook, and Candy Crush can suck you into the vortex of stagnation and apathy. But getting up in the morning, early. Start tackling that to do list with intensity, aggression and fighting the fears that you face one at a time. To reach those goals. To make those dollars, to provide stability both emotionally and financially.... these things are so important. Most of the people around you face each day with the same apathy and fear that they do each and every day. The problem with this is that the fear never goes away, the monsters under the bed continue to feed on your hopes and dreams and at the end of the week you look back and realize that you didn't make any progress, you're still in the same place you were a week ago, a month ago...perhaps even years ago. It's time to make a change...to face your fear(s) and to change your life.

The two most impactful days in your life are the day you enter the world...and the day you leave the world. Everything else in between is represented by a dash on your grave marker. The dash is important It's your hopes and dreams, your failures and successes...and everything big and small that fits in between those two dates etched in You alone control what you do with those days. Set a goal, or give up. Reach for your dreams, or sit on the couch and watch re runs of the simpsons. At the end of your days, your will need to look back and either realize that you went raging off into that good night, or you dragged yourself off the couch just one more time to pass away in your bed. This isn't about cancer...its about life. Those of us who face cancer every day have perhaps a better view of our mortality, but we all share the same potential to take each day and drain the life out of it. So go forward and make your life amazing....embrace the DASH and make it something to celebrate when your time comes.

I am hard at work getting my insurance license. Taking chemo. And getting ready for the fall. What are you doing?

We've given up on jumping on someone else's ladder, we're building our own from the ground up and taking the next step to reach our goals for success and prosperity. One of the biggest lesson's we've learned at this point is that once you've been down for a while, you tend to accept subsistence as the norm. We accept the value menu lifestyle and stop reaching for the prime cuts. We've decided that with a shorter timeline of starting over at 50...we need to take our future by the horns and make it work for us. We have the drive, the desire, and the willingness to go out on a limb. Success does not come to you (although we do by the random lottery ticket....only when we travel since Nevada does not have a state lottery). But success is waiting for you to go and grab it. Don't settle for powdered milk and don't sell yourself short.

Every day is a new opportunity to make your life different. So often we want to see the long game before we take that first step. Paralysis of Analysis as it is frequently called. But we are building our ladders....even if that ladder just looks like a stepstool at the moment. Please take a moment to visit some of our companies. Give us your opinion and drop any questions at my facebook page, Starting over at 50. www.Wallriders.com www.Patriotbotanicals.com

So, you grew up in the 70's 80's or 90's. You thought that the key to success was to join a firm, work hard for 25 years and retire with a big fat pension. Unfortunately, we've found that more of more people of our generation lack that upward mobility. The ladders are broken and the cupboard is bare. What are you going to do now that your chances to advance are limited. This week starts our new phase of building our own ladder. Taking control of our future and making our own success happen. Is it going to be easy? I highly doubt it, but unemployment isn't a vocation and stagnation isn't a place you want to make camp. Join us next week as we start to lay out our plans for building our own ladder to success and review the opportunities that are still available for people willing to make it happen on their own...or with some help.

This isn't a podcast about my journey with cancer, but when you get that diagnosis, the first thing you do is check out the 5 year prognosis. What are your chances of being alive in 5 years? It gets pretty dang serious. Time is short, especially when you are starting over at or after 50 years of age. The options you took for granted when you are young, the assumptions about what it takes to be prosperous, they are all different now. You've got 15-20-25 years left to "make it" to that finish line of retirement. But now you need to make better choices, do a deeper dive on how you will spend your time and what is important in life. It's your life....it's your ladder... you have all the tools and skills to make it happen, but you're going to have to make fewer mistakes and work harder to fit the hustle into your next 5 years. Do work, make it happen...we're all in this together. And to all my listeners who might be fighting the big C....WarriorUp and make each day count!

Starting over takes time, effort, and above all else, the willingness to learn from what you perceive as your failures. But let's be honest, every day we learn something, we put value in the bank, we take steps to avoid future failures, and hopefully we walk away with information that will help us succeed. Driving over 1000 miles and eating bad hotel food this past weekend taught me that information is more valuable than sales in many cases and relationships are the most valuable asset we can collect in business.

When you're starting over it's easy to think that it's all about you. That you are the one on this journey and that you have to pull yourself up with your bootstraps. The reality is nothing of the sort. You've built a network of friends, co-workers, family members and business associates over the years. It's time to put them to work. The journey may be starting over for you, but it doesn't mean that you lose all the experience points from your past. I found that reaching out there are dozens of people who are willing to lend a hand with introductions and contacts. So, not to date myself too much, but pull out the rolodex and start calling in a few favors, renew your social contacts on FB, IG, LinkedIN or at your local Royal Order of the Water Buffalo. Finally, get checked. Cancer is no laughing matter and our modern diet and lifestyle is impacting people of a younger and younger age. If you are noticing changes in your body, energy level or emotions... #GETCHECKED. The Cancer Club is NOT one you want to join.

So, you're 50+, trying to start over again and you get the news that you have cancer. Yes, clearly we're going to take a difficult situation and make it even more troublesome with surgery, oncologists, and chemo... but that's not what this podcast is going to be about. It's something that is happening to me...but it is not me. So we'll be talking about next steps, and some of the new projects the wife and I are working on.

What happens when the opportunities out there don't match what you need? Well, you take the bull by the horns and create the opportunity you're looking for. That's what we're doing here and we'll be spending our Monday's updating the progress of creating an online store, learning online marketing and advertising, IG, FB, LI, SEO. We're starting at ground zero, so should be interesting!

Spent my vacation in the hospital, got out and don't want to go back! If you're 50+ it means it's time to start paying attention to your health more. Not everthing can be fixed with a few advil and the occasional dose of penacillin. Your health is important and its the main thing that will determine if you live to 100 or kick the bucket at 55. In addition to post surgical musings, we're talking about what comes nets...and hopefully we'll be back to Monday and Friday updates going forward!

Updates on Colon surgery. New job, new steps towards taking control of my life. Just do the little things and get on with the bigger things.

Starting over at 50 isn't easy, and unlike younger folks, there are reasons that health insurance and regular checkups are important. It's easy to ignore your health when money is tight and doctors are expensive. It's easy to say that Health Insurance isn't that important. It's easy to wait until its too late to do anything about it. Perhaps the most important podcast I've done to date. If you're over 50, get checked. Go to the doctor, and get your recommended tests done. There are no excuses when your life is on the line.

Hey, we've got a guest in the studio today. My partner in business and life, my wife. She's going to give you the low down on how things have been since we've transitioned out of our business and how the recent job loss has affected things around the house. Don't worry, no violence or microphones were harmed in the making of this episode...but it is certainly one of the more interesting episodes for sure. @Startingoverat50 on Facebook

After 9 months of working the night shift and doing the job better than most... I got fired. Not let go... FIRED. Why? Because I would not be bullied or BS'd into doing stupid stuff. Because I asked too many questions and gave too many suggestions about how to improve what my department was doing. I've come to understand that when there is an entrenched system, it has already found its equilibrium and will fight back if you attempt to change it. If you're going to go work for someone else, just know that they are just as resistant to change as politicians and plutocrats. It's tough to swim against the tide and shake up the status quo. Sometimes they just want your body to do the work...and not your mind.

My 6 weeks is up and my adventure of 9 months on the night shift have come to an end. Clearly I wasn't a fit the job as perhaps I asked too many questions when we were required to do stupid things, and most of all, I don't suffer bullshit or bullies. Time for the next step forward in starting over.

I’m trying to make this j.o.b thing work, lord knows I need the bennies. But what if 14 years of self employment has left me unable to work for someone else like a robot? What if starting a lifestyle business is the answer...