Submitted by Dr. Carolyn Anderson –
Kat Cooper’s story of reinventing herself as a dance teacher in her 50s is featured in the Impowerage Magazine’s writing contest, “It’s Never Too Late to Change Careers.”
Kat Cooper watched helplessly as budget cuts eliminated the funding for her jobs as a special education assistant, art teacher and substitute teacher. Still paying back earlier school loans, she was unable to go back to school. She was encouraged to think outside the box during a women’s church group study. She wondered if she could find a way to make money from her first love of dancing. She started attending a Zumba class and found her calling as a Zumba instructor. She now teaches more than a dozen weekly classes and is considering opening her own studio.
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Kat’s story is one of five inspiring stories of career changes after 50 featured in the Impowerage Magazine’s writing contest called “It’s Never Too Late to Change Careers.” The finalists’ new careers range from an actor, professional magician, artistic entrepreneur, storyteller to dance instructor. Their reasons for changing careers are just as diverse. Some were forced to change careers after the recession eliminated their previous jobs while others made a conscious decision to explore their passions.
Dr. Carolyn Anderson, the founder of Impowerage, explains their reasoning behind the contest. “Part of our mission is to redefine aging and we wanted to reinforce that it’s never too late to do anything. I think people who read the contestants’ stories will be inspired to go after their own dream jobs no matter what their age and also realize that a layoff doesn’t have to the end of the world.”
It’s an important message in an uncertain job market. Another finalist, Christine Henry, was devastated when the recession caused her to lose her dream job. She found it extremely difficult to find a job in her 50s and struggled with the loss of her identity. She began taking art classes in order to fill her time and soon discovered her artistic side. She is now running her own business helping others decorate, stage and de-clutter their homes. To read the full story of the career changes of Kat, Christine and the others finalists visit http://www.impowerage.com/.
A panel of judges selected the top five entries from stories sent in from around the world. Readers can vote for their favorite entries by Friday, June 17th. The finalist with the most votes will be announced on Wednesday, June 22nd.
Impowerage is an online magazine for active older adults that publishes articles on health, wellness, fitness and lifestyle. It was founded by opthamologist, Dr. Carolyn Anderson, in order to raise money for macular degeneration.
Dr. Carolyn Anderson is a practicing ophthalmic surgeon, entrepreneur, and speaker near Vancouver, Canada. She writes for the Huffington Post and on her own website at CarolynAndersonMD.com. Carolyn speaks on a variety of topics including empowering women and retirement strategies for optimum health and energy. Carolyn also publishes an online magazine for active older adults called Impowerage.
1 thought on “Woman’s Career Change After 50 Featured in National Writing Contest”
Truly inspiring and empowering. Life began at 50 for Kat Cooper! Loved the article.