Ep 129 3 Ways to Blaze a New Trail: Smash Limits & Spark Joy

Life don’t always go as planned, and that’s alright. I’m sharin’ 3 powerful ways to blaze a new trail, no matter if you’re 25 or 75. We’re talkin’ dreamin’ out loud, trustin’ the process, and believin’ you can do the impossible. From my Virginia roots to the urban grind, I’m bringin’ stories and real talk to inspire you to find your joy.

Timestamps

• [00:00] Intro: Thank y’all for sharin’ your time and space!
• [01:15] Story Time: A friend from back home who pivoted at 55 to chase her culinary dreams.
• [03:30] Topic Intro: 3 Ways to Blaze a New Trail: Smash Limits & Spark Joy + Affirmation: “I am capable of creating a life that sparks joy, no matter my age or circumstances.”
• [05:00] Way #1: Dream Out Loud with Zero Limits – How to let go of “can’t” and imagine big.
• [09:45] Way #2: Trust the Messy Process – Why pivotin’ ain’t linear and how to keep goin’.
• [14:20] Way #3: Own Your Power to Do the Impossible – Believin’ you’re never too old to start.
• [18:50] Emotional Side of Pivotin’ – Givin’ yourself grace and celebratin’ small wins.
• [22:00] Key Takeaways: 3 points to remember.
• [23:30] Call to Action: Take one step toward your pivot this week.
• [24:00] Outro: Leave a review, tune in next time, and “That’s all the tea I got to spill today. Until next time, namaste.”

Key Takeaways

1. Dream without limits. Let go of “can’t” and imagine a life that excites you.
2. Trust the process. Pivots are messy, but every step forward counts.
3. Own your power. You’re never too old or inexperienced to chase what sparks joy.

Affirmation
“I am capable of creating a life that sparks joy, no matter my age or circumstances.” Say it, feel it, live it.

Call to Action
This week, do one thing to blaze your trail. Write down a big dream, take a small step like signin’ up for a class, or talk to somebody who inspires you. You got this, fam!

Resources

• Book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho – Quoted in the episode for that “universe conspires” vibe.
• Journal Prompt: What’s one dream you’ve been holdin’ back? Write it down, no limits.

Connect with Us

• Leave a review on HERE to help more folks find the show.
• Follow us on @mikitasmith_ for behind-the-scenes and inspo.
• Got a pivot story? DM us or email @ thym4teamikita@gmail.com —we might shout you out!

That’s all the tea I got for now. Until next time, namaste. 🌻 

#SparkJoy #SmashLimits #KeepIt100

Chapters

• 0:00 Life Forces Transformation
• 1:52 Dreaming Without Limits
• 3:35 When Pivots Aren't a Choice
• 4:59 Trusting the Process
• 7:30 The Emotional Side of Change
• 9:05 Three Keys to Successful Pivoting

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

If we're real. Pivoting isn't always a choice. Sometimes life forces us to transform. Maybe you faced a layoff, a divorce or a moment when you looked in the mirror and thought this isn't me anymore. These moments are painful, can be powerful. They can be the catalyst that change your whole life. Hey there, I'm Makita, a small town girl with big dreams who started a podcast with an old headset and a laptop at my kitchen table and made my dreams come true.

Speaker 1: 0:32

On my podcast, time for Tea with Makita, we chat about living life unapologetically, on your terms, from career advice, entrepreneurship relationships and everything in between, entrepreneurship relationships and everything in between. This is your one-stop shop for real conversations and inspiration. If you're looking for connection, then you found it here. Join me every tuesday as we dive into those sometimes hard to have conversations. So grab your cup of tea or coffee and get comfy, because this is time for Tea with Makita, and the tea is definitely hot. Ever feel like you need a superpower boost of motivation with exclusive tips and tools with your goals in mind? Well, say hello to your new inspiration hotspot the Tuesday Tea Newsletter, your weekly infusion of big thinking energy that will propel you to chase your wildest dreams and never shy away from using the power of your voice. Sign up for the Tuesday Tea newsletter today at beautifullyunbalancedcom and elevate your goals to the next level. Welcome back, I'm your host, makita. I want to thank you so much for sharing your time, your space and, of course, your amazing energy with me today. I am so grateful to be here with you diving into another conversation that I hope will inspire you, uplift you and help take you to the next level in whatever that is and what it means to you.

Speaker 1: 1:53

So a few years ago at a conference, I met this amazing lady. She was in her late 50s and she was radiating this quiet confidence that just drew people to her, and I'm sure you know what I mean. You've ever met someone that just exuded confidence in this quiet, but this way that it was just like so authentic and so calming that it was just like you wanted to be in their space. And as we were talking, I asked her about robotics and she shared that she spent 30 years as a corporate accountant, a career that paid the bills but left her feeling empty and unfulfilled. Then she said, at the age of 55, after a health scare, she pivoted. She enrolled in culinary school, something she'd always dreamed of but never dared to pursue. And today she runs a small catering business specializing in dishes inspired by her grandmother's recipes.

Speaker 1: 3:02

Growing up, and as she was telling me this story, I mean her eyes sparkled, like you could see the complete joy and happiness that she felt. She said you know what? I'm not just cooking, I'm sharing love. And her story just reminds me that we are never too late to pivot, transform or step into whatever purpose that fits your soul and makes you happy. Which brings me to today's topic pivoting at any age, trusting the process to find what brings you joy, because life is a journey of discovery and sometimes the path we're on no longer feels right. I'm sure you've been in a career, no matter what the age was, that you felt like this isn't it? Like there has to be more, and whether you're 25, 75, pivoting is about dreaming out loud, without limits, is about dreaming out loud without limits.

Speaker 1: 4:06

I had this conversation with my youngest daughter not too long ago where I asked her well, actually, I didn't ask her, I dared her to dream her biggest, wildest dream, with no limits. I wanted her to think about what her life could be if she just dared to forget about money, cost everything, and she could just live her life out loud in any way that she felt would bring her joy. What would it look like, what would it feel like, and who would be there with her in those moments? And I told her you know what? Take a moment and really think about this. If you're not quite sure and you really can't feel it or visualize it, every day you get up. I want you to think about that feeling of living and dreaming limitless what you would be doing. I really truly feel that if you dream it long enough, if you visualize it, you can bring that dream into reality. It's about trusting that you're capable of the impossible and embracing the transformation that leads you to joy.

Speaker 1: 5:14

Now, sometimes these pivots happen by choice. We decide okay, this is not fulfilling me, this is not the life that I expected, I'm going to try something else. And yet there are other times where they're born out of necessity, whether that's a job loss, a health crisis or a moment of clarity that you just can't ignore. Whatever the catalyst, a pivot is a bold step toward aligning your life with what truly matters to you. So, before we dive into all the juicy details and not only do I share how you can start making this happen, but some of life lessons that I had to endure to help me pivot, because we're all in this process of pivoting. We had moments where we pivoted after high school, after college, after you had kids. There's always a pivot and a transformation. It's just what we do with those opportunities that make us who we are. So we're going to ground ourselves with an affirmation to carry us through.

Speaker 1: 6:22

Okay, our affirmation today says I am capable of creating a life that lights me up, no matter where I start or how old I am. Now I want you to say it with me and I want you to feel it deep in your bones and I want you to let it guide you as we explore this topic. Okay, so let's say it together I am capable of creating a life that lights me up, no matter where I start or how old I am. All right, now let's dive in. Let's talk about pivoting at any age, because I feel like, no matter where you are, it starts with dreaming out loud, without limits, because too often we box ourselves in with should'ves and can'ts. I should have stayed in this job because it's stable. I can't start over because I'm too old. But what happens when you let go of those limits? What if you allowed yourself to dream as big as you did when you were a kid? If you allowed yourself to dream as big as you did when you were a kid, maybe you've always wanted to write a novel, start a business, travel the world.

Speaker 1: 7:44

Dreaming out loud means giving yourself permission to imagine a life that excites you, without immediately worrying about the how. It's about tapping into what sets your heart on fire, trusting that the path will reveal itself. Now I know you're like I need this job. It pays the bills. Or I don't even know where to begin. I don't know how to start.

Speaker 1: 8:06

The start is the dreaming. It's the saying it out loud, even if it's to yourself. It's the writing it down in your journal. It's creating a vision board to say this is my dream, this is the life that I want. At that point we're not worrying about or trying to figure out how we're going to make it happen. We're just allowing ourselves to imagine that life, because the truth is, most of the time we don't know how we're going to make anything happen. I mean, think about all the times when you did not know how you were going to get through to the next day and yet somehow you made it. Somehow there was a way, somehow you figured it out, or somebody was placed into your life that helped you get to that next level, get to the next starting point. So take away the figuring out how and just concentrate on the dreaming of the possibility.

Speaker 1: 9:09

But now, if we're real, you know pivoting isn't always a choice. Sometimes life forces us to transform. Maybe you faced a layoff, a divorce, or a moment when you looked in the mirror and thought this isn't me anymore. These moments are painful, can be powerful. They can be the catalyst that changed your whole life. You know, I was talking to a friend and he was telling me that he recently got let go of his job after 15 years, and they were devastated. It was like their identity was tied to that role. Role, but necessity pushed them to pivot and they started volunteering at this local youth center, something they'd never done before. That experience led them to train as a life coach and now they help other people navigate their own life transitions.

Speaker 1: 10:14

No-transcript. I just want you to know that sometimes that life happens and it's what we do in that moment that can carry us through to the next level. I mean even for myself, pivoting and transforming. I can't tell you how many times I've pivoted and transformed and I feel like I'm always in the midst of a transformation.

Speaker 1: 10:40

I mean, when I first started out, before nursing, I worked as a security guard and I did that for years and I wanted to get into nursing and it just felt like impossible. When I talked to people that had went to nursing school or had thought about going to nursing school themselves, I got the same answer it's impossible to do that and work. Well, I had small kids, so I had to work. That was something that had to be done. I could not afford to not work and pay the bills and take care of my two girls. But I was like but I want to be a nurse. And I let that dream die.

Speaker 1: 11:21

That's how life happens, right? Something comes back to us, that seed that was planted, someone reminds us that you know what, why not do it? And then at that moment, I think I was talking to someone. It was like why don't you look into this yourself? And I was like, yeah, why am I letting someone else dictate what I do? So I reached out to the school, I talked to the counselor, I went down and I had this meaningful conversation and then I went to my supervisor and they were like you know, there are ways that this can work. So I found out everything that I needed to know and I went to school and I didn't let anyone else the how, how I was going to do this stop me, because I was like, if I got this far, we'll figure out the rest along the way. And then even into pivoting, into podcasting that was never my goal to podcast, but it was a spark, it was a pivot when someone said to me you would be great at this, you should think about it, and that someone was my husband.

Speaker 1: 12:35

It's always sometimes that sometimes we don't see what other people see in us, so it's always a great reminder to have people around you that believe in you more than you believe in yourself. And it's also about trusting the process, because when we pivot and trust the process, it can make anything possible. It's about believing you're capable of the impossible. Age experience or lack thereof doesn't define your potential. I mean, consider Vera Wang, who didn't design her first wedding dress until she was 40. Ray Kroc, who turned McDonald's into a global empire in his 50s.

Speaker 1: 13:21

These stories aren't outliers. They're reminders that capability isn't bound by time. You don't need to have it all figured out, you just need to believe you can learn, grow and adapt. That belief, paired with action, turns the impossible into reality. And I have to stress action, because you can dream all day, but until you take the first step into action, that's when you start seeing things happen. Because I truly believe that when you start to believe that you can do anything, when you believe that you're capable of it, even if you don't know what that first step should be and you're just like you know what, I'm just going to wing it and put myself out there. I'm just going to do this thing. I believe the universe makes sure that there are people placed in your life that help you. Every step of the way, you get a little bit of this from someone else. You meet this other person that reminds you of this. I just truly believe the universe works together to help you reach your goal, to live your purpose.

Speaker 1: 14:35

Now, of course, pivoting doesn't mean abandoning responsibility. If you have a family, bills or other obligations, your pivot might look like carving out an hour a day to work on your passion project or taking an online course while keeping your job, and that's how I started. I took some online courses at first when I was going into nursing school Anything that I could do online first. That's why I started. It's about starting where you are with what you have. Small, consistent steps build momentum and as you move forward you will find that joy isn't just in the destination, it's in the process of becoming who you were meant to be.

Speaker 1: 15:20

Now, before we wrap up, let's touch on the emotional side of pivoting, because change, even when it's exciting, can bring fear, doubt or grief for the life you're leaving behind. And that's normal. Trust me, fear is definitely normal. Doubt and grief because you know, especially if you lost a job that had become your identity, and sometimes that happens, like your whole purpose seems to be wrapped up in the identity of a profession and you forget that you are more than just that profession. You are more than just a title that someone gave you Way more. But it's okay to experience loss, but give yourself grace to feel those emotions.

Speaker 1: 16:08

If journaling is something that you've done in the past that works, continue to journal. Talk to a trusted friend. You can seek a mentor, and the thing about mentorship is. I know a lot of people think that you have to meet someone and that person be your mentor, but not necessarily so. You may not even personally know your mentor, but there are people that I constantly look up to that continue to inspire me and be my mentor without me ever having to meet them. Some of my mentors Lovey Ajayi-Jones, sarah Jakes-Roberts those are people that are constantly shaping the way and reminding me that anything is possible. So surround yourself with people who believe in your dreams and it can make all the difference.

Speaker 1: 17:01

Okay, trust me, having someone in your corner saying you can do this, even on the days when you doubt it and you don't know how and you are so fearful and you think, oh my gosh, what am I doing, having that person there saying you got this, I'm with you, can change everything. And, the most important thing, don't forget to celebrate your wins, no matter how small. The first time I got my first download listener, I celebrated. I mean, I celebrated like crazy, because that meant that was one person who heard what I had to say and was like thank you, and for that I'm, like I am internally grateful. Thank you to that one person. Thank you to the three, the four, the 25, the hundreds, like thank you, all right. So finish your first painting, be amazing. Sign up for that coding bootcamp. You're a rock star. Every step is a progress. So just signing up for a class is a win. You took a first step. Celebrate that. You know you spoke to a counselor. Celebrate that. Celebrate everything.

Speaker 1: 18:26

Now, as we close here, there are three key points I want you to take with you. Remember to dream without limits. Let go of can't and imagine a life that excites you. Two trust the process. Trust the process. Pivots are messy, but every step forward counts. Third point believe in your capability. You are never too old or too inexperienced to chase what brings you joy. This week, I want you to take one small step towards your pivot. Write down a dream you've been holding back. Sign up for a class or have a conversation with someone who inspires you, whatever it is. Start where you are and trust that you are capable of the impossible. Now, if this episode resonated with you, please leave a review. It helps others find the show and to join our community of dreamers and doers. Don't forget to tune in next time for more conversations to spark your soul and fuel you to keep going Now. That is all the tea that I have to spill today. Until next time, my friends namaste.