It’s never too late…

I am one hundred percent sure I was not the only one last Sunday evening, who went to bed with this thought in mind: “It’s never too late…” We all witnessed the almost impossible – how Carlos Alcaraz came back from two sets down in the French Open final against Jannik Sinner. Pulling off the ultimate comeback against anyone is difficult. Doing it in a major final against someone with the relentless consistency, pace, and depth of Sinner is like trying to climb Mount Everest in high winds with your legs tied together.

Alcaraz saved three championship points on his own serve, then broke Sinner’s serve when the Italian had the championship on his racket. We watched in awe how Alcaraz played his best tennis after being backed in a corner, and eventually clenched victory after five hours and 29 minutes.

Wow. The 22-year-old smiling, fierce Carlos proved: It’s never too late to make a comeback.

It’s never too late. Okay, fine…Of course, it’s too late for some things. It’s obviously too late to become an Olympic gymnast if your hips now click when you roll over in bed. Dreamt of going to space? NASA’s probably not calling unless a comet is headed straight for your house. I might still be able to present a kick-ass Cardio Dance fitness class, but becoming the next TikTok dance sensation? Nope. Too late for that. I think.

But it really wasn’t only the French Open final that made my head spin about “Never too late.” This past week I have learned that it’s never too late to be surprised by your members, in class…During our 5.10 Friday morning Rebounding workout I stepped out for a quick bathroom break. On my return…there was no one in the studio! Not a soul in sight. Turned out my entire class had vanished…into the apparatus room. They decided to play hide-and-seek and pulled off the ultimate prank. It was a sweet moment – one I will always treasure.

Last week was also a precious one reminding me that it’s never too late to apologize. It’s never too late to start doing the right thing. It’s never too late to forgive. And it’s never too late to show more love…

In the novel “The Cherry House” CJ Carlyon writes: “Sometimes too late is just in time…” Ariana Huffington began the Huffington Post when she was 55. The Dalia Lama is 89. Paul Biya, the president of Cameroon is 92-years old. My point today is, regardless of your age, for many things in this sweet life, it’s never too late and you’re never too old. It’s also never too early and you’re never too young.

It’s never too late. It’s never too early. It’s never the perfect time. That’s all made-up Malarkey. I’m a firm believer in dr Ellen Langer, the Harvard Psychologist’s idea, that it’s your psychological age that matters most – not your chronological age. It’s not how many candles are on the cake, it’s how young your mindset is…Time has nothing to do with anything in life. Inspiration, our inner voice, is all that matters.

In her book “The Artist’s Way” the famous American author Julia Cameron writes: “Do you know how old I’ll be by the time I learn to play piano? The same age you will be when you don’t…’I’m too old’ is something we tell ourselves to save ourselves from the emotional cost of the ego deflation involved in being a beginner…”

How often do we tell ourselves, “If only I started earlier…” or “I’m too old for this…”? These limiting beliefs hold us back far more than age ever could. Age is just a number, not a deadline. Especially when it comes to well-being and fitness! Ernestine Shepherd began weight training at age 56 and became the world’s oldest body builder in her 80s. Julia “Hurricane” Hawkins took up running at 100 years old and broke world records in her category.

These aren’t just feel-good stories – they are wake-up calls in a sense. Your best chapter could still be unwritten.

Don’t get me wrong – I’m not saying all our Golden Girls should all suddenly switch to the 7.30 class. What they accomplish in their own class is nothing short of inspiring. Their energy and commitment  prove that it’s not about the pace or the playlist – it’s about showing up, moving with purpose, doing it together, and leaving stronger, every time.

No, what I’m saying is, in our studio we have witnessed many women reach their personal best body stats in their fifties! Our oldest Challenge member is in her eighties! Weekly, I see members mastering skills and stretching boundaries in classes they once avoided – from Step and Cardio Fun to even Rebounding. What used to feel intimidating is now a source of pride, strength, and pure joy.

Some of our members joined our fitness family after raising kids. Some after illness. Some after heartbreak. But they showed up, and most continue to show up. And that’s everything. They prove to me every day that it’s never too late to become the strongest, happiest, healthiest version of yourself.

Not everything needs a dramatic restart. Sometimes, we’re already on the path – we just need a little nudge to take the next step better. As Maya Angelou once said: “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” Don’t let the fear of starting late keep you from starting at all.

It’s never too late to be better. Whether you’re 30, 50, or 70 – starting where you are with what you have is the bravest step. Fitness isn’t about how fast you go. It’s about the fact that you go at all. Fitness is also not a race – it’s a relationship. One that deepens with each season of your life. Maybe your “why” is to carry your granddaughter with ease up the stairs, or to run a marathon, or climb a mountain, or win a Fitness Challenge, or reach a Body fat percentage of 18…

It’s never too late…It reminds me of the touching memoir of the Holocaust survivor, Edith Eger. After the war, she emigrated to the United States, raised a family, and eventually considered to pursue her dream of becoming a clinical psychologist.

But she hesitated. She felt it was “too late.” She was a busy wife and mother, and already in her 40s. She worried: “By the time I finish school, I’ll be fifty.”

Then someone replied with a simple, life-shifting truth: “You’re going to be fifty anyway.”

That line became a turning point. It reframed her thinking – age wasn’t the obstacle; inaction was. She realized that the passage of time was inevitable, but how she used that time was still a choice.

It’s not too late…It’s not too late to start believing again, or to forgive, or to make peace…It’s not too late to feel proud of your body. It’s not too late to laugh while you lunge. It’s not too late to show your kids what strong looks like. It’s not too late to surprise yourself. And if you are still blessed to hear your father’s voice, remember to call him today. It’s Father’s Day, and it’s never too late to say,”I love you.”  

So yes, some dreams might need a little updating…but the best ones? They are still within reach. And it might just start with walking into a class, tying your shoelaces, and saying: “Let’s do this…” (Pssst, if you’re a Challenge member, WhatsApp these words to Mirna before Sunday 20.00 – It’s almost week 6. Let’s do this!)

Yours in fitness

Mirna
082 779 0507