As humans, we often limit ourselves by putting ourselves in boxes and making excuses for why we can't pursue certain things. Yet, the truth is that creativity has no age limit and can be expressed at any time in life. In this blog post, we'll explore the journey of a nontraditional midlife beginner who didn't realize her potential until later in life. Through her experiences, we'll learn that it's never too late to pursue our passions and that diversity in thinking is crucial for our survival and success.
Growing Up:
Bee Baumann grew up poor in a city in Indiana. Despite her upbringing, she always felt like she had something inside her that she needed to share with the world. This feeling led her to write a book called "Gurrl, You Ain't Crazy" about her nontraditional childhood and struggles with mental illness. In her book, she humorously unpacks her inner demons and encourages readers to not give up on themselves and seek help when needed.
Feeling like she did not belong:
As with many of us, Bee struggled to find her place in the world. A mindset of waiting for a prince charming due to her upbringing and limited perspective as a black woman kept her from finding her own voice and identity. She had a difficult time breaking out of that mindset and finding her place in the world.
Military Service and Finding Love:
Despite her struggles, Bee enjoyed her military service. It was through this experience that she eventually met her second husband. This experience taught her that sometimes you need to break out of your comfort zone to find love and that diverse voices are desperately needed at the table. Her experience also underscores that finding love can be difficult for a variety of reasons, but that through perseverance and patience, we can find our way.
Comedy as a Catalyst for Creative Thinking:
Bee believes that creativity is important and that comedy is a way to teach people to think creatively. The ability to think outside the box is important, especially in times of change and adaptation. COVID taught us that we can adapt when we have to, but we often get stuck in routines. Comedy can help break those routines and teach us how to think outside the box. Bee notes that comedy can teach small talk and presentation skills, and help individuals break out of their comfort zones. Breaking out of one's comfort zone leads to growth and can benefit relationships, work positions, team leading, and company leading.
The Importance of Diversity:
While diversity is a buzzword in many circles, biology teaches us the importance of diversity for life to survive and overcome obstacles. Neurodiverse voices and diverse people behind those voices are necessary for our survival and success. COVID has shown that we need people who can think differently and provide unique perspectives to rethink systems and structures. Diverse voices are necessary at the table, and that it's essential to celebrate both differences and similarities.
Bee's experiences underscore that it's never too late to pursue our passions and that creativity has no age limit. Further, she demonstrates that diversity in thinking is crucial for our survival and success. Breaking out of our comfort zones leads to growth and can benefit relationships, work positions, team leading, and company leading. The ability to think outside the box and laugh should be celebrated as fundamentally human and a universal means of bonding and connection.
Overall, Bee's story of her nontraditional journey can inspire anyone to reflect on their own lives and interrogate the excuses that have held them back, whether that's the myth of too late or the notion that we must conform to certain norms to be accepted. Indeed, her experience emphasizes that whether we express ourselves through laughter, writing, or any other avenue, there is never an expiration date on creativity or success.
