I dedicate this book to my Nana, the consummate Late Bloomer. Nana obtained her real estate license in her 40s, performed in local theatre in her 50s, traveled the world in her 60s, sang in the choir in her 70s, volunteered tirelessly in her 80s, and is currently Zumba-ing her way through her 90s. What will she do throughout her 100s? To be continued...

Conte!"sJanu#ryYour Soulful Wish 10

Februa$yLove !yself 22

MarchBloom Where You’re Planted 35

AprilCountless Second Chances 48

May!e Lusty Month. (Oh yeah.) 61

JuneLet’s Play! 74

JulyFreedom 87

Aug%stDo Nothing 98

Sept&mb'rInner Harvest 106

OctoberLetting Go 117

Novemb&rGratitude 130

Dec'mb&r!e Birth of Hope 141

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The Late Bloomer’s Almanac© copyright Michelle DeSpain

Although I do have many fond memories of the Farmer’s Almanac from childhood. Even back then, my young mind was drawn to all things quirky. I had no interest in gardening as a child — my mother was and still is an avid gardener — but I adored the mishmash of miscellany buried within those pages.

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The Late Bloomer’s Almanac© copyright Michelle DeSpain

In !e Late Bloomer’s Almanac, we will continually cultivate our inner gardens. Late Bloomers are a brave, fearless lot. It takes a lot of hutzpah to live out our dreams when those monumental party poopers -- society and inner critics -- tell us that “it’s too late”, “you’ve missed the boat,” or “you’re too old.” Hush! It’s our party and we’ll bloom late if we want to! To fortify ourselves in this quest, it is essential that we regularly nurture our minds, bodies, and souls with “it’s never too late” nutrients. Just as a "ower garden needs frequent watering, weeding, sunlight, and plant food, so do our inner gardens. We owe it to ourselves to tend them with loving care. !ink of this book as the fertilizer for living your dreams. Each month, you will receive mind, body, and soul food that will guide you in planting your dreams, bringing them to life, and encouraging them to thrive.

How t( use "hi) bo*k: You can start this book during any month of the year. !ink of it as a “bloom where you’re planted” type of book. In other words, you do not have to begin reading it in January. It’s early March and you want to get started? Go ahead! It’s late July and you need a poolside read? Dive in! It’s mid-October and you’re looking to snap out of a rut? !is book is waiting for you! No matter where you begin in the book, you will find a common pattern for each month.

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The Late Bloomer’s Almanac© copyright Michelle DeSpain

Soul-Scintillating Passage. Each month opens with a soul-scintillating passage on a topic that is appealing and relatable to Late Bloomers. But we all know that it’s one thing to read about something juicy and another thing to practice it, right?

Mini-Adventure of the Mind, Body and/or Soul. Either a re"ective journaling activity or a get-out-there-and-carpe-diem playdate follows each passage. !ese are designed to hoist you out of ruts, routines, or self-defeating patterns so that you can get on with getting your bloom on.

Editable Journal. A journaling space accompanies each passage so that you can quickly capture those Aha! moments that will bubble up through that brilliant mind of yours. It’s always bene#cial to jot down those thoughts before you lose them, especially if you have a practically non-existent short-term memory like yours truly. (You can either write in the journal directly from your electronic device when viewing in Adobe Reader, or you can print it out if you prefer pen to paper.)

Playlist. I am a former music teacher. You can take the girl out of the music classroom, but you’ll never take the music classroom out of the girl. !erefore, there is a monthly playlist. I cannot even tell you how excited I am about this. Give me a beat!

Optional Reading List. For you bookworms and information junkies out there, I’ve included an optional reading list for each month.

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The Late Bloomer’s Almanac© copyright Michelle DeSpain

Recipe. Food, glorious food! I am half Portuguese. Which means that I hail from a people that rival the Italians in the area of food obsession. Which means that there is food in this book. A recipe for each month, that is. Since I am a “moderation in all things” type of woman, I’ve included a mixture of authentic family recipes as well as delicious and nutritious smoothie recipes from Barbara Deppisch’s Vibrant Life Kitchen. I partake in a green smoothie or juice most days of the week, and since I started two years ago, I routinely receive compliments on my skin and hair. Most importantly, my energy level has increased dramatically.

Barbara has an even more amazing testimony. She was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis as a teenager. After eight years of su$ering from chronic pain and using various medications that did not improve her condition, she discovered natural ways to heal her body through juicing, raw foods, and whole food nutrition. She has been pain-free and medication-free for over seventeen years. She is passionate about sharing her story of natural healing, as well as helping others lead healthier lifestyles through wellness coaching. You can learn more about Barbara and her wellness coaching practice here.

Lastly, I am thrilled to announce a cameo appearance in July from !e Pomegranate Cafe. I am lucky to live less than 10 minutes away from this culinary gem, which holds the distinction of being one of Forbes’ Top 10 Wholesome U.S. Restaurants. In addition, I have honored them with the World’s Best Chocolate Cake award. If you ever #nd yourself in my fair city aka Phoenix, Arizona, you must try their Chocolate Pomegranate Cake. You simply must.

!e Pomegranate Cafe is also known for their distinctive smoothies. You are in for a surprisingly yummy treat with July’s recipe.

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The Late Bloomer’s Almanac© copyright Michelle DeSpain

Extra Dash of Soul-Scintillation. For those of you who crave an extra dash of soul-scintillation, there is a monthly bonus section that suggests another get-out-of-your-rut and get-out-there-and-have-fun playdate. Warning: Most of these are extra silly and goofy. Yay!

Your M*nthly La"e B+o*m&r’s Al,an-c Re#di!g ./tual: Schedule a reminder in your calendar to delve into each month’s passage. I am a sucker for ambience. Might I suggest the following?

Brew yourself a spot of tea, pour yourself a glass of wine, or curl up with the beverage of your choice.

Light a candle.

Play soft background music for an added touch.

Write down your thoughts. An editable journaling space to record your awakenings is provided for you each month. Alternatively, you can use your favorite journal and pen.

What 01is bo*k 2) n(t: An overwhelming, daunting tome that you’ll procrastinate digging into because you don’t have time to work through a gazillion exercises. !is book was written for busy women in the never-ending-stream-of-information age. Please don’t allow it to collect cyber-dust.

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The Late Bloomer’s Almanac© copyright Michelle DeSpain

“The L&gal Stuf3” -k- Discla/mer: Please note that I am not a trained therapist, nor do I play one on TV. As a side note, I am not a home improvement guru either, but I did play one on the TV show Trading Spaces. Yes, I kept my beautifully designed French country o%ce exactly the way Genevieve left it. It’s brill.

!e exercises in this book are geared to help us get back on track with our hopes, dreams, and goals in life while infusing our spirits with an “it’s never too late” attitude. If you are grappling with deeper and more painful life issues at the present moment, please seek out the expert help of a quali#ed therapist. I have done my best to give proper credit to all authors, recording artists, and songwriters mentioned in this book. Everything I recommend in here is something that I have learned and grown from in my own life. I am not an a%liate of any of these talented individuals. I am merely a grateful fan of their work. !is book has been a labor of love, and like most labors of love, it is the result of blood, sweat, and tears. It also happens to be copyrighted. Please don’t forward this book. Instead, kindly direct your friends and loved ones to their very own shiny copy over at my shop. On behalf of every artist on the planet, I thank you for doing your part in spreading good karma.

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The Late Bloomer’s Almanac© copyright Michelle DeSpain

Ode to Janu#ry

January, you rock.

I mean, you literally rock in the New Year with Dick Clark’s Rockin’ New Year’s Eve, but that’s not what I was talking about, silly.

I was re"ecting more on the symbolism woven throughout your days, January. You’re all about a fresh start.&A clean slate.&New beginnings.

January, you lovingly nurture my "edgling Seed of Hope, and I sincerely thank you for that.

JANU4RY

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The Late Bloomer’s Almanac© copyright Michelle DeSpain

O.k. Enough *f t5e Od' 0o Janu#ry.6Y(% get 0h& pic"ure.

How was your past year? Was it good, great, crummy, abysmal, or meh? More than likely, it was a mixture of a couple, a few, or all of these.

Here’s the good news:&!e calendar resets no matter what.&So why not use the calendar reboot as impetus to nurture your hopes and dreams?

We’re not going to use the “R” word. As in “resolutions.” Because we all know that those fall by the wayside come January 1st, 2nd, 15th, 31st, or anywhere in between or beyond. We set out with the best of intentions. Yet our resolutions are either too lofty, too many, or there is no action plan. We’re all insanely busy. Let’s try something di$erent this year. We will concentrate on one Soulful Wish. (Calm down, over-achievers! Once your #rst Soulful Wish has taken "ight, then you have permission to start working on your second one.) You may already be familiar with your Soulful Wish. It’s what your heart and soul hope for most in the upcoming year.

Or you may need guidance in unearthing your Soulful Wish. If that is the case, then please turn to and practice the brief Seed of Hope exercise in the December chapter of this book. Your Seed of Hope can be synonymous with your Soulful Wish for the purposes of this exercise.

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The Late Bloomer’s Almanac© copyright Michelle DeSpain

Sit. Close your eyes. Breathe.

!ink about the manifestation of your Soulful Wish. What does it look like? What does it feel like? What does it smell like, taste like, sound like? Engage all of your senses in this experience.

Revel in your reverie. Create a movie in your mind and watch it from beginning to end. Daydream your little heart out, sister!

Are you totally blissed out yet?

Fantastic! Open those beautiful eyes of yours. It’s time to get to work! &(But it’s fun work. I promise.)

You do know that dreams magically come true only in Disney movies, right?&In real life, we need an action plan!

January’s Reflection

Soulf7+ Wishca)t/ng