How WordPress Helped Me
Learn a New Skill at 50 During COVID
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My Story
When COVID-19 struck and lockdowns began across the world, I decided to learn WordPress at 50, because I found myself sitting at home facing a situation I had never experienced in my 50 years of life. As a middle-class man supporting a family of three, I realised I needed to learn a skill to earn extra income during uncertain times.
I spent hours searching the internet, trying to discover a skill that could help me reach my goal. I was never looking to get rich quickly. I simply wanted something practical that could help me earn a respectable side income, even after the pandemic had passed.
I read articles and watched helpful videos to identify skills that could be learned later in life and done from home or anywhere.
How I Discovered WordPress
While searching for a skill that I could learn from home, I came across several options like digital marketing, graphic design, and website development.
Out of all these, website development caught my attention the most. I was curious about how websites were actually built, so I started exploring this area in more detail.
During this research, I came across the name “WordPress.” At that time, it was completely new to me. I had never heard of it before.
As I continued reading and watching videos, I realised that WordPress was one of the most popular and beginner-friendly ways to build websites. That discovery played a big role in my decision to take this path seriously.
What Is WordPress? & Can you learn it at 50
WordPress is an open-source content management system (CMS) that allows people to build many types of websites without needing to code everything from scratch.
With the help of themes and plugins, WordPress becomes even easier to use. Tools like Elementor made the process much simpler for me as a beginner.
WordPress is also one of the most widely used website platforms in the world, which is one of the reasons I felt confident investing my time in learning it. And yes, anybody can learn WordPress at 50.
Why I Chose WordPress
Website development quickly caught my attention, so I started researching it in more detail. During that process, I discovered WordPress, a name I had never heard before.
After only a few hours of research, I learned that WordPress was considered one of the easiest ways to build websites. That immediately interested me.
I became enthusiastic and started learning more every day. The deeper I went, the more I realised that WordPress was easier than I had imagined. Although many people think it’s difficult to learn WordPress at 50, my experience was different.
When the pandemic passed, and life slowly returned to normal, I kept learning. Within a few weeks, I felt confident enough to build my first website.
That first website was for my own business, which now offers website-building services. As the saying goes, where there is a will, there is a way. I later found happy clients and built a respectable portfolio.
Is WordPress Good for Beginners?
Yes, in my opinion, WordPress is one of the best skills for beginners.
It is beginner-friendly, practical, and grows with you over time. The more effort you put into learning it, the more capable you become.
I say this from personal experience. If I could learn it at the age of 50 with no technical background, then many other beginners can do the same.
What I Learned When I Started Using WordPress
Before this journey, I was never an IT person. When I first started using WordPress, I had mixed feelings. I was unsure whether I would really be able to do it.
But with each click, each setting, and each small step, things became easier. I realised I was actually doing it.
After purchasing hosting and a custom domain, WordPress was installed in just a few clicks. Soon, I was inside my website dashboard and ready to build.
The YouTube videos I watched were enough to help me get started with settings, themes, and important plugins. Before long, I was building my first website section by section.
Seeing my own work live on the internet after only a few hours felt amazing.
Why It Is Never Too Late
It is easy to tell yourself that you are too old or that technology is not for you. Many people stop before they even begin.
My experience taught me the opposite.
Many useful skills are easier to learn than we imagine, and WordPress is definitely one of them.
The pandemic also reminded me that unexpected situations can happen at any time. The best response is to keep learning, stay adaptable, and prepare ourselves with useful skills.
Why WordPress Is Good for Late Beginners
In today’s world, retirement may not be an option for many of us. We may continue working for longer, but at some stage, priorities change, energy changes, and flexibility becomes more valuable.
Before reaching that point, we can invest time in learning a practical skill like WordPress.
In my opinion, WordPress suits late beginners because it can offer the freedom to:
- Work from home or anywhere
- Choose your own flexible hours
- Work mostly on a laptop
- Take tea breaks whenever you like
- Be your own boss
Ease of Work
WordPress is very easy to work with, especially because of its impressive ecosystem of themes, plugins, and beginner-friendly tools.
Who Can Use WordPress?
Anyone already working in website development can benefit from WordPress. It is also an excellent choice for people who want to learn the skill from scratch.
Whether you are young, older, experienced, or completely new, WordPress can be a practical platform to learn.
Final Thoughts
WordPress is a skill, and useful skills are never wasted.
I would confidently encourage anyone starting later in life to consider learning WordPress. It is easy to begin, flexible to work with, and can become genuinely beneficial.
From my own experience, once you start learning, you may find that you enjoy the process more than expected.
It is the kind of productive learning that can be both rewarding and profitable.
If you are planning to learn WordPress at 50, consistency matters more than age.
Image Credits
Some images used in this article are sourced from Pixabay and are used under free-to-use license.
Special thanks to the respective creators for their work.