There's currently a thread running about 'When did you know you were TS?', an excellent question.
I would like to expand on that, without disrupting her thread.
How long from the time you knew (or had strong inclinations) you were TS, until you started doing something (beyond experimenting with crossdressing) serious about transition?
I knew something was wrong in my early teens, and wrote it off to being gay. By the time puberty had a strong hold, I knew I was supposed to be female. I made that giant decision to transition at 53!! That's some serious denial! Perhaps I'm the world champion procrastinator.
I had a girlfriend a couple of towns over (sadly we've lost touch) who swears it never even occurred to her until she was 50 something that her problems were gender. She almost immediately quit her job, and began transition. One day she presented male, the next female.
I'm sure most of you fall somewhere between these.
Did you wait until the kids were old enough?
Were you so terrified of yourself that you hid in denial?
I'm sure there are a thousand good reasons to put off transition. How long did you wait?