I turned 60 this week. It’s pretty hard to comprehend. It’s incredible how fast 51-60 goes. So I’m sharing this information for those of you who are turning 50. Here are some things I wish I knew.
You’ve lived long enough to know the difference between what’s worth holding on to and what’s not. Be discerning.
Let go of the need to be everything for everyone.
Learn to let go of perfection, and caring what people think about you.
Let go of the fear of being seen and the pressure to fade into the background. You can disappear completely at this age if you let yourself. Don’t let that happen.
I was reading a study about why we have grandmothers. The life expectancy of women is longer than that of men. Once we are no longer of child-bearing age, and we’re through menopause, what’s next? Society (male-dominated society) would have your think that you’re washed up. But we continue to live for many years, even longer than men.
This study took into consideration the role of grandmothers, and how they pass on their knowledge to the next generation. And that doesn’t mean you have to literally be a grandmother or even have children. It means that women as they get older we have an important role in society. Find out why you are still here. What lights you up? What do you still want to do? What do you want to share with the world?
You have decades of experience. Share your knowledge and gifts. Your wisdom is your legacy.
Be unapologetically authentic, meaning be who you are, not who you think you should be.
Pursue your passions. Make art. Travel. Learn new things.
You have the right to take up space. Remember that. And don’t let anyone try to put you in a corner or in a box or in a subservient role.
Beauty isn’t a race against time. You can be beautiful at any age, inside and out.
Embrace your power and your strength that has carried you through every storm and celebrate your every triumph over all these years.
Not everyone takes the same path or ages at the same rate. There is a huge difference in the way people age. I look at people my age that I went to school with, and there is a vast difference. Some of it is genetics, but a lot of it is lifestyle.
Take care of your body. You’ll need it to be functioning well as you get older.
Work on your balance. Pick up some hand weights. Do stretches. Stay flexible. You will start to notice that it gets a little harder to walk down stairs. You think it won’t happen to you, but it will. Stay limber.
There are some biological facts that we can’t ignore. Your skin is going to change. Crepe comes out of nowhere. One day it just appears no matter how much lotion or moisturizer you use.
Your sleep will change. I used to sleep like a hibernating bear. Now I wake up around 9:00 am naturally. Once my body has its 7 hours, it wakes up.
My eyesight is getting worse. Get your eyes checked. It gets harder to drive at night. The lights of the cars have a different effect on my eyes than they did when I was younger.
Your tastes will change and certain foods may start to bother you. Now that I’m older, caffeine bothers me, and so does some dairy.
Random body parts start hurting, sometimes just from sleeping weird. A lot of that is inflammation. Eating an anti-inflammatory diet will help with this. Watch some of my videos on the Mediterranean diet.
You will experience ageism in the workplace. It’s very difficult to find a job when your resume says you are over 50.
Plan for retirement beyond financial planning. What are you going to do with your time? You are not slowing down; you are just getting started on a new, exhilarating chapter.
Advertising, beauty ads, fashion magazines, are all geared toward younger people. Pop culture is not interested in you, is not for you, you won’t understand the slang of the day or the music, and that’s OK. Our generation had the best music anyway, right?
Love yourself fiercely. Prioritize your own well-being. Surround yourself with a community of women who uplift and inspire you and each other.
It’s time to step into your spotlight.
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