Do you enjoy ‘before’ and ‘after’ photos? I am often amazed by photos I see of someone while drinking and then that same someone 60 or 90 days later. It’s incredible to see the dramatic changes that can occur.
I think it’s also true with midlife. Have you ever known someone who becomes softer and more present as they grow older? How about someone who embraces a new passion or writes a book at the age of 60+? I have extended family members who are taking a 6-month cruise around the world in their 70s. My husband has been sorting through my dad’s old slides (truly a labor of love) and there are dozens of photos of my Grandfather, complete with silver belt buckle, cowboy hat and suit and tie, traveling well into his eighties. And, a childhood friend has been posting pictures on FB of her 90-year-old mother traveling on a mission trip with her family.
You’ve probably heard the saying “age is just a number”, which I agree with. However, I think age is also a mindset. Consider this, in the sequel to ‘Sex in The City’, ‘And Just Like That’, the characters are roughly the same age as the characters at the start of The Golden Girls…! Some say “60 is the new 40” but I don’t want to go back to 40. For me, so much of the beauty of midlife comes from embracing all the gifts of wisdom, experience and freedom that comes from growing older. In my 40s I was caught up in overdrinking and overthinking; in my 60s I am embracing space, curiosity and wonder!
Still, there are hard things that happen in midlife. On the podcast I share some of the transitions that many of us will encounter as we age:
- Empty Nest
- Retirement
- Gray haired divorce
- Care taking our elders
- Scary health diagnosis
How do we get through these hard times? I am discovering that having a safe place to share and a sense of curiosity (vs. judgment) are helping. I am also questioning everything I thought I knew about growing older; for example, the ‘older women are invisible’ line. What do you think?
Next week, I will share some other takeaways from my exploration of learning to live and love the middle!
I am also opening the doors to my nutrition program, RESTART® next week. This is a value-packed program that focuses on Real Food, Real Learning, Real Support! If 5 weeks to a healthier you sounds appealing, learn more here: RESTART
