So, I'm turning over some pages in the calendar and starting a new season of the Health, Passion and Purpose After 50 blog - which I'm purposefully kicking off today - my birthday. Yep, that's today. Am I going to tell you how old I am? Yeah, but not yet. First - the back story.
Somewhere in the early 1970's(huge clue), I realized I marched "to the beat of a different drummer." I never felt compelled to apologize for that. I simply had no desire to live up to the cultural stereotype of an "older woman." I never understood the phrase, "growing old gracefully." And I still don't get that unless it means don't wear mini-skirts after 60. I do kinda agree with that. I have zero interest in the word "retire" unless it is referring to a sound, healthy night's sleep! And I have no emotional attachment to the numbers in my birth age.
All I've ever wanted was to be healthy, vibrant, productive, purposeful and passionate about life.
But over the years, I discovered that our culture truly does tend to define and limit women by the numbers in their age. The actor, Sean Connery, played the distinguished, sexy, get-all-the-women double agent, James Bond, well into his 70's. How many 70-year-old actresses get the distinguished, sexy, get-all-the-men roles? None. They are all making commercials for AARP and pharmaceutical companies.
And so, for the last decade or so - I have rarely given out my age for fear someone might think less of my capability, less of my desirability, less of the possibilities I have to maintain a youthful spirit. When someone would ask my age, I would always respond, "How old do you think I am?" I figured that however old someone perceived me to be held more weight than the actual numbers (one of which is a 2). My desire has been to remove the numbers from life's equation and simply live life to the fullest. I was never very good at math anyway.
I have spent the past almost 20 years researching, investigating, reading and observing. And it is my belief that most women over 50 just want to know they are still beautiful, desirable, have purpose, a calling, and a destiny. And most women over 50 really want to feel great, be healthy and fit, have energy, and foster deep emotional connections with the important people in their lives. I've never talked to a woman over 50 who said, "I really just want to sit on the couch, eat Oreos, gain weight, have high blood pressure, get brittle bones and then die."
And so my vision for this blog is to inspire women in the middle "boomer" years to take some control over their lives and jump into this thing called healthy, passionate, purposeful living! I don't have all the answers, by any stretch. But I have scaled a few mountains, tried out some things, had a few epic failures and then had a lot of victories - and I know the pursuit is worth it.
Here's a few things I've learned:
1. Menopause does not have to define you, limit you, destroy or kill you!
2. Every woman has purpose and a destiny. That doesn't formally end at 65.
3. You don't have to be overweight just because you're over 50!
4. You CAN be healthier than you were at 30 or 40!
5. You are capable of much more than you think you are!
6. You have not lost your desirability - unless you want it to be gone!
7. You do not have to be depressed, bitter, angry, or bitchy!
8. Healthy eating doesn't have to be horrible.
9. Exercise does not have to be horrible.
10.Health and vitality requires proactive effort.
If you are a woman over 50 who wants to jump into this little adventure of healthy, dynamic living with me - then let's do it! I will be here to support you, share tips and information with you, and inspire you. Sign up to receive this blog via email. Become a member of this blog. Share the link with other awesome women over 50 who might want or need a little inspiration and motivation from time-to-time.
And for you men who have tip toed into this blog out of pure curiosity...let me throw out a tip or two to you :) Dynamic, vibrant, beautiful, healthy women over 50 need men who can keep up! So, get the remote out of your hands, guys - and...um...keep up!
Okay. So, today I turned 62 years of age. My profile photo was taken when I was just shy of 60 (I throw that in because people often ask if it is a current photo). I feel better than I did when I was 35. I am healthier than I was at 40. I'm more fit and strong than I was...ever. It did not happen by passive resistance or solely from good genes, although I have some great ones. I only know I have a destiny. And I never want to have to say I'm too tired, too overweight, too unhealthy, too unfit, too depressed, too bitter to fulfill it.
"If you hear a different drummer -- dreamer take a chance... The road you choose to travel.. means the difference in the dance."
Here's where you can find me when I'm in my 90's! How about you?
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