For Your Age

What kinds of *CARE* do you give yourself now, that you may not have granted yourself when you were younger? ⁠⁠
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I’ll start:⁠⁠
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REST.⁠⁠
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I am much more willing to give myself REST and downtime at this point in my life - and not because I “old” and need to rest 😂⁠⁠
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I give myself more rest and more downtime (pandemic aside…), because I understand myself so much more than I used to. I know now that I am happier - and more functional overall - when I listen to my nervous system and take time to refuel myself. ⁠⁠
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I no longer require myself to “push through” or ignore my flashing red lights in the name of impressing other people or not wanting to disappoint.⁠⁠
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I am much more willing to say NO to things, as a way to care for myself.⁠⁠
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How about you? What are you willing to give to yourself now, that you wouldn’t have given when you were younger?

**Aspirational aging, from real life women over 50. For your chance to be featured, send us a DM.**⁠

This is Melyssa Davis, LMT (melyssadavis.com)

Q: What is your age?
A: Almost 58!

Q: What has been a happy surprise about being your current age?
A: I feel better than ever, and believe I have so much more to learn and share!

Q: What kinds of imagery of women over 50 do you wish you’d seen when you were younger?⁠⁠
A: I wish I'd seen (more) images of Elder women in POWER with ALL the trappings afforded to Her: all eyes on her and we can't wait to HEAR what she has to say. I recall having an absolutely visceral experience the first time I attended a teaching event with HE Khandro Rinpoche (a respected and revered FEMALE master in the Tibetan Buddhist lineage); and another time at an NYU panel on Women Leaders in Cybersecurity - ALL strong powerful people including Brigadier General Jen Buckner, U.S. Army. Simply steeped in wisdom, respect, determination, expertise…

Q: What do you feel free to do now, that didn’t feel available when you were under age 50?⁠⁠
A: Believing in JOY as my birthright AND my Responsibility. I listen with care. When my heart leaps I make a note of it. Either find someone to share it with or treasure it within until it ripens and shows itself to you only.

Q: What do you do to look and feel your best? ⁠⁠
A: For me that's avoiding drugs and alcohol. 20 years, baby! (One day at a time.) Asking for help when I need it and learning Patience. Learn, Serve, Love, Rest. Seek Clarity and offer it generously. And of course ---- XO!

How does this quote make you feel?

Do you feel yourself slowing down in any way?

If so - is it a good thing or a bad thing?

I think we’re supposed to think it’s BAD. 😂

“Oh - you’re slowing down in your old age”.

“What the matter - can’t keep up?"

I don’t know. I don’t think it’s so terrible to slow down!

I’m "slowing down” in the sense that I am more thoughtful and deliberate in the way I live, and the way I choose to spend my time.

I’m slowing down the way I move - on purpose! - so that I can be more conscious and specific about how I use my joints and muscles. As a result, I feel stronger, more stable, and more at ease in my body.

And I’m slowing down the way I make decisions - giving myself the time to consider what truly matters to me, before I take action on anything.

It doesn’t feel “old” or “sad”. It feels PEACEFUL.

What are your thoughts? Is it a good or bad thing to be “slowing down”?

Omg - MELBA TOAST!⁠
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They still make Melba Toast! 😍⁠
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I hadn’t seen Melba Toast since the early 80s, when it was THE diet cracker of choice! What a blast from the past! 😮⁠
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What "diet" products do you remember from "back in the day"?

**Aspirational aging, from real-life women. For your chance to be featured, send us a DM.**

This is Joanna Beekman, LMT, Therapeutic Massage
https://www.facebook.com/totalperformanceandrecovery

Q: What is your age?
A: I’m 44.

Q: What is a happy surprise about being your current age?
A: I thought the 40’s were the beginning of the end. Turns out they are the beginning of the “I don’t give a f$ck” stage of life. It’s amazing. I have confidence I only dreamed of having when I was younger.

Q: What kind of imagery of women over 50 do you wish you’d seen when you were younger?
A: Women over 50 are sexy. They are strong, they are confident, they are STRONG.

Q: What do you feel free to do now that you didn’t feel available when you were younger?
A: This is a big one for me. I’ve always been extremely affected by my perception of what others think of me. For example, I’d hesitate to give a homeless person money, because I’m sure someone would be looking at me and judging me that I’d been duped and I was so stupid. Clearly there is much more to this issue than an ability to not give a f$ck, BUT NOW… I just walk up to the person, strike up a conversation, give them money, and don’t care who sees me and might judge my gullibility.
I wear makeup, but purely because I love it, I feel pretty and I love sparkles. I go out without it too.

Q: What do you do to look and feel your best?
A: I eat clean. I stay active. I take CBD, chlorophyll, and fire cider every morning. I sometimes wash my face at night. I do wash it in the morning. I have started getting facials, mostly because they feel amazing and maybe at 44 I should take care of my face. LOL. I do an ultrasound therapy on my face that stimulates collagen and elastin production, something that skin cells do naturally but drops off as you get older. I rarely wear sunscreen on my face unless I’m outside a long time, even though I KNOW I’m supposed to wear it every day. I moisturize with CBD face cream and shea butter. I smile a lot. I laugh A LOT, really loudly. I wear the crazy sparkle clothes that make me happy. I want to learn how to belly dance. I am secretly teaching myself in the kitchen in the mornings sometimes. I try to learn something new every day about the body and how it works. I’m attuned to energy – my own and others, and how it affects me and how I affect others. I’m thankful for every day I get out of bed and get to see and love on my people.

What do you think?

Think fast - what is your initial gut reaction when you see a photo of an older actress?

I’ll tell you mine: Before I even have a chance to consciously choose my response, I find that I start picking her apart.

I compare how she looks today with how she looked when she was younger. I search her face to see if she’s had any work done - and, if she has, I mentally scold her for it. If she hasn't had any work done, I judge her for not looking “better”.

If she has had obvious work done (botox, fillers, face lift, etc) I feel angry that she is passing herself off as looking a way that she doesn't actually look.

If she hasn’t had any obvious work done, I feel angry that she has ‘let herself go’ and hasn’t taken better care of herself. She hasn’t preserved herself enough to resemble my memory of her.

If she says that she’s choosing to “age graceully” and eschew plastic surgery, then I look for all her flaws that could be corrected with plastic surgery or injectables or, perhaps, a better skincare regimen.

If she’s honest and says that she embraces all the available procedures and surgeries that exist today, then I judge her for not eschewing them and “aging gracefully”.

I also judge the quality of her doctors and her procedures - even though I have exactly zero expertise in this area.

There is literally NO WAY this woman can win in my mind - and all of these thoughts happen inside my brain within a matter of seconds. They’re that ingrained. They’re that internalized.

What in the world????

How did this happen????

It’s so mean.

It’s so unkind.

It’s so hopeless.

If my mind has become TRAINED to be so cruel and judgmental of some actress who I don’t even know... what messages have I picked up about myself, and how I am supposed to age?

What are we ALL saying to ourselves about... our faces… and the very natural, human process of growing older?

Be honest. Think fast - and then have a look at what thoughts pop up:

What is your base, gut reaction to the image of an older actress?

What was your “OH, WOW, I’D BETTER PAY ATTENTION” age?

For me, it was 50.

50 was kind of like an ice cold bucket of water dunked on my… existence.

When I turned 30, I wept (can you imagine? 😂) - because I felt like a certain chapter of early adulthood was ending, and I was supposed to be further along than I was.

When I turned 40, I was excited - because I felt strong and happy, and I was looking forward to embracing the confidence I felt I had earned.

And, though I most definitely feel even stronger, even happier, and even more confident at 50… it’s hard to avoid the knowledge that, if I live to be 100, then I am officially… half-way there 😐

And, if I am not going to live to be 100, then… more than half my life is already behind me 😑

I told you! It was a bucket of ice!

Makes ya think.

And it gives me focus. It lets me be much more intentional with my time, my energy, and my relationships. It helps me pay attention to the way I am spending my life.

How about you? Have you had the same, “OH, WOW” moment? When was it?

**Aspirational aging, from real-life women over 50. For your chance to be featured, send us a DM.**

This is Tanya Leake, wellpreneur, coach, instructor, speaker, Founder, EmBODY WELL [embodywell.com] and WeKNOW; Author, Get A GGRiPP

Q: What is your age?
A: 50.

Q: What has been a happy surprise about being your current age?
A: I am SOOOOO much more comfortable in my skin, care SOOOOOO much less about what others think, and am SOOOOOO much more sure of myself and my value. I enjoy my family and friends SOOOOO much more.

Q: What kinds of imagery of women over 50 do you wish you'd seen when you were younger?
A: Not sure about this one - I don't think i had a concrete picture either way. I really knew nothing about ages when I was younger. I just wanted to be old enough to live like an adult - everything over 25 looked the same to me when I was under 25... fabulous!

Q: What do you feel free to do now, that didn't feel available when you were under age 50?
A: WHATEVER THE F--- I CAN/WANT TO! 😎

Q: What do you do to look and feel your best?
A: I continue to dance for myself and with others, and, more than ever, I am focused on laughing and enjoying my life and my loved ones (keeps me feeling and looking good inside out). I am more focused on eating right (more green leafy vegetables and various protein options), sleeping well and staying hydrated/drinking water than ever before. I am more invested in taking my supplements. I emphasize training with weights for my muscle mass AND my bones.

Do you agree with this?

Do you think you agreed with this when you were in your 20s and 30s? 😂

Are there certain clothes that you were told were “off-limits” for older women?

I remember growing up with the message that, after a “certain age" (not sure what that age actually was…) a woman should never bare her arms or her knees.

😐

Did you receive a similar message? Arms and knees? Apparently, they’re HORRIBLE 😂

Now - as I’ve gotten older, I most definitely do not wear the same teeny skirts and skimpy tops I used to wear in my 20s - but that is because my life goals have changed (😜) and I am no longer seeking the same kind of “feedback” from potential boyfriends. And - yes - back then, I most definitely did dress to gain attention from boys. 🤷🏻‍♀️

But that’s been my choice to adjust my wardrobe. If I woke up tomorrow and felt like dressing in clothes that showed my arms, my knees, my thighs, or my stomach, I believe that I would, provided that I felt *physically comfortable* in those clothes.

At this point in my life, being comfortable in my clothes, my shoes, my skin, and my SELF is the thing that matters to me more than any made-up rules about my upper arms or my knees.

What do you think? Are there clothes that are “off-limits" for older women?

Have your eating habits changed over the years, as you’ve grown older? How? ⁠⁠
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I know that when I look back on how I used to feed myself in my 20s, I wonder how I am still alive 😂⁠⁠
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Entire bags of Cool Ranch Doritos.⁠⁠
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Rolls of raw cookie dough.⁠⁠
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2 whole boxes of mac n’ cheese for one dinner.⁠⁠
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So. Much. Ramen. ⁠⁠
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Part of this, of course, was a matter of finances - and buying what was affordable. But, um, not all of it 😬⁠⁠
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I think it was maybe in my early-to-mid 30s that the connection between What I Ate and How I Felt became undeniable to me. And I started to figure out that I could actually have some *control* over my mood, my energy, my digestion, the quality of my sleep, and my general sense of well-being if I just paid some attention and made more conscious choices about the food I was putting in my body.⁠⁠
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It might seem obvious - but it was a revelation to me, and I have never looked back! 🙌🏻⁠⁠
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I feel like I’ve tried every possible ‘diet’ or ‘eating plan’ in the world - and what I keep coming back to over and over again is this: My body feels and functions best when I load up on vegetables🥦, fruit🍓, healthy lean-ish proteins 🍣, healthy anti-inflammatory fats🥑, whole grains🌾 - and, most important, I keep my sugar intake loooooow. ⁠⁠
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How about you? How have your habits evolved over the years? ⁠⁠
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These pictures are my attempt at food styling - but also, this is what I ate the other day:⁠⁠
🌅 BREAKFAST: whole wheat sourdough from Bread Alone Bakery, avocado, hardboiled eggs, Everything But The Bagel seasoning from Trader Joe's⁠⁠
☀️ LUNCH: Steamed broccoli, chicken breast, parmigiano-reggiano, olive oil.⁠⁠
🌙 DINNER: Cauliflower mac n’ ‘cheez’ from Ark Foods, with some spinach and chicken breast tossed in.

**Aspirational aging, from real life women over 50. For your chance to be featured, send us a DM.**⁠

This is Laura Delano - Producer/LMT [www.DelanoCelli.com].

Q: What is your age?
A: I am 62… I am going to be 63 very soon!

Q: What has been a happy surprise about being your current age?
A: I seem to be happier and happier the older I get. Little things don’t bother me anymore… as much. I am never bored… I can almost always find something of interest, or just appreciate the moment wherever I am.

Q: What kinds of imagery of women over 50 do you wish you’d seen when you were younger?
A: More images of powerfully confident women… with wrinkles and grey hair… in all different walks of life, in all sizes, shapes, and colors, and from all over. I am very lucky because I had a great role model in my own mother and in many of the older women in my life. I remember my mother saying ”Why would I try to get rid of my wrinkles? I am proud of every single one…I earned them!”

Q: What do you feel free to do now, that didn’t feel available when you were under age 50?
A: I gave myself a gift when I turned 50… it was that I could take a nap whenever I wanted to, without guilt! I also feel able to be as goofy as I want to be. I try not to take myself too seriously and it is much easier to do this as I get older.

Q: What do you do to look and feel your best?
A: I aim to get 8 hours of sleep every night, walk everyday, spend time in nature… even if it is just a city park or a small garden, meditate, take time to journal and read, do my exercise routine which includes taking a roller and core class on Zoom, spend some time volunteering in some way for a current issue that speaks to me, keep in touch with family and friends (though the nature and form of that changed during this pandemic) and dance a little bit everyday to music I love. And… most important…find things that make me laugh. I am very grateful and lucky that my husband and partner [www.BobCelli.com] is very good at making me laugh!

Are you "living with it"?

Is it inevitable that you will have aches and pains as you grow older?

I definitely experience more tweaks and twinges in my body - and it takes me longer to warm up my muscles and joints for movement - but, personally, I don’t feel ready to accept any sort of pain as *inevitable*, because… that sounds totally depressing 😂

Instead, I’ve been trying to look at the tweaks and twinges as *information* that something in my body is not *optimized* - and, therefore, perhaps it’s something I can work on to correct. It feels much more hopeful, happy, and peaceful to think about my body in this way - especially as I look ahead to the next chapter of my life in an over-fifty body.

What do you think? Are aches and pains an inevitable part of growing older??

P.S. I’ve been loving the Movement For Life classes with Hedy Iankelevich at https://movementandyoga.com
Think of it as joyful physical therapy!

I’m also a huge fan of movement/yoga with:
Nadine Hildebrand [https://www.nadinehildebrand.com]
Chintamani Kansas [https://www.yogawithc.com]
Lisa Kazmer [https://lisadevi.com]

All are such beautiful, safe, knowledgeable teachers and guides. I am always grateful after taking any one of their classes. They help me understand my body - and how my joints and muscles are meant to function - so that, if tweaks and twinges pop up, I have the tools to calm them down. I encourage you to try them all out!

Do you have a bucket list? 🪣 What kinds of things are on it?

I have a list of places I’d like to travel and see (Italy, Paris, South of France, Hawaii, and several more!) ✈️

I also have a list of things I’d like to try and do while I’m still here on the planet!
I’d love to be a part of a dance performance again, or sing in a chorus, create some sort of quirky podcast, spend more time visiting friends in other parts of the country... 💃🏻🎤🎶🚘

How about you? What would you LOVE to do in the years ahead?

Photo credits: www.oscarnord.com, www.bradenjarvisphotography.visualsociety.com, www.ettocl.com

**Aspirational aging, from real life women over 50. For your chance to be featured, send us a DM.**⁠

This is Sarah Carr-Locke.

Q: What is your age?
A: 50

Q: What has been a happy surprise about being your current age?
A: Having the confidence that comes from experience, and focus that comes from knowing that "it's now or never!"

Q: What kinds of imagery of women over 50 do you wish you’d seen when you were younger?
A: When I was younger, women the age I am now seemed invisible. You were either Tina Louise or Mrs. Howell; Chrissy Snow or Mrs. Roper; S*x & The City or The Golden Girls. I wish I had seen images of HAPPY women in between (and older) who were not the object of ridicule, but admiration.

Q: What do you feel free to do now, that didn’t feel available when you were under age 50?
A: Say "no" to whatever doesn't interest me.

Q: What do you do to look and feel your best?
A: My foundation is that classic combination of a healthful diet, exercise, lots of water, and sleep. Cosmetically, I also rely on regular facials and acupuncture for an optimal complexion!

Can you think of any direct or implicit messaging you've learned about "looking old"? What age were you?

“’Why is the idea that women’s older faces are undesirable, what is the root of all that,’ she said to Page Six. ‘How did we get here and more importantly – and the thing that really bothers me – is how did we get to this point in our current society where cutting your face up, or injecting it, or inserting plastic or whatever is spoken about so matter-of-factly.’”
https://pagesix.com/2021/04/01/justine-bateman-on-why-she-says-no-to-plastic-surgery/

‘Family Ties’ star Justine Bateman on why she says no to plastic surgery “….it would make me feel like, ‘Oh my God, I’m erasing the last thirty years of my life.'”

How are you using - or not using - INJECTABLES at the current moment in your life?

If you’ve been following along, you know that we’ve already talked about Face Stuff in terms of skincare and make-up. This week, let’s talk about injectables (fillers, Botox, etc).

I’ll dive in first -

INJECTABLES 💉 - NO JUDGMENT if you feel better with some Botox. It’s just not for me. I am intensely curious to know myself and SEE myself as I move through my life - and, for me, I’m nervous/reluctant to do something that “hides” - from ME - what’s actually, naturally happening.

I’m all for spa facials, and home masks, and doing things that feel pleasurable for my skin. I love acupuncture, and I’m curious to try an acupuncture facial (😬) - but I think that’s where I draw my personal line with needles.

They say, “Never say ‘never,'" - so I won’t - but it is my hope, as I sit here in this moment, that I will continue to be comfortable with how I see myself in the mirror! 🤷🏻‍♀️

So that’s my unsolicited two cents. Let’s hear your perspective, and - please - let’s continue our lovely habit of being kind and respectful in the comments when discussing other people’s choices❤️!

P.S. This picture shows my actual, bare face. No filters, no facetuning, etc. This is… my face.

How are you using - or not using - MAKE-UP at the current moment in your life?

Last week, we talked about Face Stuff in terms of skincare products. This week, let’s hear about make-up!

I’ll start -

MAKE-UP 💄- To my own surprise, I hardly ever wear make-up anymore. When I was in my 20s and 30s, I would never think of leaving the house without it 😱!! Partly, it was fun to play with make-up and lipsticks back then (I even worked for a cosmetics company for a short while, where it was my job to play with make-up!) - but, also, I definitely felt like I *needed* make-up in order to show up acceptably in the world - which, now, seems insane. To be fair, I didn’t always take great care of myself when I was much younger (late nights, sloppy diet, sleeping in my make-up, etc), so I may have had more blemishes to cover and dark circles under my eyes (which I hear are trendy right now 😳??).

These days, I make it a point to eat very healthfully, and I refuse to compromise on sleep - so I think, to a certain degree, my skin might be brighter and more clear now than it used to be. I don’t feel the same “need” to cover things up, or contour/shade anything. I still love a good lip gloss, though - and, when I feel like it, I have a few go-to make-up items that I use to ‘dress up’ and enhance my features. What you see in these photos is the most make-up I ever wear these days - and it’s only every once in a while, when I’m in the mood.

How about you? What are you using or not using - and how do you think about it? Let’s hear!

**Aspirational aging, from real life women over 50. For your chance to be featured, send us a DM.**⁠
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This is Paula Tursi, director of Reflections Online Yoga (www.reflectionsyoga.com)
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Q: What is your age? ⁠
A: 56⁠
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Q: What has been a happy surprise about being your current age? ⁠
A: How good I feel being "me."⁠
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Q: What kinds of imagery of women over 50 do you wish you’d seen when you were younger? ⁠
A: The women I see around me in the Reflections community. They all seem ageless and eager for life. So many women aren't slowing down but instead writing a new and exciting chapter.⁠
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Q: What do you feel free to do now that didn’t feel available when you were under age 50?⁠
A: I have no apologies. I spent so many years yanking myself around thinking I needed to be something other than who I was. Today, I don't apologize for being me. Ironically, it makes it easier to apologize when I have made a mistake.⁠
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Q: What do you do to look and feel your best? ⁠
A: I get lots of sleep, meditate and do yoga.

Agree or disagree?

How are you using - or not using - skincare at the current moment in your life? Let’s talk about FACE STUFF.

🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔

I’ll start the ball rolling and share how I’ve been thinking about it - but I’d love to hear where you land!

SKINCARE 🧴- I love a good skincare routine. Always have. I love lotions and potions and serums and oils - and this is where I spend the bulk of my face-care time and dollars. Plus, I think it’s fun 😍. I’ve always taken good care of my skin to keep it HEALTHY. To me, healthy skin is hydrated, clear, nourished, and glowy - at any age. I always want to look like the *healthiest* me at my current moment in life. So, for me, skincare (and proper nutrition) is my best, most pleasurable, daily investment. If I was stranded on a desert island, I would still want all my favorite skincare potions with me!

How about you? What are you using or not using - and how do you think about it? Let’s hear!

P.S. To be clear, I do not use all these products at the same time 😂

On a scale of 1-10, how would you rank your fear of wrinkles?

I mean - CLEARLY - we are supposed to be level-ten petrified of wrinkles (a normal thing that happens to a face) because there is a multi-billion dollar industry selling us all kinds of “solutions” to the “problem” of wrinkles (a normal thing that happens to a face).

Okay - I GET that wrinkles = OLD. And, in our culture, OLD = OVER.

But also… wrinkles are a normal thing that happens to a face.

I’m so sorry to tell you, if you are hearing this for the first time, but your skin is going to lose some elasticity as you get older, and your hormones are going to change, and you will develop some wrinkles. In fact - if it makes you feel any better - there has never been, in all of human history, a woman who has aged past her 20s without developing some wrinkles. Isn’t that a relief? We can all stop trying to achieve the impossible!

And yet, from as early on as I can remember, I was taught - by commercials, magazines, movies, etc - that wrinkles were one of the absolute worst, most unattractive, unwanted, un-sexy, “old lady” AFFLICTIONS that could happen to a woman’s face.

They were to be avoided and prevented - and, if you failed at stopping time, then your wrinkles HAD to be hidden.

This NORMAL THING THAT HAPPENS TO A FACE was supposed to be considered - by me - on my own face - to be grotesque.

Okay, but… why?

Why is it BAD?

Why is it UGLY?

You may say that you think you look “better” without wrinkles - but what does “better” really mean, and how did you learn it?

Is it “better” because a face without wrinkles is smooth - and we think that smooth = beautiful?

Ya know who has smooth, wrinkle-free faces? Children, teenagers, and women in their 20s.

That’s it.

So when you say you look “better”… is that CODE for “younger”?

Why is younger better?

I would LOVE to hear your thoughts on this topic. I promise - no judgment if you’re a person who feels better with Botox or other injectables. I am genuinely curious! Tell me about your relationship with your wrinkles!!

📸: Damon Dahlen for Huffington Post [https://www.huffpost.com/entry/14-women-show-off-wrinkles-to-make-a-potent-statement-about-aging_n_57560b50e4b0b60682deb823?fbclid=IwAR1KdTSP3-YasaiBn_V3ByGyT6c0NuEktjZkJHTzrUlBnF12RrrTjpbVJvU]

**Aspirational aging, from real life women over 50. For your chance to be featured, send us a DM.**

This is Tanya Felshman.

Q: What is your age?
A: I am FIFTY! The big five-oh.

Q: What has been a happy surprise about being your current age?
A: Turning fifty was an event that held a lot of meaning for me. In a way I was dreading it because fifty was my mother’s last birthday and passing her in age was a strange place to be. I was happily surprised at how easily I’ve slipped into being fifty. I have felt the hand of my mother pass me the baton and now I have to keep going. Fifty feels like a graduation of sorts and I am extremely proud and grateful to be here.

Q: What kinds of imagery of women over 50 do you wish you’d seen when you were younger?
A: I honestly don’t remember seeing ANY imagery of women over fifty when I was younger – except maybe the Golden Girls and Joan Collins. The world has changed for the better in this regard. There’s still a lot of work to do, but we have more of a presence now in all areas of life, I think - possibly due to social media and also the women themselves demanding to be seen. When I was younger, it would have been cool to see imagery of women just in everyday situations without pointing out how nice we are to LET them be there or how it’s a special occasion, instead of acknowledging they belong anywhere they want to be at any time. Many of us grew up being told to be quiet, but we are getting louder. Having a Vice President in her fifties is the imagery I wish I’d seen when I was younger.

Q: What do you feel free to do now that didn’t feel available when you were under age 50?
A: Anything I want. Really. Anything. I feel better about myself and more confident in my skin and in my mind than I did thirty years ago, and I think it shows. I feel I can say no when there’s something I don’t want to do. I try not to say “I can’t” because I know if I really want to, I can find a way. It might be hard, but… I can. I used to wait to be pushed outside my comfort zone. Now I find that I am the one pushing myself.

Q: What do you do to look and feel your best?
A: Physically - I work out regularly and lift things. I eat a mostly healthy diet, but I don’t deny myself. I rarely drink alcohol. I wear sunscreen every day. I brush and floss. I am aware of the size of my clothes and the number on the scale, but as long as I am in good health – I don’t tie my happiness to those statistics. (I need to drink more water.)
Mentally – I am honest with myself in my inner dialogue. When I’m not feeling that great, I identify what I can do to help myself and I think that is key. And if I need to, I have a good cry in the shower and get on with it. At the end of the day, I am the only person I’ve got for the rest of my life and I try to make myself a comfortable and loving home. Everything you need is already inside you – you just have to spend some time realizing it. Additionally, in order to feel my best, I tell people I love them and smile at people a lot and share goofy memes.