Every birthday after 50 most of think we are heading toward that "older" age but it's not true. There are some incredible statistics on our side proving that not only are we going to live longer but every day 10,000 people turn 65 which means there are plenty of "us".
And when we hit 65 we are still not the oldest generation as "The fastest growing age group in the U.S. is people over age 85, and the second fastest is people 100 and over (centenarians). Experts predict a twelvefold increase in centenarians by the year 2060, and that a 10-year-old child alive today has a 50% chance of living to be over 100.May 26, 2022."
Obviously there's a myriad of topics that an aging population triggers in terms of the economics of supporting this demo and how our kids will bear the brunt of that burden.
But, on another note -- back to us -- since longevity is in our favor, it begs the question and demands immediate answers as to what are we doing to day to ensure we are not wasting our time bemoaning how old we are, examining our saggy skin, and delaying getting that hip replaced.
I for one am kinda pissed that I spent too much time thinking I was old when I turned 60 because the truth is once I found the right place to live and celebrate each day, age has become less of a topic. This is the 3rd winter my husband and I are living in Park City, Utah it's hard to feel old here since this place is all about being outdoors and being active....
When Dana Hilmer and Wendy Perrotti, co-creators of Camp Reinvention reached out to me to partner and help spread the word about their Camp Reinvention workshop launching this March 24th, I was thrilled. A workshop to help women over 50 move forward and embrace change is right in the mission sweet spot of BA50's wheelhouse. So, I agreed to post an interview to share with you all. I think the program sounds great. Have a listen and see what you think....
Covid fatigue is a bear. Despite the camaraderie of our writing group we were running flat after 2 years of weekly 2 hour sessions. "How do we get re-inspired and re-motivated," was the burning question. And, as the group's leader, I was charged with the personal challenge to find a way to wake us all up.
So this Tuesday's writing group meeting started with a cry for help. "Hey guys, is anyone having a hard time focusing lately?" They all nodded in agreement. "Ok, ok," I was starting to feel my pulse again, "Me too. So let's try this...( I was grasping at anything at this point).......
I had a John Krakauer "Into Thin Air" moment when I met my friend Ellen at 7 am with headlamp on (Ellen had gifted me the headlamp), ready to skin up Park City for my first sunrise hike. It was all new to me. The equipment, the climb, being on a mountain in the dark, my untested strength to keep up with the skinning group in altitude. Fears of not being strong enough, failing, and the drive to conquer. Fear flooded my brain. I realized I had not tested or pushed myself physically in a very long time. It was both exhilarating and sickening and I was all in....
I wanted my life to have meaning. So, I decided to leave Canada and go to Hawaii. Call it a mid-life crisis or call it escape from reality…I was going to spend a few years volunteering for a charitable organization there. Surely that would cure my destiny angst.
“I’ll discover my purpose there,” I thought. And if I didn’t, at least I’d get a good tan. Baby steps.
I was way overdue for my mammogram, so I figured I’d better get one before I left. Come to think of it, I’d had a painful lump for several weeks, but everyone said that if a lump was painful, it wasn’t cancer, so I wasn’t worried. After all, ‘everyone’ knows best, right?
After the mammogram, my doctor ordered an ultrasound, then a biopsy. “There’s something there, but it’s probably nothing,” he reassured me....
It takes a woman to understand what women want. Meet CEO and Founder Allison Howard of Nollapelli, a linen company launched with her very own breakthrough te...
A fashion company founded by Two BA5O's who are both cancer survivors, who manufacture their products in the garment district in New York City, with products made from sustainable materials (like plastics found on the beach), with profits going to the oceans and cancer. I mean every thread of this company has been thought out and has purpose!
You will definitely be inspired by this conversation with designer Kay Unger and Lynn Obrien and if you plan on going in the sun in the near future -- you will definitely want to wear these second skin fabrics that protect you from the sun.
Every element of these designs are created with the woman over 50 in mind. They are attractive, useful and allow us to be free doing what we love while protecting our skin.
Be sure to shop the 20 percent off bundled product offerings and their post Thanksgiving weekend holiday sale.
Let us know what you think on Instagram....
Today I interviewed Carolyn Snider and Karen Philip founders of Tell Me A Story and learned how they capture a lifetime of stories in one gorgeous hardcover book. Everyone has a story worth telling. Do you think you have a family history you would like told? This is a fantastic gift for the whole family. BA50s get a 10% discount...
'You're still riding the #PMC?" my friend said to me. "You go girl, I stopped 10 years ago."
And that conversation happened over and over again. I am not su...
I just interviewed co-founders of Caire Beauty, Lorrie King and Celeste Lee who launched their hormone defying beauty mask and serum this past January during th...
Belau joked that her encore career has been an overnight sensation, 50+ years in the making.
Doni Belau’s third career is in the Happiness business. The founder of Girls Guide to Paris believes travel leads to a sense of discovery and better understanding. She calls it her ministry. “I wanted to do something I loved and meeting women from all over the world feeds my soul,” she said in a recent interview....
Imagine opening a hotel, on an island with the challenge of mobility and resources in the middle of a Pandemic? Well, that's what Mark and Gwenn Snider did this year and it's quite a story. Lovango is in the US Virgin Islands just a short boat ride from St. John and St. Thomas.
Please join me for this interview with my life long friend Gwenn Masterman Snider who inspires us with her energy and vision. She is truly a BA50 (A BadAss50....and a Betterafter50 woman)!...
Indulge in these amazing photographs by dear friend and talented photographer/author, Katie Dolan. You may be ready to sign up for the next photography class after reading this....
In late March, I opened an email from BA50 with an invitation to sign up for a blog writing class. Curiosity and mid-life direction led me to the checkout cart before self-doubt or fear could find me. A week later, heart pounding, trembling fingers and help from my daughter logging onto my first Zoom meeting I watched the little blue circles spin around, waiting to be welcomed in to one of the best things I’ve ever done for myself....
So 2 years away from retirement I was being laid off from the mentoring position I’d held for the past 7 years, one of 14 elite, well-trained, experienced educators who mentored first-year teachers during their very rough and tumble rookie season. I would have a job somewhere, yes, but it was up to me to find it. WTF indeed. So I went back to my roots....
Chanting my new motivating Mantra “Life Isn’t Cancelled” there was no stopping us even if it meant the risks of getting sick were higher than staying home. We had taken as many precautions as needed. ...
I’ll never forget the moment I found out my mother’s diagnosis. ‘Your mother has the classic symptoms of Alzheimer’s,’ the geriatric psychiatrist said. I wish I had encouraged Mum to tell me more about her life and recorded her stories. Robin Storey is a ghostwriter specializing in life stories and memoirs....
Life is meant to be played all out. We are put on this earth to be all we can be. No matter what our age, life is short and not to be wasted by fighting for our limitations. What is your Kilimanjaro? What does your soul cry out for you to do?...
This is an amazing "can do" BA50 She Did It story of vision and action and pure grit. Thanks to Deb Rusckowski and an amazing team of launchers, the tension of getting tested for Covid, on island, has been eliminated. By the end of May we had testing on Martha's Vineyard and here's how it happened. ...