Remember when you were a little girl and pretended to be a princess? How did that feel? Perhaps confident, valued, visible, and more than enough. How would you describe it? Maybe you were an astronaut, or scientist or explorer. No matter what you imagined, it brought to a feeling of power and fullness. 

Why don’t many of us feel like that now in our lives? Wouldn’t it be fun and inspiring to feel that way again?

A friend recently shared a photo of herself as a child wearing a crown, all dressed up, with a regal and perfectly secure smile. She was feminine and powerful. That sounds perfect to me!

This royal woman is still in you. If you have lost her, let’s explore how to find her again.

Why Bother?

As we move into our 60s and beyond, we are called to live a life beyond the demands of external achievement and concern with security. Ou

The next time you see a tree, let it remind you of the value of friendship and community.

When I turned 70, I found myself stunned and lost, wondering “Where did everyone go?” I had recently left full-time work, and around the same time, my grandson, whom I’d raised, launched into young adulthood. Life felt like a vacuum, and I did not know which way to turn.

I spent a lot of time walking in the forest. It turns out the trees had something to teach me. By understanding them, I realized I needed to tend my own forest of friendships more intentionally.

Scientists have discovered that trees communicate through underground networks, sharing nutrients with struggling neighbors and even recognizing their own offspring. A tree standing alone topples in the first serious storm. Trees standing together are more likely to stay strong through the storm.

At my wedding, I told our gathe

If you step into your ideal self at age 95 and look back, what do you want to see? Is it a life of happiness? Of meaning? Certainly, you want to feel satisfied with the years you have lived and are living. I faced having to figure out how to be satisfied with my life when I turned 70; I had left full-time work and felt lost. There are many reasons for feeling unsettled, usually related to some kind of shift in our life role. I have clients much younger than 70 who feel dissatisfaction and thus find themselves searching.

Traditionally, happiness and meaning are the main ingredients to living what is called a “good life.” I want to sense that I’ve made a difference; that falls under “meaning.” Then, I’m pretty happy too! So, both happiness and meaning matter to me. What about you?

Recently, I ran across a new book and learned about yet another life dimension to co

Standing at the threshold of a new year can feel like standing at a portal with one foot in what was, one foot poised to step into what could be. For women over 60, this moment holds power. This phase of life offers you the freedom to live the life you’re truly here for, perhaps more than at any other time in your past. It’s time to take the reins and live fulfilled.

Fulfillment requires intention. It asks us to examine what we’re carrying and decide what deserves a place in our future. I’ve created a five-step process to help you move into 2026 with clarity and purpose, including the most liberating question: what needs to be released?

Step 1: Honor What Was, Choose What Continues

Before you can move forward, take time to reflect on 2025. Wha

If you have the opportunity, I highly recommend Kimberly Akimbo, a Tony Award-winning play that left a deep impression on me. It tells the story of a teenage girl, Kimberly, who is living with Progeria – a rare condition that causes rapid aging – navigating the brief time she has left. Kimberly’s determination to fulfill her dreams, from seeing the ocean to riding a roller coaster to visiting Disney World, was both heartwarming and inspiring.

The Illusion of Immortality

In our youth, life feels like an endless adventure. It’s a time of discovery, exploration, and growth.

Who is the feisty you in 15-20 years? As we journey through life, it’s natural to reflect on our past and ponder the future. For those of us who are approaching or have surpassed 60, we sometimes overlook the extent of the number of years ahead of us. The next 20-25 years (or more!) offer a canvas brimming with possibilities and certainly marked by more than one live phase if we live it fully.

I sometimes hear women even younger than 60 describe themselves as “old” and that the most important part of life has been lived. In reality, 60 is considered by researchers to be the end of middle age. If we look at life as a three-part book, we have all the chapters of part 3 yet to write.

Instead of focusing on what we have done and who we were, what about relishing who we have become and what is ahead? Let’s take a look at the rich phases of life we lived during our “middle age,” in ord

Are you wondering what mindset has to do with how you age? Isn’t healthy aging more about eating well and getting exercise? Well yes, these are important. So is having a sense of purpose and enjoying good relationships/community.

Add your mindset to the list. Much of the recent research on healthy aging cites some aspect of mindset as a significant contributor to aging well. One study of optimism found over a 30-year period that persons with optimism decreased their risk of early death by about 20%.

Becca Levy’s book, Breaking the Age Code (2022), is all about how beliefs about aging influence health span and age span. As a reminder, Dr. Levy found that research participants with positive age beliefs lived on average 7.5 years longer than those with more negative beliefs.

Don’t you think there is value in taking a moment to reflect on your mindset?

Wh

Loving My Older Self

I am about to turn 76, so I am reflecting on the woman I will be at 96. We know that our beliefs about aging influence the quality of our lives as we age. For example, if you believe it is normal for an 80-year-old to go on an active vacation with kayaking and hiking, then it is likely that you will do that yourself, and live the lifestyle that supports doing so.

So, the question is, what do I believe about this 96-year-old

If you are experiencing some kind of life transition, you may be eager to get settled into your new phase. It might be leaving full-time work, or living alone for the first time in years, or having to adapt to new physical conditions. No matter the reason, life changes may be a time to reassess your sense of self and approach to life.

I had a recent conversation with a woman about how to create a revised life that is more fulfilling and satisfying. She asked me how she can know what she really wants out of all the possibilities and her perceived limits. That’s a very good question that requires a thorough response. Here we go!

“Thinking” That You Know

Knowing is more than what you ‘think’, literally. For example, when I left full-time teaching, I planned to teach courses part-time and enjoy more personal time freedom. I was doing what s