In the 3 years since I founded Savoring Your Sixties, I’ve been privileged to talk with hundreds of women. Emails, in person conversations, phone calls, Facebook comments, surveys, blog comments, and coaching have all given me a unique vantage point into life at 60 and beyond.
Some Things Don’t Change
1) Life difficulties are unevenly distributed.
Your stories of illness, betrayal, death, bad relationships, poverty, and loss break my heart.
Everyone gets some of this and some of you get a great deal of it. Way more than your fair share! This has always been the case and continues to be so as we age.
2) Some women persevere.
No matter how difficult the circumstances, some of you don’t give up. You carry on. You rebuild and improve your lives. You have hope, strength, and courage.
3) Who you are persists.
If you’ve been a happy, upbeat, half-full cup person, you’ll like stay that way, even as you age. This makes it easier to enjoy your 60s.
If you’ve been a half-empty cup, victim mentality, unhappy person, you’re also likely to stay that way (unless you do something about it! See #7 & #9 below.) These kind of entrenched attitudes and perspectives make life more difficult as you get older.
4) Our experiences of aging vary widely.
Some women freaked out when they turned 30. Some got derailed by their number for the first time at 60. Some have never been (and maybe never will be) bothered by their age
Some Things Can and Do Change
5) Bad stuff happens more often.
Bad stuff happens at any age, of course.
And, if you have the privilege of growing older, loss, death, and illness are going to happen more often to you and to those you love.
I say to my husband, with dark humor, “Either we’re going to be attending more funerals or we’re going to be the subject of a funeral.”
Sorry but this is the reality we all face.
On the other hand, I’ve got good news . . .
6) We savor more.
Maybe because bad stuff happens more often. Or because we’re more aware of the brevity of life on earth. Or because of hard-won wisdom.
Whatever the reason, many (most?) women savor their days, perhaps more than at any other time in their lives.
You find joy in the “little” things. You’re grateful. You get clearer about what really matters and put your precious time there.
7) Change is possible at any age.
Whether it’s changing your attitudes (see #3 above), changing your perspective on your 60s, fine-tuning or overhauling your life, you can do it.
You can change your life at any age with willingness, commitment, dedication, and action.
The sixties can be very good years.
Whether you sail through 60 or struggle for a while, most of you reach a point of making peace with 60 and enjoying your lives at 60 and beyond.
For some, this seems to happen naturally, effortlessly. Others have to do some work to let go of their beliefs and fears about aging, to discover what they want to do with this chapter in their lives, and then get on with it.
Whichever path you takes, it is possible for you to live a rich, full, meaningful, fun, fulfilling, joyous life after 60.
The tools work
9) The tools and strategies for living that I’ve used myself and shared with others for the last decade work very well in our 60s. They offer ways to make the changes you want to make and to make your 60s very good years.
- Connecting with the inner GPS of what lights you up (what energizes and enlivens you, what you love, what you’re passionate about)
- Doing more of what you love
- Having a clear, compelling, lights on vision for your life
- Taking energizing action towards that vision, and
- Developing strategies for the obstacles that arise
These can help you create a life you love at 60 and beyond.
Thanks to all of you for the privilege of learning from you!
What have you learned about life at 60 & beyond?
I have never seen another woman's vagina, so have no idea what they look like, except mine.....I assume you mean (not vagina), But labia....the outer lips. I think it is sad you/anyone thinks any body part is ugly. Our bodies are amazing. I dou
Roadrunner,
Let us know how your lips turn out, mine are so thin I have often thought of doing something. But I am scared whitless!
I am a freshman in college (psychology) a 65, because I wrote about my life of overcoming and won a scholarship. I was also selected “Distinguished Undergraduate” at my University. I will keep right on keepin’ on and get my Master’s at 100!!
Good for you, Alicia! A college freshman at 65, on scholarship, and a distinguished undergrad — love it!
Bonnie, I notice you have very pretty skin. What do you use?
Thank you, Katie! I use an eye cream and face cream in the morning and at night. The brands have changed over the years and these days it tends to be Neutragena or Olay. I use sunscreen SPF 30 on my face every day.
I also think these things may have helped . . .
I never liked just sitting in the sun. I was bored by putting baby oil on & sitting on tin foil (do you remember when girls used to do that!!!???!!) so I’ve had less sun exposure than if I had done that.
I burn easily so I stayed out of the sun & used sunscreen even before we knew how important that was.
I drink lots and lots of water because that’s my favorite drink.
I’ve never smoked.
Maybe some genetics. My mom at 85 had wrinkles and she still had soft skin that looked good for 85.
Sounds like common sense skin care to me, and it’s working! Thanks for your ”secrets”.
You’re welcome, Katie. And thanks for the compliment!