Month: May 2025

Sometimes the hardest hurdles we face are the ones we create ourselves. Meaning that they’re not really there – they’re only in our minds.

This is especially true of the whole question of taking on a roommate. Many women of our generation recoil at the thought of living with a roommate; their instinctive, gut reaction to the idea of living with a roommate is “Hell, no.”

I understand.

The “Hell, no” Response to Living with A Roommate

Several years ago, I was going through a divorce after many years of marriage. I needed to move out of the place I had known as home for a large chunk of my life. I didn’t know how I was going to afford to do this, nor how I would fare emotionally living on my own.

But the last thing on my mind was living with a roommate. If someone had said, “Hey, why don’t you think about finding a roommate to live with?” my response would most definitely have been, honestly, “Hell, no.”

In my mind, I think I equated the roommate lifestyle with the “before” stage of my life. Before finding the right man. Before getting married. Before having a family and being the queen of my own home. Before really being an adult.

I looked at the roommate lifestyle as going backwards. And I didn’t like that idea.

My Life with A Roommate When I Stopped Saying “Hell, no”

But then a good friend of mine, who’d also gone through a divorce recently but had remained in her home, asked me if I would move in with her for a while. Suddenly, something clicked. Yes, that sounded good. When I had a real person before me, not a cloudy feeling about a roommate with college-level ideas and habits from years gone by, I liked the idea very much.

Both of us were in an “after” stage; we were most definitely not going back to a “before” stage. We were at the same point in our lives – adults, with careers and children and plans going forward – and a part of our lives that had been dashed but that we were working through. We were at the same stage of life and we were compatible friends. Living with her would be good in so many ways.

As it turned out, it was delightful living with my friend and we shared her home for quite some time. I will always be grateful for that time together, for the emotional and financial support that the living arrangement gave me. Mostly, though, I’ll be grateful for all the good memories of living with someone who I enjoyed and who made my home a truly warm and companionable space. It was what I needed and it suited me very well.

My Attitude Toward the Roommate Choice for My Future

Now I’ve entered into a new relationship that is strong and long-lasting, with a man I love and trust, and we live together. I found him through an online dating site as it turned out and that experience clicked something else on in my mind.

If you can find a soul-mate, a genuine and highly compatible love relationship through a reputable dating site, why can’t you find a compatible roommate in the same way?

Roommate-matching sites exist, such as HomeShare, Roomi, Roomster, RoomEasy and so many others. HomeShare caters to older people specifically, who are definitely not looking for a college-style or short-term living arrangement, but rather for forward-thinking, compatible, like-minded people with whom they can share their home for some time.

I don’t plan on my love relationship ever ending. But if for some reason, I do find myself living alone again one day in the future, I know my reaction will be not “Hell, no, I wouldn’t consider living with a roommate,” but rather, “I know I can find a compatible roommate. I don’t want to live alone.”

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Is your reaction to the idea of living with a roommate “Hell, no?” What might change your mind? Having a larger home to share? Knowing that your roommate could be someone whose habits are very much like yours? Thinking about the money you could spend on things like travel if your rent and other household expenses were cut in half? What are your best memories of living with roommates in the past? Please share in the comments.

How often do you want to create improvements to your lifestyle, only to give up because to do so requires you to use technology in a way that you haven’t done before?

Whether you’re looking up a food recipe, listening to music, watching a video, handling your finances online, reading an article, interacting with doctors, or videochatting with a loved one, there are endless ways technology benefits your lifestyle after 60.

Have you taken the time to learn how to harness the power of technology to improve the quality of your life? Or are you in a fierce standoff with it, only using the technologies you are currently familiar with and avoiding anything new?

If you are looking to create new opportunities to enhance your lifestyle and want to overcome any lingering anxieties or feelings of discomfort using technology, this article and video are for you.

This is part of my exclusive series for Sixty and Me readers titled “Life Hacks for Women Over 60.”

Part 1: 10 Essential Life Hacks for Women Over 60

Part 2: How to Use Journaling as a Life Hack

Part 3: 10 Essential Life Hacks for Self-Love and Self-Care

Learning to Demystify Technology

In a world increasingly driven by technology, it’s essential for everyone, particularly women over 60, to engage with digital tools and platforms. The fact that you are reading this article and watching the accompanying video indicates that you are.

But aside from finding your way to Sixty and Me, or occasionally using a social media platform, such as Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube, how engaged are you with new technology?

Learning to use new technology or taking advantage of improvements to technologies that have been around for a while can be a daunting task. But it doesn’t have to be something to fear or avoid.

The key to demystifying technology is not becoming an expert in it. It is getting clear on your innermost desires to improve one or more areas of your lifestyle. Once you know why you want something, and you have a big enough desire to get it, the “how” becomes easy. And in this case, the “how” is technology.

Top 10 Benefits of Technology After 60

If you seek new ways to enhance your life, look no further than embracing new technology. Recent advancements, such as the rollout of AI, staying connected with people, managing health, and pursuing interests you want to learn more about, have never been more fun or easier.

Learning to use smartphones, social media, new AI tools such as ChatGPT, and various apps designed to enhance your lifestyle can not only provide access to a wealth of information and entertainment, but in some cases, they can literally save your life.

Demystifying technology requires baby steps, especially if you have fears of it. No step is more important than taking time to understand the benefits of how and where technology can enhance the quality of your life after 60.

Here are my personal top 10 areas technology can benefit your life after 60:

Breaking Down Technological Barriers

The first step to take in benefiting from technology is overcoming any apprehension, fear, or cynicism of technology. This involves understanding that technology, at its core, is designed to make life easier and more enjoyable.

Staying Connected with Loved Ones

One of the most significant advantages of technology is the ability to stay connected with family and friends, regardless of distance. Social media platforms, video calls, and messaging apps make it possible to maintain relationships and share experiences.

Enhancing Health Management

Technology offers numerous tools for managing your health and wellness. From telemedicine services to fitness tracking apps and online health resources, the digital world provides easy access to health information and support.

Lifelong Learning & Intellectual Stimulation

The internet is a treasure trove of educational resources. Online courses, webinars, tutorials, and AI resources, such as ChatGPT, all provide endless opportunities for developing new skills, pursuing interests, and engaging your mind.

Accessing Entertainment & Hobbies

Technology opens up a vast world of entertainment options, from eBooks and audiobooks to streaming services for music, movies, and TV shows. Online platforms also offer ways to pursue hobbies, such as virtual painting classes, yoga classes, or online gardening communities.

Simplifying Daily Tasks

Various apps and online services can simplify daily tasks that may have once taken a lot of your time. Online shopping, digital banking, and home automation systems offer priceless convenience and reduce the need for physical errands.

Enhancing Personal Safety

Technology also contributes to you and your family’s personal safety. Advanced emergency response apps, GPS tracking, and medical alert systems provide peace of mind, especially for those living alone.

Exploring the World Virtually

Virtual tours and online live cams allow exploration of distant places and cultures from the comfort of home. This is especially valuable for those who want to travel the world but are currently faced with budgetary concerns or mobility limitations.

Building an Online Community

There is no shortage of online opportunities for women over sixty to connect with others who share similar interests or experiences, creating a sense of community and belonging. Sixty and Me is an ideal example of this.

Staying Informed & Empowered

Being tech-savvy takes you beyond traditional news sources, allowing you to stay informed about world events, local news, and topics of personal interest, ensuring a more engaged and empowered life.

Embracing technology is not just about keeping up with the times. It’s about enriching your lifestyle in ways that are meaningful to you.

I invite you to join me in the video, where I will share timely action items and insightful tips for integrating what you are learning.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

What do you use technology for? Have you tried any online classes, virtual tours or webinars? Are there technological advances that scare you?

Does this sound like you? I like my life right where I am. I know there is a lot going on in the world. I keep abreast of it but can’t do much about it all. Inflation has sky-rocketed prices. So I’ve adjusted my spending. Geopolitical and market headlines seem to dominate. I click less and reduce my “news” exposure.

I’m intentionally living in my own bubble for the sake of a healthier mindset and body. It’s not an ostrich approach with my head in the sand, just a healthy focus on the things I can change and enjoy in my own little world.

Real vs Laptop World

I’ve had that conversation with many women over the past several years. None of us in these discussions are psychology experts or pretending that there is concrete research about our bubble approach. We often conclude that there seems to be a laptop world and a real world these days. And choosing to live in the real world might mean focusing our energy and happiness on our own little bubble, despite what the laptop world says is going on around of us.

Morning Rituals

A friend of mine who is a Life Coach, recently spoke to my Health & Financial Wellness for Women group about the value of morning rituals. One researched and healthy aspect of a morning ritual she demonstrated was meditation. To me, meditation is an example of an even smaller bubble, inside of us.

Our Monkey Brain

She called her brain a monkey brain, can’t keep it quiet, always jumping around. I often think of our brains like a squirrel (darting here, there and everywhere) or a shiny penny (look over here, or over here, or over there). Our brains were wired for survival back in the caveman days (to hunt and find food or escape a predator, always on the lookout for the next meal or danger). Today, we don’t need those monkey brain tendencies anymore, but our brains still act the same.

Meditation to the Rescue

She shared that meditation helps us to connect our brain with our heart. We can’t control our brain, but connecting it with our heart (which requires breathing and a quiet body) can help us more intentionally choose our actions. Temporarily creating that internal bubble within us can bring clarity, help us focus, and set the tone for the day.

Self-fulfilling Prophecy

Literally every week, I hear women say things like “I am so bad with money!” or “I am not comfortable making financial decisions” or “I have never been good with finances, I just don’t like dealing with it.” Those sentiments usually stem from childhood and past or current relationships. But I cringe because I truly believe those thoughts and words (usually repeated over and over again) too often become self-fulfilling prophecies. Because they think they are bad with money, those women are bad with money.

The Value of Money

This is another internal bubble opportunity. If you can take just a few minutes to quietly connect your heart and brain with some deep breaths, clarify why you value money. It may be for security, freedom, independence, peace of mind, flexibility, lifestyle choices, or something else. What does money mean to you?

Money Is a Tool

For whatever reason(s) you value money, I encourage your focus to be on using money as a tool. That mindset helps take the emotion out of decision making, encourages automation for long term success, and should provide objectivity instead of guilt.

I Can Do This!

Taking it one day at a time, the idea that money provides freedom, for example, and is a tool to use in your life, could provide an “I can do this” tone to each day instead of the negative self-talk women often have chattering in their brain. We are emotional beings, with two sides to our brains, the emotional and the logical sides. So we need tools to help us not get stuck in the emotional side.

Checklists to the Rescue

That’s where I have seen checklists act like a tool that can be a brain distractor, in a good way, to help us keep moving forward instead of letting our emotions get in the way. Finances are one of the top stressors in life so leveraging money checklists should help us live in our bubble more peacefully. I encourage you to browse my checklists to get started.

Narrow to Three

I read an interesting article the other day about how to successfully use checklists. One suggestion was to limit your list to seven items. Since money can be one of the tougher topics to tackle, no matter how long the list is, I suggest narrowing your next steps to three items.

My Life Event checklists, for example, use a Top 10 approach (the top 10 most important steps to take at this phase in your life). But to avoid overwhelm and still be motivated to get started, it helps to select just three actions that speak to you right now. Accomplishing one of those three means you are already 1/3 of the way toward your goal making it even more likely to tackle the next action item.

Enjoy Being “Doers”

I love that this website offers women actionable education. Whether you choose to live in a bubble or not, right or wrong, I encourage us all to keep learning AND enjoy being “doers”!

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Do you feel like you live in a bubble, intentionally or not? How have you managed your own wellness in this chaotic world? Are you a checklist fan? Let’s have a discussion!

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