Author: HairWeavings Editorial Team

Many of us share common fears as we enter retirement. We fear financial challenges, failing health and feelings of disconnectedness as we grow older. The good news is that there is one strategy which can help us effectively face all three – living with roommates.

Shared housing is an age-old concept that is becoming the latest housing trend. More than a third of Baby Boomers are single and most of those flying solo are female. The reason? Living alone is expensive and simply beyond the reach of many single retirees.

Living alone can also prove to be isolating and lonely. Neighbors don’t necessarily become support systems. Housemates often do. We all have fond memories of watching Blanche, Dorothy, Rose and Sophia bond (for better or worse) on The Golden Girls TV series in the late 1980’s.

Embracing the idea of retirement with roommates opens the door to affordable shared housing options. You’ve done it before (which is why you may be cringing as you think about being in a roommate situation again). Likely you gained something from that experience. Retiring with roommates makes sense on many levels.

The Benefits of Living with Roommates in Retirement

First and foremost, it is cheaper to live with other people. You share housing costs, utilities and often food. If you own a large home, you can offset the cost of maintaining it by taking on roommates. You get to age in place and your roommates gain a more affordable way to live.

There’s something to be said for having friendly faces around instead of empty rooms.

There will be other people to share chores and responsibilities and to provide a helping hand when needed.

It is more likely that someone will be around to help if you take a fall, to notice if you don’t come home or to call 9-1-1 when necessary. This can provide real peace of mind.

There is a sense of security that comes with having roommates – and not just when you hear a noise in the middle of the night. You gain companionship and people to potentially share holidays and special occasions with. Your circle will grow, as you meet the friends and family that roommates bring to the equation. Only you can decide if that is desirable or not.

A sense of community is good for your mind, body and spirit. We need people around us to offer advice or support, provide social interaction, get us out of the house and push us to try new things. Living with other people is one way to create such a valuable support circle.

The Challenges of Living with Others

There are, of course, challenges to living with other people. Collaboration and cooperation are key to a successful house sharing arrangement. People who live together need to maintain healthy boundaries and respect privacy.

Roommates are not surrogate spouses or friends. They are not caregivers, chauffeurs or home health providers. They are your partners in a living arrangement. Perspective is key.

An ability to respect other opinions, religions, world views and lifestyles is essential. Most of us have lived with a roommate at some point in our lives (at camp, college or in the military) and we know how challenging it can be. We’ve also learned from those experiences, and potentially have more to offer (and gain) in a shared housing arrangement as adults.

Making Shared Housing Work

A written (and signed) rental agreement is essential to outline house rules, shared responsibilities for rent, related bills and household chores and to help maintain harmony between housemates. Private and shared spaces in the home should be clearly outlined. Policies regarding visitors, overnight guests and quiet time are important.

Potential roommates should provide references and undergo a background check at minimum, and be introduced to their potential housemates if possible. People who interact well with each other in a social setting are more likely to get along as house partners.

As with many things in life, it’s the ingredients which lead to a successful outcome. The ideal roommates should share some similarities and interests, but also bring unique strengths to the table. Maintaining a home requires many different talents, including cooking, gardening, handyman skills, painting, pet sitting, bookkeeping or working with contractors.

Being able to make a unique contribution to the household will help each housemate feel needed and appreciated, and learning from each other can be a great bonding experience.

We all crave a sense of community in our lives. I write about different ways to “live alone, together” and create shared connections in my book, Retiring Solo.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Can you see yourself living with roommates at this point in your life? What is most appealing about having housemates in retirement? What challenges do you worry about and how could you work to overcome them? Do you have a roommate story to share? Please join the conversation.

As we age, our skin undergoes a myriad of changes that can lead to dryness, loss of elasticity, and an overall dull appearance. While there are countless skincare products and treatments available, one natural remedy that has gained attention is Dead Sea salt and a few drops of your favorite essential oil.

Renowned for its mineral-rich composition, Dead Sea salt has been used for centuries for its therapeutic properties. But how does it specifically benefit aging skin?

The Rich Composition of Dead Sea Salt

Dead Sea salt contains an impressive array of minerals, including magnesium, calcium, potassium, and bromide. These minerals are believed to play a vital role in skin health and function. Unlike regular sea salt, which primarily consists of sodium chloride, Dead Sea salt is packed with nutrients that can enhance skin hydration, improve cell function, and promote overall skin rejuvenation. You can create the perfect DIY by adding a few drops of your favorite essential oils to create the most relaxing bath. 

Hydration Is the Key

One of the primary benefits of Dead Sea salt is its ability to attract and retain moisture in the skin. Aging skin often struggles with moisture retention due to a decrease in natural oils and slower cell turnover. When Dead Sea salt is dissolved in warm water, it creates a saline solution that can help draw moisture into the skin, providing immediate hydration and relief from dryness.

Enhancing Skin Cell Function

Research suggests that the minerals found in Dead Sea salt can improve skin cell function, particularly in aging skin. Magnesium, for instance, is known to reduce inflammation and enhance the skin’s barrier function, which is crucial for maintaining moisture levels and protecting against environmental stressors. Calcium plays a role in cell regeneration, helping to promote healthier skin turnover. This can lead to a more vibrant and youthful appearance.

Detoxification and Healing

Soaking in a bath infused with Dead Sea salt can also aid in detoxification. The minerals can help draw out impurities from the skin, promoting clearer and healthier skin. For those dealing with skin conditions such as Psoriasis, Keratosis pilaris or Eczema, the anti-inflammatory properties of Dead Sea salt can provide soothing relief, reducing redness and irritation.

Incorporating Dead Sea Salt into Your Routine

To reap the benefits of Dead Sea salt for aging skin, consider incorporating it into your skincare routine in various ways:

Soaks and Baths

Add Dead Sea salt to your bathwater for a relaxing soak that hydrates and rejuvenates your skin. Aim for a 15–20-minute soak a few times a week.

Exfoliating Scrubs

Create a DIY scrub by mixing Dead Sea salt with a carrier oil, such as coconut oil or olive oil. Gently exfoliate your skin to remove dead skin cells and promote circulation.

Facial Masks

Combine Dead Sea salt with natural ingredients like honey or yogurt to create a nourishing facial mask that hydrates and revitalizes the skin.

Skincare Products

Look for commercial skincare products that contain Dead Sea salt as an active ingredient. These can include cleansers, scrubs, and moisturizers designed specifically for aging skin.

Conclusion

As the quest for youthful, radiant skin continues, Dead Sea salt emerges as a powerful ally in aging beautifully. Its unique mineral composition not only hydrates and nourishes but also enhances skin cell function, making it a valuable addition to any skincare regimen. Whether through soothing baths, exfoliating treatments, or targeted skincare products, incorporating the power of Dead Sea salt and essential oils can lead to healthier, more resilient skin for those looking to embrace their age with grace and confidence. 

So why not take a dip into the ancient waters of the Dead Sea and unlock the secrets to ageless skin? Your skin deserves it to experience the power of natural minerals that work at cellular level. 

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Have you tried a Dead Sea salt bath? How did it feel on your skin? What benefits have you noticed? Which properties of Dead Sea salt would be most beneficial to you?

We all know that moderation is important, but sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference between a real reason for changing your plan and an excuse that keeps you stuck. That’s where things get tricky.

Here’s an example: You skip your morning workout to get some extra sleep. Or you decide to go out for lunch instead of eating the meal you packed. On the surface, both of these decisions might feel like you’re letting yourself down – but are you? When we look deeper at *why* you made that choice, things start to shift.

If you skipped your workout because your partner was up sick all night and you truly needed rest to function, that’s a thoughtful decision, not an excuse. If you went out for lunch because a good friend – one you rarely see – had a last-minute opening in her schedule, that’s not just blowing off your plan.

This is the gray area where many women get stuck. You want to be flexible, but you also don’t want to let yourself off the hook too often. So how do you know when you’re making a smart, intentional choice versus slipping into patterns that keep you from reaching your goals?

That’s exactly what we’re going to unpack today. By the end of this post, you’ll have the tools to navigate these tricky decisions with confidence.

The 3 Mistakes That Keep You Stuck

Mistake #1: The All-or-Nothing Trap

Perfectionist thinking is one of the biggest roadblocks to long-term success. It’s that little voice in your head that says, If I can’t do it perfectly, why bother at all? This kind of thinking sets you up for failure because it doesn’t leave room for real life – where things don’t always go as planned.

For example, you plan to work out four times this week, but by Wednesday, life gets in the way and you miss two sessions. Instead of picking back up where you left off, you tell yourself the week is already ruined, so you’ll “start fresh” on Monday. Or you eat something off-plan at lunch and decide you might as well indulge for the rest of the day.

Mistake #2: Using “Self-Care” as a Justification

Self-care is important – but not when it becomes a cover for avoiding the things that actually help you feel better in the long run. True self-care means listening to your body, but it also means being honest with yourself about whether your choices are helping or hurting you.

For example, skipping a workout to rest after a sleepless night is a smart, intentional choice. But skipping workouts for a week straight, telling yourself you need the break, might be avoidance disguised as self-care. Similarly, enjoying a bowl of ice cream after a stressful day can be part of a balanced life – but if you’re regularly using food to numb emotions, it’s no longer about self-care.

Mistake #3: Saying “It Doesn’t Matter”

We’ve all said it before – It doesn’t matter. A handful of chocolate-covered almonds here, skipping a workout there, or grabbing takeout instead of cooking just this once. In isolation, these small choices seem harmless. But when repeated regularly, they shape habits that impact your long-term health.

For example, one square of chocolate absolutely won’t derail your progress. But if you mindlessly eat them every night while watching TV, that habit adds up. The same goes for skipping a workout – one rest day isn’t a problem, but if “I’ll do it tomorrow” becomes a pattern, your consistency suffers.

Progress isn’t built on any one decision – it’s built on patterns. Instead of thinking, Does this one choice matter? ask yourself, If I keep making this choice over and over, where will it lead me? The small things you do daily are what truly shape your results.

3 Ways to Tell If You’re Making a Smart Choice or an Excuse

1. Two Questions to Ask Yourself

When you’re faced with a decision – whether to skip a workout, grab an extra snack, or say yes to another glass of wine – pause and ask yourself:

What Would I Do If I Loved Myself?
This question shifts your focus from guilt and self-judgment to self-compassion. Loving yourself doesn’t mean letting yourself off the hook every time something feels hard. It means making choices that truly support your well-being. If you’re exhausted, self-love might mean resting. If you’re just unmotivated, self-love might mean pushing through and moving your body anyway.

How Do I Want to Show Up in This Relationship?
Whether it’s your relationship with yourself, your future self, or as an example for your family, this question helps you align with your values. If you want to model a healthy lifestyle for your kids or grandkids, your choices should reflect that.

These two questions help override knee-jerk justifications and guide you toward choices rooted in self-respect.

2. Consider the Long-Term Impact of Your Choice

When making a decision, ask yourself: Am I choosing based on how I feel right now, or how I want to feel tomorrow?

It’s easy to prioritize short-term comfort – skipping a workout because you’re tired, grabbing takeout instead of cooking, or scrolling on your phone instead of getting to bed on time. But these choices don’t just affect today; they create patterns that shape your future.

For example, skipping meal prep might not seem like a big deal in the moment, but when the week gets busy, you’ll likely end up making poor food choices because you don’t have anything healthy ready. One missed prep session turns into a week of frustration.

By pausing to consider how today’s choices impact your future self, you shift from reacting to your emotions to making intentional, mindful decisions that support your long-term success. Small choices, repeated consistently, create real results.

3. Notice How You Feel After the Decision

One of the best ways to tell if you’ve made a valid choice or just given yourself an excuse is to check in with how you feel afterward.

If you feel guilt, regret, or frustration, you may have made an excuse – something that felt good in the moment but doesn’t align with your goals. For example, skipping a workout just because you didn’t feel like it might bring short-term relief but leave you disappointed later.

On the other hand, if you feel peace and confidence, it’s likely a well-thought-out decision. Skipping a workout because your body truly needed rest or saying no to dessert because you didn’t really want it? Those are choices made from self-respect, not restriction.

Building self-trust comes from making decisions you can stand behind. Pay attention to your emotions after each choice – they’re the best indicator of whether you’re honoring your goals or holding yourself back.

Reasons vs. Excuses

The difference between making a thoughtful decision and falling for an excuse isn’t always obvious in the moment. But when you take a step back, the patterns become clear. Small, intentional choices – made consistently – are what lead to lasting progress.

If you want to break free from the all-or-nothing mindset, stop using self-care as a way to avoid effort, and stop telling yourself “It doesn’t matter,” start by asking better questions. What would I do if I loved myself? How do I want to show up in my life and for my loved ones? Consider how today’s choices impact your future self and pay attention to how you feel afterward.

If you’re ready to create real, lasting change, download my free guide: 8 Basic Habits That Healthy People Do. It’s your first step toward building consistency, self-trust, and a healthier, more empowered life.

What’s one area where you’ve been making excuses instead of decisions that support your goals? What steps have you taken toward making healthy decisions?

She’s having fun on the stage with her heels!

After 60 many of us live alone, and not always by choice. In my work as a health coach many women share that the hardest time of day is the dinner hour, because it just doesn’t feel so good to sit alone at the table.

Because I value the power of nutrition to energize us, especially in our later years, I work hard at convincing these women that a cheap frozen dinner, a box of take-out or a bag of popcorn will not support their goal of living a long and healthy life. And besides, we all deserve better than that.

We would never serve a paltry meal to a guest so why should we serve it to ourselves? Alternatively, eating out is expensive, can feel lonely, and doesn’t tell you much about the quality of the food you’re eating.

One Bunch of Smart Women

This past weekend I was invited to meet with a group of women who look for many ways to make food and the environment cleaner. These women are smart and expressive in stating their goals for health and wellness.

However, some of them also believed that cooking a highly nutritious meal took a lot of time and was expensive.

At the start of our gathering the host updated the guests on the latest findings on cookware and the dangerous compounds in Teflon coatings. Consensus was stainless steel, cast iron, and tempered glass are the best for cooking.

I was asked to share some of the key topics in my book, Food Becomes You – Simple Steps for Lifelong Wellness.

In the book, I provide shopping lists, stories of people who improved their health when they changed their food (including me), along with menu plans and many recipes. The book is conversational in tone and easy to follow.

From there, this group of 10 headed for the kitchen. I had planned a meal in advance for them, but wanted the prep to be a shared experience so everyone could see how simple it really is to prepare a nutritious meal.

Two women chopped up parsnips while another put them in a pot to boil; another took the 10 pieces of salmon out of its 30-minute soak in a marinade of liquid aminos, ginger, garlic, and honey and placed them on a baking sheet.

One rinsed baby spinach as another heated up a steaming pot. Yet another cut up apples that were to be baked for dessert.

There was chatter, story-telling about meal planning, and a great sense of camaraderie in the kitchen as the food was cooking. In the end, we drained the vegetables and whipped up the parsnips with some nutmeg, garlic, and butter. Then it was time to eat.

This delicious, nutritious meal contained a bitter green and a sweet vegetable along with omega-3 rich seafood and organic wine. What it also contained was a sense of communion with women who know the value of quality food and the shared experience of preparing it.

The cost for everything was $15 per person. I mention the cost only to show you it is easy to eat healthy on a budget and far less than a restaurant meal.

What Do You Do to Make Mealtime Pleasant?

Back to being alone after 60. If this is hard for you and keeps you from preparing a good meal for yourself, reach out to neighbors, friends, or family if they are nearby and plan some meals together.

Taking turns hosting gives us all a reason to tidy up and bring life and energy into our kitchens. You can prepare everything yourself or make it a shared experience like we did.

The physical act of eating is only one part of the experience of nourishing yourself; sharing this sacred experience with others gives you time to savor the tastes and aromas circling around your table. If you need some new recipes, check out a few of my favorite gems here.

Let’s Talk About It:

What would it take for you to cook more and eat out less? Have you tried shared meals with friends? Please join the conversation!