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Originally posted at: Dorit Kemsley’s Red Knotted Tank Top

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Originally posted at: Kyle Richards’ Green Reading Glasses

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We love the idea of reinvention.

It sounds bold.
Empowering.
Almost glamorous.

New chapter.
New purpose.
New clarity.

But no one tells you how quiet reinvention really is.

Especially after 60.

How Reinvention Starts

Reinvention doesn’t usually begin with applause.
It begins with discomfort.

It begins when you notice something no longer fits – your routine, your relationships, your role, your expectations.

You look at your life and think: This can’t be all there is.

And that thought – as honest as it is – can feel isolating. Because not everyone around you is asking the same questions.

We’re Not All the Same or on the Same Path

Some people are comfortable maintaining the status quo. Some friendships were built around shared survival seasons – raising children, managing careers, navigating marriage.

When you begin reaching for something deeper, something more aligned, you may feel subtle resistance.

Not hostility.

Just distance.

Growth rearranges relationships. When you change, dynamics shift.

The friend who bonded with you over complaint may not know how to connect with you in hope. The community built around busyness may feel foreign when you begin craving intentionality.

It Begins with Solitude

Reinvention often requires solitude before it creates alignment. That solitude can feel like loneliness. But it is important to distinguish between the two.

Loneliness says, “No one sees me.”

Solitude says, “I am becoming someone new.”

In midlife, reinvention usually involves shedding.

Shedding borrowed expectations.
Shedding outdated identities.
Shedding roles that were never meant to last forever.

And shedding is rarely comfortable.

Half In – Half Out

There is a hallway season in every reinvention.

You have stepped out of who you were.
But you haven’t fully stepped into who you are becoming.

Hallways are transitional.

You don’t decorate them.
You pass through them.

But when you’re standing in one, it can feel endless.

You may question yourself:

Was it foolish to want more?
Should I have just stayed content?
Why does this feel so lonely?

Because transformation is deeply personal. And not everyone has the courage to undergo it at the same time.

Loneliness Isn’t Permanent

But here is what I want you to understand: The loneliness of reinvention is temporary.

The clarity that comes from it is lasting.

When you allow yourself to sit in the questions –

What matters now?
What feels true?
What am I done pretending about?

– you begin building a life rooted in integrity instead of expectation.

And integrity attracts new alignment.

You Can Build New Relationships

New friendships form around authenticity.
New opportunities appear when you stop shrinking.

The woman you are becoming may require different rooms.

Different conversations.
Different rhythms.

That is not betrayal of your past.

It is evolution.

You are not behind.
You are not selfish.
You are not restless for no reason.

You are unfolding.

You Are Becoming

Reinvention after 60 is not about erasing who you’ve been. It is about integrating her and expanding beyond her.

Yes, it may feel lonely at first. But loneliness is often the signal that you are no longer willing to live unconsciously.

And that is strength.

Do not panic in the hallway. Keep walking. The door you are headed toward is wider than the one you left.

Loneliness isn’t proof you’re lost.
It’s proof you’re evolving.

If you’re standing in that hallway season right now, you are not alone here. Reinvention is brave work – and you are capable of it.

Let’s Discuss:

In what ways are you becoming someone new? Who are you in the hallway season and where are you headed?

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Originally posted at: Molly O’Connell’s Olive Ribbed Henley Top

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I spent much of last year in a reading rut, and I couldn’t understand why. It seems like book recommendations are everywhere; podcasts, Facebook posts, and the viral ‘bookstgrammers’ I like to follow have no shortage of suggestions for me. 

At first I thought it was a matter of ‘getting organized’. I started a Google sheet to add titles every time something that looked interesting crossed my path. But later, I could not remember anything about the books on the list or why I added them. Choosing my next book started feeling like a job, not a hobby. 

Looking in the Library and Book Stores

Before the internet, I found books by browsing at the library, but often I was picking up books by a handful of authors I knew I liked, rarely venturing outside that comfort zone. While the library is still my first stop to pick up a book I want to read, returning to aimlessly browsing the shelves seemed like an inefficient way to find something fresh. 

While I love the convenience of putting a book on hold through my library’s website or app, reading the descriptions there is not always helpful. 

I turn to a third-party site, like Amazon, Goodreads, or Bookshop.org to dig deeper and vet the books that pique my interest. But then I must take another step to see if my local library has it available. Often it was easier to click that book into my cart and purchase it. But then it’s even harder to abandon a book you’ve paid for if it doesn’t fit. I needed one place to discover books AND borrow them easily.

The Library Extension

Then I found a Chrome browser extension called “Library” that changed everything. The Library extension works seamlessly with Amazon, Goodreads, and Bookshop.org to show me if a book I’m looking at is available at the library, without switching tabs. This not only saves me from impulse purchasing books I might not enjoy, but also saves a ton of time. It has become my favorite way to manage my reading list. 

When I click on a specific book on a third-party site, the library extension loads on the far right side of the screen and shows if my library has a copy of the book, what format the book is in, and whether or not the book is available to check out. If I want to place a hold, one click takes me right to my library page where I can do that. 

My Current Go-To Place

Lately my favorite place to browse is Bookshop.org. This site is an online bookstore created specifically to support independent bookstores.

Instead of all your purchases feeding a massive corporation, Bookshop shares profits with local bookshops across the country, helping keep small community stores alive. You still get detailed book descriptions, reviews, curated lists, and easy online ordering – but with the added benefit of knowing your money is supporting real bookstores and real readers.

It’s a great alternative to Amazon if you enjoy discovering books thoughtfully and want your reading habit to have a positive impact.

Choosing Books for My Specific Needs and Likes

Once borrowing books became easier, I realized I still had a reading problem I needed to solve. The library extension fixed my access problem. But making a good book choice still felt heavy. I sometimes struggled to choose books that matched what I felt like reading at that moment.

I need more than ‘a good book recommendation’. Mood matters to me; sometimes I want to read something comforting and escaping, other times I’m up for more of a challenge. A book can be great, but not right for every moment. Discerning this takes some thoughtful energy, and it can be a bit much when all I want to do is dive into a good read. 

This led me to build a simple tool that helps me describe what kind of book I’m in the mood for and then suggests titles that fit. It works alongside the library extension, giving me solid recommendations to explore online. If you’re a reader like me who wants the entire process of choosing books to feel easier again, I made this for you. It helps narrow your choices and reduces overwhelm so you can focus on reading, not finding something to read. 

If you’d like to try it, I’ve made the tool available free here: https://friendsover50.com/tools/find-your-next-great-read/.

It also includes access to a free reading tracker and a quick video showing how to install the Library Chrome extension.

In Conclusion

When reading started to feel like too much ‘work’ was involved, I knew something needed to change. A few tools helped make it much lighter. As my reading tastes continue to evolve, I’m confident I’ll be able to easily choose and find the right books quickly and get back to a hobby I’ve enjoyed since childhood. At this stage of life, I want reading to feel less like another thing to manage and more like the simple pleasure it used to be.

Let’s Chat:

Where do you get book recommendations from? Have your reading tastes evolved? Do you find it more difficult to look up and choose books?

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Originally posted at: Salley Carson’s Denim Strapless Buckle Dress

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Most women don’t wake up one morning in midlife and think, “I don’t love my husband anymore.” What they notice instead is quieter and much more unsettling.

The conversations are shorter. The silence is longer. You still function well as a team – bills get paid, holidays happen, routines keep moving along – but something essential is missing, and the relationship feels… thinner.

You’re not fighting, so that’s not it, but you’re not dreaming together either. You’re just living parallel lives under the same roof.

This is midlife drift. And it catches far more couples off guard than outright conflict ever does.

For many women in midlife and beyond, the biggest surprise isn’t that something feels off – it’s how quietly it happened.

There was no betrayal, no explosion of problems, not even a midlife crisis to blame. Just a slow widening of space that no one noticed until it feels too big to ignore.

How Couples Drift Apart Without Realizing It

Drift in a relationship doesn’t announce itself. It sneaks in while you’re busy building your lives and doing what you normally do.

Why?

Because many marriages run on autopilot, partly out of necessity, for decades. You’ve been busy raising children, managing jobs and keeping your household afloat. You divide labor, share the responsibilities, and the exhaustion.

You may even have regular (often formulaic and boring) sex, although physical intimacy in these years often takes a back seat.

But then midlife hits, and the scaffolding that supported your relationship starts to come down.

• Children leave or become less dependent
• Careers stabilize or wind down
• Aging parents may demand attention
• Health changes appear

The roles that previously defined daily life begin to loosen, and suddenly, there’s space where structure used to be.

That space can feel liberating and like a new start, but it can also be incredibly disorienting for your relationship.

Many women discover that the marriage they relied on was built more around logistics than emotional connection. It worked well for that season. But now, without the constant distractions, what’s left is unfamiliar.

What makes this especially jarring is that nothing is technically wrong.

Your husband may be kind, dependable, and loyal. You may still care deeply for him. And yet, you feel lonely in ways you can’t quite explain.

That disconnect – feeling lonely despite being married and having a partner – is often the key early warning sign of midlife drift.

Why Midlife Drift Is Different Than Early Relationship Problems

Drifting apart in midlife isn’t the same as the distance that can grow in younger relationships and treating it that way often makes things worse.

When you’re younger, relationship problems usually revolve around building careers, families, finances, and identities. There’s a clear trajectory, and even the conflict feels like it has forward momentum.

Midlife isn’t like that. It’s reckoning, not building.

At this stage of life, many women start asking themselves questions like:

• Who am I now that I don’t HAVE to be something specific to someone?
• What do I want the rest of my life to feel like?
• What’s next for me?

These questions aren’t about dissatisfaction as much as awareness, and the answers can feel big, daunting, and elusive all at the same time.

Meanwhile, men go through their own internal shifts around retirement anxiety, health concerns, loss of purpose and desire for predictability.

Both people are changing, but often in different directions and at different speeds.

That mismatch can create confusion and distance.

What makes midlife drift particularly painful is the depth of your mutual history. This isn’t a relationship you can casually walk away from or reinvent overnight. And for most women (and men), that’s not what they want to do anyway. They just want things to feel right, even if they can’t explain what “right” feels like.

The Emotional Impact of Inaction

Many women just accept this phase. Since there’s no handbook, they just assume that this is what things are supposed to feel like now. Why rock what’s been a stable and reliable boat at this stage of life?

To do so feels selfish. After all, he didn’t do anything wrong and other women have it worse. We’ve made it this far – why stir things up now?

So, many women stay silent, minimize, explain, and adapt.

But this approach comes with a cost.

Over time, this can lead to women feeling increasingly invisible. They stop seeking happiness, fulfillment, emotional intimacy, and connection. While this quiet resignation may keep the peace, it often comes at the expense of vitality, excitement, enjoyment, and a sense of being alive.

They just kind of disappear into a life that looks fine from the outside, while they know, on the inside, they wish there was more.

Midlife drift doesn’t usually resolve itself on its own. Without attention, it tends to deepen, not often dramatically, but steadily. And the longer it goes unaddressed, the harder it becomes to fix.

What Can Be Done When You’ve Drifted Apart

Addressing midlife drift doesn’t require blowing up your marriage. But it does require honesty, especially with yourself.

The first step is realizing that wanting more isn’t selfish or betrayal. Seeking more connection, depth, or intimacy doesn’t mean you’re ungrateful or disloyal, or that you want someone else. It means you’re being attentive to your inner self and life.

From there, gentle but real conversations need to happen.

Not accusations or ultimatums, but truths.

Conversations that sound like,

• “I miss feeling close to you.”
• “I feel lonely sometimes, even though we’re together.”
• “I think we’ve both changed, and I don’t want to ignore that.”

These are vulnerable statements, and they can be frightening to say, especially if you’re not sure how your husband will respond.

Some men feel confused or defensive. Others feel relieved that the silence has been broken. These reactions are normal and can be the beginning of learning how differently you each feel things and the start toward bridging the gap.

In many cases, outside support helps. A marriage counselor familiar with midlife relationships and transitions can provide language, perspective, and safety when conversations feel too heavy to hold alone.

The important thing is to resist complacency and reinitiate momentum.

Midlife drift often coincides with women realizing they’ve postponed parts of their identity for years.

Reconnecting with friends, your creativity, or purpose outside your marriage can actually bring more life into the relationship and inspire your husband to do the same.

When women feel more alive, they show up differently and are less resentful, more grounded, and clearer about what they want. Those are attractive, inspirational, and life-affirming qualities.

A Final Word

Midlife drift isn’t falling out of love or a failure. It’s a sign of transition.

This stage of life requires you to ask different questions than earlier chapters did and necessitates honesty over habit.

For women who’ve spent years holding things together, midlife can be the first time they check in on themselves and ask if everything they thought they felt still feels true and what they want the next chapter to hold.

The answers to those questions don’t have to be set in stone and can (and should) evolve as needed. Husbands can be involved and solutions will likely include compromises, as so much of marriage does. But they do deserve to be asked.

Let’s Start the Conversation:

Have you experienced midlife drift in your relationship? Have you and your husband successfully navigated the drift, or do you still have questions? Share your story and join the conversation.

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Do you go through cooking fatigue? Are there days when cooking dinner is the last thing you want to do? Did you know that you can plan a batch-cooking session and freeze meals that are ready to reheat and eat in minutes? If you prefer home-cooked meals to delivery, batch cooking is an excellent idea. Let’s take a look at some tips for easy meals when you don’t feel like cooking.

What Is Batch Cooking

Batch cooking means planning a cooking session in larger quantities and storing them for later. Instead of cooking meals every day, you prep and cook many at once, then freeze them. This saves time and reduces cleanup. 

Batch cooking is especially useful when you are expecting visitors, you will be returning from traveling, or you simply don’t feel like cooking every day. 

Which Foods Freeze Best

Not all foods freeze well. Foods with high water content, like lettuce, cucumbers, and raw potatoes, don’t freeze very well. 

Here are some meals that are great for batch cooking ideas:

• Soups
• Stews
• Chilis
• Pasta sauce
• Casseroles and baked dishes

Read more: It’s Winter Soup Time! 3 Hearty Recipes, You’ll Love!

How to Plan a Batch Cook Session

When you plan a batch-cooking session, try to include a few recipes that use several of the same ingredients. Reserve a few hours to prepare your batch-cooking from start to finish. Prep and cook all recipes back-to-back. Cool in portions, either for 1 or 2 meals. You can keep whatever you will eat over the next 2-3 days and freeze the rest.

Read more: Batch cooking recipes from Good Food.

How to Portion

If you live alone, freezing single-serve portions is the best option. Remember, smaller portions defrost faster. Label each portion with the meal name and the date that it was cooked and put in the freezer.

Best Containers for Batch Cooking

Containers are important for keeping your frozen meals fresh and preventing freezer burn. 

Here are good options:

• BPA-free freezer-safe plastic containers.
• Glass containers with tight lids.
• Silicone freezer trays.
• Heavy-duty freezer bags.

Rubbermaid Brilliance Glass Food Storage Containers

Amazon Basics Reclosable Freezer Quart Bags, BPA Free

How Long Can Batch Cooking Keep in the Freezer

Most meals are best eaten within 2-3 months of freezing. They can last longer, but will lose flavor and texture over time. 

Tip: Keep an inventory list of your batch-cooked meals to make sure you know what is in your freezer and when to eat them. 

Reheating Tips

Here are some tips when reheating your batch-cooked meals:

• Thaw overnight if possible.
• Reheat soups and sauces on the stovetop.
• Cover containers (not airtight) when microwaving to retain moisture.
• Add herbs or cheese to refresh the taste of the meals. 

Read more: Easy Dinner Recipes That Can Last a Second or Third Day.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Do you batch cook and freeze? What are your favorite meals to batch cook? Do you have any suggestions to share? Do you feel inspired to start batch cooking and freezing? Tell us about it in the comments below. 

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Photo + ID: @madisonlecroy Stylish: @modestoo

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Originally posted at: Madison LeCroys Black Keyhole Long Sleeve Mini Dress

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Originally posted at: Ciara Miller’s Burgundy Mesh Feather Top

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Originally posted at: Amanda Batula’s Red Striped Sweater and Cat Eye Sunglasses

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In recent years, reports of financial scams have increased dramatically. What once may have looked like an obvious attempt at fraud has evolved into something far more convincing – and far more difficult to detect. We hear about these schemes not only in the news, but directly from our own clients, some of whom have encountered suspicious emails, phone calls, or text messages that appear legitimate at first glance.

As technology continues to advance, especially with the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and more sophisticated communication tools, scammers are becoming better at impersonation, urgency, and psychological pressure. One of the most effective ways to protect yourself and your financial information is by staying informed. That’s the goal of this article.

As part of our ongoing commitment to education and consumer protection, we want to walk through some of the most common scams we are seeing today, how to recognize warning signs, and detail some practical steps you can take to safeguard your personal and financial data.

Why Scams Are Becoming More Convincing

Scammers no longer rely solely on poorly written emails or clearly fake phone calls. Today’s fraud attempts often include:

• Real company names and branding.
• Email addresses that closely resemble legitimate domains.
• Caller ID spoofing that displays familiar phone numbers.
• Messages crafted to create a sense of urgency, fear, or confusion.

The common financial scams of today often even reference real institutions, real employees, or real current events which add credibility to their outreach attempts. The goal is almost always the same: to trick someone into revealing sensitive information or sending money before they have time to think or verify the request.

Understanding how common financial scams typically operate is the first step toward protecting yourself.

Common Types of Scams to Watch for

1. Phishing Emails

What they often look like:

Phishing emails are designed to appear as though they come from trusted organizations – such as banks, government agencies, or well-known financial institutions like Vanguard, Charles Schwab, Fidelity, Bank of America, etc. These messages often claim there is a problem with your account or that immediate action is required.

Common examples include:

• Notices of “unusual activity”
• Alerts about late payments or account restrictions
• Requests to confirm or “verify” your information

While the email may look legitimate, the sender’s address or embedded links often contain subtle irregularities.

Red flags to watch for:

• Requests for personal or financial information
• Urgent or threatening language (e.g., “Your account will be closed today”)
• Unexpected attachments
• Slight misspellings or extra characters in email addresses or links

Legitimate financial institutions do not make unsolicited requests for sensitive information via email.

2. Phone Scams (“Vishing”)

What they often look like:

Phone scams involve callers claiming to represent entities such as the IRS, the Social Security Administration, tech support providers, or financial institutions. These calls may sound professional and confident, and in some cases, the caller ID may even display a familiar name or number.

Common tactics include:

• Requests for Social Security numbers or account details
• Instructions to make payments via wire transfer or gift cards
• Claims that immediate action is required to avoid penalties or account suspension

Red flags to watch for:

• High-pressure tactics or aggressive tone
• Threats of arrest, legal action, or frozen accounts
• Requests for payment methods that legitimate institutions do not use
• Caller ID spoofing that masks the true source of the call

Recently, we have also seen an increase in scams originating on social media platforms, including messages that appear to come from real U.S.-based law firms threatening legal action over alleged intellectual property violations. These messages are designed to intimidate recipients into responding quickly without verifying their legitimacy.

3. Text Message Scams (“Smishing”)

What they often look like:

Text message scams frequently involve short messages that include suspicious links and claims of urgency. These texts may reference package deliveries, account verification codes, or maintenance requests you did not initiate.

Common examples include:

• “Your package is delayed—click here to update delivery details”
• “Unusual activity detected—verify your account now”
• Messages claiming you’ve won a prize or giveaway

Red flags to watch for:

• Shortened or unfamiliar URLs
• Requests to click a link to “fix” or “update” an account
• Messages referencing transactions or contests you never entered

If you were not expecting the message, it is best to avoid clicking any links and verify the situation independently.

Practical Steps to Protect from Common Financial Scams

While scams may be becoming more sophisticated, there are still effective ways to reduce your risk. Here are a few tips.

Be Cautious with Unsolicited Contact

If someone reaches out unexpectedly, pause and verify the request through a trusted source. Use official websites or phone numbers you already have on file or that you can easily find on Google – rather than the contact information provided in the message itself.

Never Share Sensitive Information

Be extra wary when sharing personal or financial details via email, text, or phone – especially if you didn’t initiate the interaction. Financial institutions like Bank of America, Charles Schwab, or Fidelity will not spontaneously contact you to request sensitive information.

As it relates to financial institutions, we ask our clients to view us as a firewall – an extra protection as it relates to the flow of your information, as we daily work such institutions and thus can quickly spot an illegitimate contact attempt.

Inspect Links Before Clicking

Many major email service providers allow you to hover over links in emails to see the location the link actually will send you to. This allows you, before clicking the link, to confirm that the destination URL is legitimate and matches what the visible link text is representing.

Here’s a quick example for clarification. If I embedded a link in the following phrase “click here to access our budget worksheet!”, you would rightly expect that link to take you to our website, not another unrelated destination. If you hover over that link (usually blue text), you will see that it is accurately represented. That link takes you right to where you would expect it to.

Enable Multi-Factor Authentication

Consider using multi-factor authentication on financial accounts. This adds an additional layer of security beyond just a password.

Use Strong, Unique Passwords

Avoid reusing passwords across multiple accounts. Strong, unique passwords – updated regularly – can significantly reduce your exposure.

Ignore Pressure Tactics

Legitimate companies and government agencies do not demand immediate action or payment over the phone or via text. Urgency is a common tactic used to prevent you from verifying the request.

When our clients encounter any communication that raises concerns, we encourage them to contact our office. We are always here to help you evaluate the situation and protect your financial well-being. If you have a financial advisor yourself, you can do the same – they’d likely be happy to assist you in ensuring the legitimacy (or otherwise) of such outreaches.

How to Identify Legitimate vs. Scam Email Addresses

One of the most effective ways to spot a scam is by closely examining the sender’s email address. Here are some tips using a breakdown and comparison of how to differentiate between legitimate and illegitimate emails, using Charles Schwab simply as the example, but the same principles apply to any financial institution.

Legitimate Email Address Examples

Legitimate emails typically come from verified company domains and follow consistent formatting:

• clientservices@schwab.com
• notifications@schwab.com
• support@schwab.com
• no-reply@schwab.com

Key characteristics of legitimate emails:

• The domain ends in @schwab.com
• No extra words, numbers, or misspellings
• Clean, professional naming structure

Scam or Suspicious Email Address Examples

Scammers often create email addresses that closely resemble real domains but include subtle errors:

• clientservices@schwab-support.com
• security@schwabverify.com
• account.alerts@schwabb.com (extra “b”)
• no-reply@schwab.com.secure-login.net
• support@schwab-accountverify.co
• schwab.alerts@secure-mail247.com

Common red flags include:

• Extra words added to the domain (e.g., support, verify, secure)
• Misspellings (e.g., schwabb, schawb)
• Suspicious domain endings such as .co, .info, or .net
• Long, complex addresses with multiple dots

In this example, if the email does not end exactly in @schwab.com, it should be treated with caution.

A Final Word on Keeping Your Information Secure

We encourage you to save or print this article so you can reference it in the future. Even a quick refresher can make a meaningful difference when something doesn’t feel quite right.

We encourage our clients, if ever they receive an email, call, or message – whether from us, one of our affiliates, or another financial institution – and are unsure about its legitimacy, to feel free to forward it to our office. We are always happy to take a second look.

At The Ivy League Advisory Group we know that protecting our clients’ financial information is an ongoing effort, and we remain committed to working alongside you to help ensure your personal and financial security.

If you or a loved one is interested in working with a specialized retirement plan designer BOOK A TIME HERE.

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What scams have you encountered in recent years? How did you recognize them? Do you keep updated on the latest scam tactics?

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