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A woman once told me something I hear often, but rarely so honestly:

“I want to enjoy my retirement… but every time I spend money, part of me wonders if I should be saving it for my children instead.”

She wasn’t being pressured by her family. Her children had never asked for anything. Still, she carried a quiet belief many women hold: Good parents leave something behind.

And yet, she also knew something else to be true: she had worked hard for decades, saved responsibly, and wanted to enjoy the life she had built.

That tension is one many retirees quietly wrestle with:

How do you balance living well now with leaving a meaningful legacy later?

The answer isn’t the same for everyone. But asking the question thoughtfully can bring tremendous clarity.

Why This Feels So Emotional

Legacy decisions are rarely just about money. They’re about love, responsibility, values, family expectations and personal identity. For many women, leaving money behind feels like one final way to care for the people they love.

At the same time, using your money to support your own comfort, joy, and security in retirement is not selfish; it’s part of what that money was for.

Balancing those two truths can be challenging.

Redefining What Legacy Really Means

Many people automatically think of legacy as money left behind. But legacy can also include:

• The example you set through how you live.
• The memories you create with loved ones.
• The emotional and practical support you provide during life.
• The financial stress you avoid placing on family later.

Sometimes, living well and planning thoughtfully can be as meaningful a legacy as leaving an inheritance.

“Legacy isn’t only what you leave behind it’s also the example you set in how you live.”

The Reality: Your Retirement Matters Too

One of the most important truths to remember is this: Your retirement is not a waiting room. You are not simply preserving assets until someday. You are living your life now.

That means it’s reasonable and healthy to use your resources to:

• Improve your quality of life,
• Reduce stress,
• Support your independence,
• Create meaningful experiences,
• Address your own needs as they evolve.

Enjoying your retirement does not mean you don’t care about your family. It means you recognize your needs matter too.

A Helpful Framework for Finding Balance

If you’re unsure where to draw the line, consider asking yourself:

1. Have I Secured My Own Needs First?

Before focusing heavily on inheritance goals, make sure your own retirement plan supports:

• Essential living expenses
• Healthcare / future care needs
• Emergency reserves
• Reasonable lifestyle flexibility

Protecting your own financial security is often one of the greatest gifts you can give your family.

2. What Matters Most to Me Emotionally?

Ask yourself honestly:

• Is leaving money behind deeply important to me? Or do I feel obligated because I think I “should”?
• Would I rather help family now while I can see the impact?
• Would I rather prioritize my own experiences and security?

There are no wrong answers only personal ones.

3. What Does “Enough” Look Like?

Legacy planning doesn’t have to be all or nothing. Many women find peace in setting a broad intention such as:

• “If funds remain after my needs are met, wonderful.”
• “I want to preserve a certain amount if reasonably possible.”
• “I prefer to prioritize living fully and let the rest fall where it may.”

That middle ground often reduces unnecessary guilt.

Sometimes the Greatest Legacy Is Not Financial

Many adult children would rather know their parents:

• Felt secure
• Enjoyed their retirement
• Traveled, explored, and experienced life
• Maintained independence
• Avoided unnecessary financial stress

In fact, many say: “I’d rather my parents use their money than deny themselves on my behalf.”

That may be worth remembering.

A Gentle Reflection Checklist

If this is something you’re wrestling with, consider asking:

• Am I holding back out of love or guilt?
• Do my children actually expect an inheritance?
• Have I discussed expectations openly with them?
• What would bring me greater peace: preserving more, or enjoying more?
• What kind of legacy do I truly want to leave?

Clarity often begins with questions like these.

The Goal Isn’t Perfection It’s Alignment

There is no universal formula for balancing legacy and lifestyle. The goal isn’t to maximize every dollar. It’s to make decisions that reflect your values, priorities, relationships and vision for retirement.

When your financial choices align with what matters most to you, they tend to feel much lighter.

Final Thoughts

Living fully and leaving something behind are not mutually exclusive.

For many women, the most satisfying path lies somewhere in the middle, enjoying the life they worked hard to build while thoughtfully preserving what they can.

And if that balance shifts over time, that’s okay too. Because ultimately, the most meaningful legacy may not be the amount you leave behind… It may be the example you set by living your life with intention, confidence, and grace.

Let’s Discuss:

What legacy have you build for yourself? Do you wish to leave something particular to your heirs? Would you say financial legacy is important to you – or less important than intimate relationship?

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I am someone who loves quotes. Saving them has changed over the years along with changes in my life and technology. I used to cut them out of magazines and paste them in a scrapbook, then I printed them out and added them to journals. When I started teaching, I would start each class with a PowerPoint slide highlighting “The Quote of the Day”, and now I screenshot them and add them to a photo collection on my phone!  

In the past few years, I have created a book of my favorite quotes written in my very best handwriting, which, I admit, is not as pretty as it used to be, to comfort myself through life and the aging process.

The Firsts and the Lasts

Many quotes are in my head, seared into my memory, and some of them seem new each time I read them (which is somewhat concerning, but I choose to overlook it). One particularly meaningful quote was cut out from a magazine when my children were young and the days seemed to all look the same; it was by Sarah Jessica Parker who said “The firsts go away – first love, first baby, first kiss. You have to create new ones.” This seemed very important to me at the time, and now it is, maybe, more so.

As we enter our 60s and 70s, many of us have had MANY firsts and MANY lasts, some joyful and some painful. Knowing that aging brings its share of last experiences, I decided to spend my time and energy on creating more firsts for myself. I see firsts as providing me something to grow from, learn from, and look forward to. I started the One New Thing project in 2024.

Now, in my third year of challenging myself to do one new thing each week which I document with a picture and description in the Notes section of my phone, I have discovered more about myself by looking back at what I chose to do new each week. Here’s what I learned:

Not Every New Thing Is Planned

Some New Things are planned, sometimes they just unfold: our first grandson’s arrival a month early, discovering a bird nest adorned with curling ribbon, finding the perfect green pillow on clearance at HomeGoods, a woman who brought her pet monkey into the bank and let me play with him.

Not Every New Thing Is a Big Thing

It is often the little things I plan and proudly execute that bring me joy: planting red geraniums at my front door, using my stand mixer to make pasta dough, meeting my son for a pickleball lesson, and rereading a favorite book from my childhood.

Some New Things Require Effort

There are obvious new things that require long-term planning and a bit more time and effort: taking a week-long camping trip to the Utah National Parks which are in my backyard but I had never been to, breaking down a 20-mile hike into manageable day hikes, taking a beach vacation with our son and his family and in-laws, timing the sign-up for a popular class I wanted to take.

Some New Things Require Being Brave

Sometimes my new thing requires taking a deep breath and being brave: selling jewelry I’ve made, teaching a new class for our city’s parks and rec department, supporting my husband in a surgical procedure (“Spending the Night in the Hospital” with my husband was a New Thing for me), and writing this article for Sixty and Me.

What has the New Thing Project Taught Me?

So, what have I gained in the New Thing Project, and do I plan to keep it up? As I look back on my list, I am filled with awe at the gifts that life has provided me and have gained so much understanding of myself that I am committed to keeping it for at least five years.

I have found that if I am open to the New Thing. I am more focused with my time and energy. I appreciate the little things like my red geraniums. I am much more aware of my experiences like noticing the pieces of curling ribbon on the little bird’s nest which could so easily have been overlooked or forgotten.

The opportunity to turn challenges into learning experiences was demonstrated when the anesthesiologist who photographed my husband and me before his surgery commented on what good medicine our attitude provided. And finally, I have used what made it to the list as data for the future, helping me navigate what is important to me moving forward.

Let’s Chat:

What new things would you try and how long do you think you could keep such a challenge? Perhaps start with a month, a mini New Thing Project, and see where that leads you. I’d love to hear back.

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I still remember the day when our daughter and son-in-law announced that they were having a baby. My husband Rick and I were going to be grandparents! The pregnancy and birth happened in the blink of an eye. We were blessed with a beautiful, bouncing, 8 lb.10 oz. baby boy named Jacob. He was radiant. . . a gift from God.

The Decision

Our girl finished her post-secondary education and landed a great full-time job upon graduation. I’d just retired after having worked for 25 years, and was looking forward to some uninterrupted quilting time. But, in the words of the Scottish poet, Robbie Burns:

“The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.”

With our daughter’s full support and endorsement, I made the decision to be our grandson’s daytime caregiver. My close friends thought I was crazy! But I felt strongly it was the right decision for us. So. . . in a spare upstairs bedroom, we set up a crib, a little dresser, stocked a change table with supplies and retrieved an old rocking chair from the basement. It was a cute and cozy room. It would do nicely.

Meeting the Neighbours

Jacob and I began walkabouts with me pushing him in the stroller. Our neighbours got to know him; he got to know the neighbours. We’d stop at the park on the corner, and we’d swing and slide and eat a snack sitting on a blanket under a canopy of trees. He’d eat cheerios one by one and babble away in baby talk. I’d answer – just like I knew what he was saying. He beamed all the time. When he was tired, we’d head home for his afternoon nap. Sometimes, I’d sleep too.

Making New Friends

The two of us started drop-in, twice a week, gym and swim classes at the local YMCA. Jacob the toddler, delighted in climbing the monkey bars, sharing a massive, colourful parachute with the other kids and tumbling on soft, mushy mats. He ran everywhere he went, with that familiar, megawatt smile on his face. In the pool, there were noodles and toys and floaties to play with. We both had so much fun and made some new friends.

With our new friends in tow, we visited the zoo and the science center and played outside at the neighbourhood Birth Place Forest. The boys rode bikes or scooters down the front sidewalks. We had birthday parties and Halloween fun and watched hockey games. We ate ice cream together, while walking down the path by the river. In the hot, summer sun, Jacob and his buddies splashed and laughed and chased each other in and out of the backyard blow-up pool. Then, we’d sit on their damp towels by the boulevard under the giant poplar trees and count the cars driving by.

Preschool

On his first day of preschool, all dressed in new clothes with a tiny backpack slung over his shoulders, he posed for a photo in front of our garage door. He said,

“Grandma, I’m walking to school all by myself today.”

I burst his bubble when I told him it was too far away to walk. I’d have to drive him. From that day forward, and until his first day of grade 12, we have a photo of Jacob standing in front of our garage door. That became our yearly growth chart.

Unabashed Zest for Life

During trips to the skateboard park in the spring and summer, raking leaves into “jumping” piles in the fall, and building a backyard snow cave in the winter, Jacob has never failed to teach me something new. His unabashed zest for life, his buoyant attitude of always being “up for anything” and his love of nature, was contagious. His beaming countenance has never failed to touch my heart in a way that will remain with me until the day I die. I love him beyond words.

The Privilege of My Life

This year, Jacob turned 24 years old. With his mom, his dad, and his sister, the six of us spend time together, eating Sunday dinners or going to the movies or sitting outside at the lake. My bond with my grandson is unbreakable. I cherish all the hours we’ve spent together and look forward to all those hours still to come. Being with Jacob, being his grandma, is truly the privilege of my life. I would not change a thing.

Questions for You:

As a grandparent, what is your position on childcare for grandchildren? How do you cherish loved ones? Are your grandchildren a continuing part of your life?

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There’s a phrase most of us have heard our entire lives: “Just be strong. You’ll bounce back.”

It’s meant kindly. But by the time you’ve lived six decades, you already know something that phrase refuses to acknowledge.

Some experiences don’t leave you unchanged. And they’re not supposed to.

The Myth We’ve All Been Sold

For most of our lives, resilience has been sold to us as toughness. Push through. Stay positive. Get back to normal. Act like it didn’t touch you.

A recent essay in The Conversation by Dr. Keith Bellizzi – a professor of human development at the University of Connecticut, a four-time cancer survivor, and author of Falling Forward: The New Science of Resilience and Personal Transformation – makes a case worth taking seriously.

Resilience, he argues, is not about bouncing back. It is about integrating what has happened into the life you are still living.

That reframe matters more after 60 than it does at any other stage. Because by this point in life, integration isn’t optional. It’s the only option the body actually accepts.

Why “Bouncing Back” Breaks Down After 60

According to U.S. Census data analyzed by Bowling Green State University’s National Center for Family & Marriage Research, roughly 30 percent of women aged 65 and older are widowed. That’s nearly one in three. Add divorce, caregiving loss, serious diagnoses, and the end of long-held careers, and the picture becomes clear: by this stage of life, significant loss is not an exception. It is the norm.

You cannot “bounce back” from becoming a widow, or from watching your parents decline, or from a body that now has limits it didn’t have before. These events are structural, not temporary. You cannot bounce back on a schedule set by someone who isn’t living your life.

When the culture keeps insisting you should spring back anyway, something quiet and corrosive happens: you start to feel like you’re failing at resilience. Like everyone else got the memo and you didn’t.

You didn’t fail. The definition was wrong.

What the Research Actually Shows

Bellizzi points out something important: in studies of people facing serious life disruptions, distress and resilience often show up at the same time, in the same person.

In his research with cancer survivors, participants reported real grief – about their bodies, their finances, their disrupted plans – alongside real growth, like deeper relationships and a clearer sense of purpose. Both were true. Neither canceled the other out.

There’s also a nervous system layer. When people reflect on hard experiences and work them into a coherent life story – rather than suppressing or denying them – the brain regions involved in emotional regulation and flexible thinking become more engaged. Making meaning out of what happened to you is not a sentimental exercise. It’s physiology.

What hard experiences leave behind is not evidence of failure. It’s evidence of a system that paid attention.

The Shift That Actually Helps

Instead of asking:

“How do I get back to who I was?”

A more honest question is:

“Who am I now, with everything I’ve lived through?”

That’s where resilience actually lives. Not in erasing the experience. In carrying it forward.

What This Looks Like in Real Life

Integration sounds abstract until you see it in small daily choices.

One of the simplest tools I’ve written about is what I call the Both/And Practice – holding two things that feel contradictory but are both true. I want to help AND I need to protect my energy. I’m grieving AND I’m still capable of joy. The old resilience model forced us to pick one. Integration lets both be true.

The other piece that matters after 60 is learning to read your own capacity honestly. Some days you have the bandwidth for difficult conversations, complex decisions, and long to-do lists. Other days you don’t – because of poor sleep, weather, an anniversary you forgot was coming, or simply the accumulated weight of what you’re carrying. I’ve written about these as window days and keyhole days. Window days are for the big things. Keyhole days are for canceling what can be canceled, resting without guilt, and doing only what’s essential.

A keyhole day might look like this: you wake up and something feels heavier than it did yesterday, though nothing in particular has happened. The old version of you would push through and call it discipline. The integrated version makes tea, moves the hard phone call to Thursday, and doesn’t apologize for either decision. Neither day is a failure. Both are information.

From there, integration looks like:

• Letting grief exist without rushing to fix it. You don’t have to be “over it” by a certain date. The calendar is not in charge of your heart.
• Building a life that reflects who you are now – not who you used to be, and not who someone else expects you to still be.

Resilient people aren’t relentlessly positive. They allow room for the whole range – gratitude and grief, hope and fear.

One Honest Caveat

This doesn’t mean everyone has to come out of hard experiences “transformed.” Sometimes life simply hands you something heavy and the work is just to keep walking. Growth isn’t a requirement. Integration isn’t a performance.

The point is permission – not pressure.

The Closing Thought

You don’t need to prove your strength by pretending nothing affected you. You don’t need to bounce back to count as resilient.

Resilience at this stage of life looks like this:

Carrying your experiences forward – and still choosing to live fully.

You’ve earned every chapter you’re carrying.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

What does resilience mean to you? In your experience can it be a BOTH/AND practice or is it one or the other practice?

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The number one reason women state for not travelling alone is safety.

What is less understood is that personal safety begins long before you step foot on a plane. The real work begins before you even leave home. We have all heard horror stories about women being robbed, attacked or even worse in hotel rooms, but the truth is, there is so much we can do to minimalize risk and feel safe wherever we go.

As we get older, we become more aware of the realities of the world, but with preparation and common sense, travelling is no more dangerous than being at home.

The whole point of travelling is going to unknown places and doing strange and wonderful things. All that is possible without compromising your safety.

Here is how:

1. Choose the Right Hotel

Not all hotels are created equal. Look for:

• 24/7 front desk staffing.
• Keycard-only access and secure elevators.
• A location on a well-lit street, close to transportation, restaurants, and shops.
• Surveillance in corridors and common areas.
• Positive reviews from other solo female travelers.

Modern, clean and moderate-sized hotels are ideal. They should бе large enough to have all the amenities you need, but not so bиg you get lost in the crowd. Research the hotel and the surrounding area to see if it is the right place for you.

Try to choose a hotel within walking distance of transit, restaurants and shops. It’s nice to spend the first day after you land wandering the area and staying close to home. That way, as soon as you feel tired, you can head back for a rest and a nice shower, grabbing supplies and even dinner as you go.

Greet the reception staff whenever you can. Common courtesy goes a long way, and they will remember you in the event you need a favor. Hotel staff have a lot of discretion to help the people they like. Ask for their ideas for restaurants within walking distance and if there are any places to go close to the hotel.

Look for a hotel with a main entrance and a reception desk you have to walk past to get to the rooms. Do not consider any rooms outside the hotel or by the pool or ocean where anyone can walk past. If it is a resort, make sure that there is adequate security and that they keep non-guests out of the area. A motel should not be considered if you are travelling alone.

If you are arriving by car, park in a well-lit area at the front of the building and have your luggage ready. Spend as little time as possible outside your car or organizing your luggage.

2. Be Mindful When Entering the Hotel

After walking in, take a moment to look around and get a feel for the kind of people in the lobby. Do you feel comfortable? Does it appear to be mainly hotel guests or are there shops and dinner patrons as well?

If there is a long line for reception, take a seat and wait for it to clear. Introduce yourself and let them know that your partner will be checking in later. When you are given your keycard, ensure that if they say your room number, no one else can hear.

Most hotels do not have guests on the ground floor. If you are given a ground floor room, request a room on floors 3 to 6, if possible. These floors are low enough to allow safe evacuation in case of a power outage but high enough to prevent easy access from outside.

3. Elevator Safety

Make sure the elevator requires a room key to operate. If anyone stays behind when the doors open, wait for the next elevator. Once inside, stand close to the control panel doors and do not press the buttons until everyone else has pressed theirs, or if you are alone, until the doors close.

If the elevator is too crowded, either do not enter or simply step out. Always keep your backpack or purse in front of you with your hand across it.

Never keep your phone in your back pocket. Try to keep it in a zippered front pocket, if possible.

If something feels off, step out of the elevator on any floor and wait for the next one.

4. Control Your Room Entry

Once you exit the elevator, if others exit at the same time, let them enter their own rooms first to avoid revealing which room is yours. If they do not enter a room, return to the elevator and return to the ground floor and try again. This is one of the most important times for your personal safety.

When you approach your room:

• Keep your keycard in hand.
• Look around.
• Open the door slightly and listen before stepping in.
• Turn on lights immediately.

Once inside:

• Lock the door using all available locks.
• Use a portable door wedge or alarm for extra security.
• Take a quick scan of the room, including the bathroom and under the bed.
• Cover the peephole for privacy.

If anything feels slightly off, leave immediately and request a new room. There is no need to investigate or second-guess yourself.

Although the media occasionally reports on hidden cameras or two-way mirrors, these situations are extremely rare in reputable hotels. Staying in well-reviewed properties significantly reduces this risk.

If someone comes to your door, call the reception to verify that the person is a hotel worker. Whenever possible, try to handle the situation over the phone rather than opening the door.

5. Stay Situationally Aware

Awareness is one of your most powerful tools.

• Avoid wearing earbuds when walking.
• Stay off your phone as much as possible.
• Use reflections (windows/mirrors) to observe your surroundings.
• Change directions if something feels off and walk into a store or café.

A Final Thought

When it comes to personal safety at home or abroad, it is important to listen to your own intuition. Remember, your willingness to help can be used against you by unscrupulous people, always put your own safety first.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

What is your special trick for hotel safety? Have you experienced any suspicious situations in hotels?

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For many women, midlife is a time when they begin to recognize that something feels different. It’s not a dramatic moment, but more like a quiet realization that things have changed in ways you weren’t expecting.

You may feel less patient or more reflective. Maybe things that once mattered deeply simply don’t any longer. Or perhaps emotional reactions that once felt “normal” are different – stronger in certain areas and softer in others.

If you’ve caught yourself wondering, “Am I normal?” – you’re not alone. And yes, you are.

The truth is, your emotional state and how you experience and react to things can change during midlife. It evolves. And while some changes may feel unsettling, many are signs of growth and clarity, and can bring you unexpected peace when you accept them.

7 Changes That Are Perfectly Normal

We’ve all been there at one point or another, wondering, “Is this normal?” It can happen at any age really, but there can be something extremely isolating and lonely about this feeling when you’re aging.

At this point in life, many of us feel like we should have the answers and have figured everything out. As a result, we stay silent and allow concerns and worries to fester.

But rest assured, if you’re feeling it, there’s a strong likelihood that others are as well. Especially when it comes to the following 7 emotional shifts.

#1: Your Tolerance for Things That Drain You Drops – Fast

One of the first changes many women notice is a reduced tolerance for what feels emotionally exhausting.

This may look like:

• Less patience for one-sided relationships,
• Irritation with unnecessary drama,
• A stronger reaction to being taken for granted.

In your younger years, you may have pushed through discomfort – keeping the peace, doing things out of obligation, or putting others first, even at the expense of your own happiness.

As you age, something shifts. You begin to recognize and understand the cost of that pattern.

You may start asking questions like:

• Why am I doing this?
• Do I actually want to be here?
• Is this relationship giving me anything?

This isn’t you being “difficult” or cranky – it’s about you becoming more aware and developing stronger boundaries that better prioritize you, and that’s perfectly normal.

#2: You Feel More Emotional and Less Emotional at the Same Time

This one confuses a lot of women.

On one hand, you might find yourself more easily moved – tearing up during a conversation, feeling deeper empathy, or becoming more sensitive to certain situations.

On the other hand, things that once upset you deeply may no longer have the same hold.

You may notice,

• Less interest in arguments or engaging in them.
• Reduced need to “prove a point.”
• A calmer response to things that used to trigger you.

In other words, you’re more selective about where you spend your emotional currency.

#3: You Begin to Re-Evaluate Your Identity

After decades of shifting roles and wearing multiple hats (often at the same time) – partner, mother, caregiver, professional – many women begin to ask a question they haven’t had time to consider before:

Who am I, outside of everything I’ve done for others?

This can feel unsettling at first.

You may experience,

• A sense of restlessness or dissatisfaction.
• A desire for something “more,” without knowing what that is.
• A feeling that parts of yourself have been put on hold.

This isn’t a midlife crisis, it’s a midlife transition, and yes, it’s a perfectly normal and healthy experience.

#4: The Things You Want and Need from a Relationship Change

Over the years, the things you want from a relationship often shift.

You may find yourself craving

• Deeper emotional connection,
• More meaningful conversation,
• A sense of being seen and understood,
• Less strife or turmoil.

And what’s more, you’re finally ready to put a voice to these needs and ask for them to be met.

At the same time, your tolerance for emotional distance or surface-level interaction tends to shrink. This can create tension, especially in long-term relationships where patterns have been established over the years.

#5: You Experience Grief in Unexpected Ways and at Unexpected Times

Grief during these years isn’t always tied to a single, clear loss, such as losing someone.

Sometimes it shows up as

• Sadness about time passing,
• A sense of loss of earlier versions of yourself,
• Regret over choices you wish you had made differently.

You may also feel the emotional impact of children becoming independent, shifts in friendships and changes in your body or health.

This kind of grief can be subtle, but it’s real.

It doesn’t mean you’re unhappy or that things have gone wrong – it just shows that you’re becoming aware of the complexity of life and likely developing a greater appreciation of certain aspects of it.

#6: You Prioritize and Protect Your Personal Peace

When you’re in the second act of life, peace starts to matter in a way it never quite did before.

You may begin to

• Say no more often without over-explaining (or feeling guilty).
• Deliberately steer clear of chaos and drama.
• Prioritize quiet, calm environments.

What once felt exciting or tolerable may now feel overwhelming (remember once loving Black Friday and now thinking that it’s got to be one of Dante’s 7 circles of Hell?)

This isn’t about withdrawing from life, fun, or experiences. It’s about unapologetically choosing what you want to engage in and where you spend your energy.

#7: You Feel a Deep, Almost Guttural Need to Be Honest

Perhaps one of the most powerful emotional shifts as you age is a growing need for honesty.

You may find it harder to:

• Pretend everything is fine when it’s not.
• Stay silent about things that matter to you.
• Continue patterns that don’t align with who you are now.
• Couch your opinion in platitudes or false praise.

This can feel uncomfortable, but there’s also something freeing about it.

It’s A New Beginning, Not the Beginning of the End

Even though these emotional shifts are normal, it doesn’t mean that they’re easy or comfortable – at least at first.

And, by the way, these are not limited to just women or people over 60. There are some who mature into these changes at an earlier age. I’d count them as fortunate to have gained the wisdom that many of us take more years to realize.

These shifts can feel uncomfortable because they can challenge relationships, routines, and long-held beliefs.

But they can also bring clarity, confidence, and a profound sense of peace.

So, if you’ve been asking if the way you’re feeling and the emotional changes you’re experiencing are normal, the answer, more often than not, is yes.

Not only are they normal, but they’re also meaningful, because they’re a hallmark of healthy emotional aging and personal growth.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Have you felt any of these changes and been confused by them? Are you experiencing them now and would like to connect with others? Share your story and join the conversation.

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Photo: @kylerichards18

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Originally posted at: Kyle Richards’ Purple Sequin Dress at Alexia’s Wedding

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