Finding Joy in Aging: Embrace Life After 50
Show Notes:
Summary:
In this episode of "Aging with Grace and Style," host Valerie Hatcher chats about finding joy in aging. She challenges the conventional, often negative perceptions about growing older by debunking common myths and presenting aging as a time of unexpected joy, growth, and newfound freedom. Valerie shares personal experiences, listener stories, and research-backed insights, illustrating that aging can bring increased emotional regulation, the freedom to prioritize, the joy of mentoring, increased self-confidence, deeper relationships, and the ability to pursue passions. Through her empowering and inspiring approach, Valerie encourages listeners to embrace aging with grace, style, and a whole lot of sass.
Timestamps:
00:00 Empowering podcast for women over 50. Enjoy!
04:41 Granny gang has fun, age is irrelevant.
09:33 Embracing meaningful connections, pursuing passions, aging benefits.
10:39 Embracing aging, finding joy in unexpected places.
14:13 Embrace joy in aging, and challenge limiting beliefs.
Key Takeaways:
- Challenge common myths about aging by focusing on how happiness, strength, and confidence can increase after 50.
- Prioritize activities and relationships that matter most to you, shedding societal "shoulds" to live more authentically.
- Discover the joy and growth in mentoring others, as it can enrich both your life and theirs.
- Embrace new passions and hobbies that you've always wanted to explore, using newfound freedom and time as you age.
- Cultivate joy through gratitude and nurturing meaningful, intergenerational connections.
Are you on our email list? If not, join here.
Find me on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads @iamvaleriehatcher.
Have questions, comments, or feedback? Email hello@agingwithgraceandstyle.com
Join Us Next Time:
If you enjoyed this episode please rate and review. Don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode!
Stay tuned for more inspiring chats, tips, and stories about the midlife journey.
See you soon!
Transcript
Hey there. Welcome, if you're new, and welcome back
Speaker:if you're a regular. I'm Valerie, and I'm super excited that
Speaker:you're listening. Today, we're going to talk about
Speaker:something that has recently been on my mind. It's
Speaker:how to find joy in aging. Now I know
Speaker:what you might be thinking. Joy in
Speaker:aging? Isn't that an oxymoron? Well,
Speaker:I'm here to tell you that it absolutely is not.
Speaker:Hey, friend. Ever feel like those old fashioned
Speaker:ideas about aging just don't fit you? If you're ready to
Speaker:own this incredible chapter with grace, style, and a touch of
Speaker:sass, this is your space. Welcome to the aging with
Speaker:grace and style podcast. I'm Valerie Hatcher, and I'm here
Speaker:with empowering tips, inspiring stories, and a whole lot of
Speaker:fun just for us, women over 50. So grab
Speaker:your favorite beverage, turn up the volume, and let's get
Speaker:started.
Speaker:We've lived enough to know that life's too short for
Speaker:pretense. We're ready to shed societal
Speaker:self acceptance. I remember when I
Speaker:first turned 50. It was kinda hard for me.
Speaker:3040 were good, but I didn't embrace 50 as
Speaker:quickly. Don't get me wrong. I was definitely
Speaker:happy to be alive and to see that age because a lot of
Speaker:people didn't, but it was mixed emotion.
Speaker:I felt like I was supposed to to dread this next
Speaker:chapter, like society expected me to fade into the
Speaker:background. At times, I also felt
Speaker:like maybe I was supposed to dress a certain way,
Speaker:act a certain way, hide my flaws and my insecurities.
Speaker:It became exhausting, but then
Speaker:something just incredible happened. I had
Speaker:an moment. I realized that
Speaker:aging wasn't the end. It was the beginning.
Speaker:And I started to discover all the
Speaker:unexpected joys that came with it. So today,
Speaker:let's debunk some common myths about aging.
Speaker:We've all heard that aging means declining
Speaker:happiness, losing purpose, or that
Speaker:adventure some somehow ends. But recent
Speaker:studies show that happiness actually
Speaker:increases after 50. Isn't that something?
Speaker:Here are 5 myths. Myth number 1,
Speaker:aging means decline. This one's a classic.
Speaker:We're constantly bombarded with images of
Speaker:aging as a downward a. But here's the
Speaker:truth. While our bodies may change, we don't have
Speaker:to decline. In fact, many women find they
Speaker:get stronger, wiser, and more confident as they
Speaker:age. Myth number 2, older people
Speaker:can't have fun. Oh, please.
Speaker:Who says we can't have fun after 50? I've
Speaker:seen women in their seventies tearing up the dance
Speaker:floor, traveling the world, and starting new businesses.
Speaker:Age is just a number, and it shouldn't limit our ability to
Speaker:enjoy life. My close circle of friends
Speaker:affectionately called the granny guy gained by our
Speaker:kids. Now I've been and honorary granny,
Speaker:but this is all gonna change in November, but that's a whole
Speaker:other episode. Anyway, everyone is over 50.
Speaker:And when I tell you this group knows how to have fun, we
Speaker:laugh, we cut up in person and in our group
Speaker:text. We like to dance, play games, you name
Speaker:it. I remember my with birthday weekend.
Speaker:It was an absolute blast. Everyone needs a
Speaker:granny gang in their life, but this proves
Speaker:that age is no excuse for not
Speaker:letting loose and having fun. Myth number
Speaker:3, your best years are behind you. Now this
Speaker:myth is a real downer, isn't it? But it's simply not
Speaker:true. Every stage in life has something unique and
Speaker:beautiful to offer. Our fifties, sixties, and
Speaker:beyond can be some of the most fulfilling years
Speaker:if we embrace them with open arms. Think about it.
Speaker:We have more time for ourselves, more wisdom to
Speaker:share, and more freedom to pursue our passions.
Speaker:It's not too late to create the life that
Speaker:you've always dreamed of. Myth number 4,
Speaker:aging means losing your looks. Okay. Yes. Our
Speaker:skin might wrinkle and our hair might gray, But who
Speaker:cares? Beauty isn't about looking like a 20 year
Speaker:old. It's about confidence, self acceptance, and
Speaker:radiating that inner glow. And let's be real.
Speaker:Some of the most beautiful women that I know are
Speaker:in their fifties, sixties, and beyond. They've
Speaker:embraced their age with grace and elegance, and their beauty
Speaker:shines through even brighter than before.
Speaker:Myth number 5, older people are invisible.
Speaker:You know, I've recently observed an organization where
Speaker:older individuals are made to feel as if they aren't
Speaker:relevant or like they're invisible. I don't
Speaker:believe it's intentional, but it's definitely
Speaker:noticeable. And it's a perception that something that's seen
Speaker:by others. This 1 is plain
Speaker:wrong. Older women and men, for that sake,
Speaker:have so much to offer the world. Our
Speaker:wisdom, our experience, our perspective,
Speaker:we shouldn't fade into the background. We should be stepping
Speaker:into the spotlight and sharing our voices.
Speaker:It's time for a perspective shift.
Speaker:Instead of focusing on what we might lose with age,
Speaker:let's celebrate what we gain. Because believe
Speaker:it or not, there are some pretty
Speaker:amazing perks to getting older. A let me
Speaker:share a few that might help change your perspective.
Speaker:a is increased emotional regulation. I know.
Speaker:Yeah. That sounds deep, doesn't it? As we age, we actually
Speaker:get better at managing our emotions.
Speaker:Drama becomes less appealing, and we find more joy
Speaker:and peace and stability. Secondly is the
Speaker:freedom to prioritize. Remember all those
Speaker:shoulds that used to dictate your life? Well,
Speaker:now you have the wisdom to focus on what truly matters
Speaker:to you. If you want a day of doing nothing, that's fine.
Speaker:If you don't feel like going to an engage engagement,
Speaker:then that's fine too. It's up to you.
Speaker:Next is the joy of mentoring. There's
Speaker:a unique satisfaction in sharing your
Speaker:wisdom and watching others grow because of it.
Speaker:I have a mentee at work, and it's nice being
Speaker:able to help her navigate some of the challenges
Speaker:based on what I've already experienced.
Speaker:Next is increased self confidence. As we age,
Speaker:we tend to care less about what others think and
Speaker:more about what we truly value. This
Speaker:newfound freedom from societal expectations
Speaker:can lead to a boost in self confidence that we might
Speaker:not have experienced in our younger years. We're more
Speaker:comfortable in our own skin. We know who we
Speaker:are and what we want. And that, my friend, is a
Speaker:powerful thing. And then there's deeper
Speaker:relationships. So let's think quality over
Speaker:a. That should become our mantra, leading
Speaker:to more meaningful connections. I
Speaker:don't need a lot of friends. I just need strong,
Speaker:healthy friendships. And then lastly
Speaker:is freedom to pursue our passions.
Speaker:When we were younger, we might have been focused
Speaker:on building careers, raising families, or
Speaker:juggling multiple responsibilities. But as we
Speaker:age, we often have more time and freedom to
Speaker:pursue those passions that have been simmering on the back
Speaker:burner, whether it's writing a novel,
Speaker:starting a business, or just simply spending more
Speaker:time in nature a, now is
Speaker:the time to embrace those dreams and to live
Speaker:a life that truly lights you up.
Speaker:These are just a few of the unexpected benefits of aging.
Speaker:And remember, this isn't about denying
Speaker:the challenges that come with getting older. It's
Speaker:about acknowledging those challenges
Speaker:while also celebrating the unique gifts and opportunities
Speaker:that this stage of life has to offer.
Speaker:I, received a message from a listener named
Speaker:Sarah the other day about the
Speaker:unexpected joy that she's found in aging.
Speaker:When I turned 60, Sarah told me, I thought it
Speaker:was the beginning of the end, but then my daughter signed
Speaker:me up for a local community theater group.
Speaker:Initially reluctant, Sarah gave it a try. It
Speaker:was sure I was sure I'd be
Speaker:the oldest person there, but I found a diverse group of
Speaker:all ages. The director, a vibrant woman in
Speaker:her seventies, immediately put me at ease. As
Speaker:Sarah started attending rehearsals, she discovered
Speaker:unexpected joy. There's something
Speaker:liberating about being on stage. I found myself
Speaker:laughing more than I had in years. The
Speaker:experience began to influence other areas of her
Speaker:life. She said she started seeing the world differently.
Speaker:Her relationships changed too. Her grandkids
Speaker:she said her grandkids think that it's hilarious that grandma
Speaker:is in place. They come to every performance and they
Speaker:cheer the loudest, and she's made new
Speaker:friends of all ages through the theater group.
Speaker:They often go out after rehearsals and
Speaker:laugh and share stories. A reflected on
Speaker:how this changed her perspective on aging. She
Speaker:said she used to think joy was about big
Speaker:moments, but now she sees it in the
Speaker:small things, remembering a difficult line, the
Speaker:camaraderie of the cast, and using her imagination.
Speaker:I never expected to find so much joy at this stage in
Speaker:life, Sarah concluded. But here I am at
Speaker:60, having the time of my life.
Speaker:Aging isn't about slowing down. It's about discovering
Speaker:new parts of yourself. Sarah's
Speaker:story shows us that joy in aging
Speaker:often comes from unexpected sources.
Speaker:It's about being open to new
Speaker:experiences, connecting with others, and rediscovering
Speaker:parts of ourselves that we might
Speaker:have forgotten. Most importantly,
Speaker:it reminds us that it's never too late
Speaker:to find passions and new sources of joy.
Speaker:And Sarah's story, it isn't unique.
Speaker:There are countless women out there who
Speaker:are discovering new passions, deepening
Speaker:their relationships, and finding a newfound
Speaker:sense of purpose and fulfillment as they age. Are
Speaker:you inspired yet? Well, here are some practical
Speaker:tips to cultivate more joy. 1,
Speaker:embrace new experiences. Explore new hobbies.
Speaker:Try that dance class that you've been eyeing.
Speaker:2, practice gratitude. Focus
Speaker:on the blessings in your life, big and small.
Speaker:Start a joy journal and record daily moments
Speaker:of happiness. 3, nurture
Speaker:intergenerational relationships. Volunteer at a
Speaker:school or mentor a younger colleague.
Speaker:Remember, joy in aging isn't about
Speaker:clinging to youth. That's not what I'm trying to say. It's
Speaker:about embracing the unique gifts at
Speaker:each stage of life. I
Speaker:encourage you to challenge your own beliefs
Speaker:about aging. What limiting thoughts are
Speaker:you are holding you back from embracing
Speaker:this stage of life with joy and enthusiasm? You know,
Speaker:I'd love to hear your stories of joy in aging. Share them with
Speaker:me at pod.aging with grace and style.com.
Speaker:And maybe like Sarah, I'll include you on our next episode.
Speaker:Remember, aging is not a disease.
Speaker:It's a privilege, and it's not too
Speaker:late to start finding joy in it. Until
Speaker:next time, keep embracing the joy in every
Speaker:day.
Speaker:Thanks for hanging out with me today. I hope you're feeling
Speaker:inspired and ready to own your awesomeness. I love
Speaker:sharing this space with you. And if you of today's episode,
Speaker:do me a favor, share it with a friend who could use
Speaker:some extra inspiration. A quick rating and
Speaker:review really helps too. Don't forget to subscribe
Speaker:so you never miss an episode. Let's keep this
Speaker:conversation going. Head over to pod.aging
Speaker:with grace and style.com to sign up for my newsletter.
Speaker:Until next time, keep shining with grace,
Speaker:style, and a whole lot of sass.
