Own Your Age: Empowering Tips for Women Over 50
Show Notes:
Summary:
In this episode of Aging with Grace and Style, Valerie Hatcher dives into the significance of celebrating milestones, particularly her upcoming 62nd birthday. Valerie discusses the lessons, surprises, and style upgrades that come with each year. She emphasizes the importance of reflecting on past experiences, embracing personal style without reservations, and practicing gratitude as a daily habit. Through her journey, she encourages listeners to set meaningful intentions for the future and to celebrate every chapter of their lives with grace, gratitude, and a little bit of fabulousness.
Timestamps:
00:00 Birthdays: reflection, celebration, and future intentions.
05:52 Reflect on life lessons; embrace evolving personal style.
08:23 Embrace style confidently and practice genuine gratitude.
12:25 Set meaningful intentions to guide joyful living.
15:29 Share, subscribe, review, stay inspired, keep shining.
Key Takeaways:
- Reflect on your journey
- Embrace your style
- Start a gratitude practice
- Set meaningful intentions
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Transcript
Have you ever hit a milestone that made you stop and think,
Speaker:wow, look at how far I've come? For
Speaker:me, that milestone is just a few days away, my
Speaker:62nd birthday. And let me tell you,
Speaker:each year comes with a whole lot of lessons, surprises,
Speaker:and style upgrades. But it's more than just another
Speaker:number. It's about celebrating who we are,
Speaker:where we've been, and what's what's still ahead.
Speaker:So are you ready to reflect on your own milestones
Speaker:and embrace every year with grace, gratitude, and a
Speaker:little bit of fabulousness? Then let's dive
Speaker:in. Hey, friend. Ever
Speaker:feel like those old fashioned ideas about aging just
Speaker:don't fit you? If you're ready to own this incredible chapter
Speaker:with grace, style, and a touch of sass, this is your
Speaker:space. Welcome to the aging with grace and style podcast.
Speaker:I'm Valerie Hatcher, and I'm here with empowering tips,
Speaker:inspiring stories, and a whole lot of fun just for
Speaker:us, women over 50. So grab your favorite beverage,
Speaker:turn up the volume, and let's get started.
Speaker:Today's episode is extra special because it's
Speaker:all about celebrating milestones. Why?
Speaker:Because in just a few days, I'll be celebrating my 62nd
Speaker:birthday. Birthdays are such a great time
Speaker:to reflect, to look forward, and celebrate all the
Speaker:things that make life beautiful. You know, there's
Speaker:something special about birthdays that end in even numbers.
Speaker:They feel like those checkpoints on this grand
Speaker:adventure that we're on. And as I stand here,
Speaker:or shall I say sit here, on the cusp of
Speaker:62, I can't help but marvel at the journey
Speaker:that's brought me here. I want you to take a
Speaker:moment and and think about your last birthday. How
Speaker:did you feel? What did it mean to you?
Speaker:Now hold on to that thought because today, we're
Speaker:diving into how these milestones are more
Speaker:than just another candle on the cake.
Speaker:They're opportunities to reflect on where we've
Speaker:been, to celebrate who we are now, and
Speaker:to set intentions for the future.
Speaker:So let's start with the big question. What does
Speaker:turning 62 mean to me? Well, honestly,
Speaker:it seems like I blinked, and I was here. But it
Speaker:feels like I've reached the summit of a mountain that I've been
Speaker:climbing for years. And the view up here, it's
Speaker:pretty breathtaking. I can look back and and
Speaker:see the path that I've taken, all the twists, the turns,
Speaker:the steep climbs, and even the moments when I thought
Speaker:that I might stumble. And you know what?
Speaker:I really wouldn't change a single step. Okay. Well, I
Speaker:maybe wouldn't change many steps. When I think
Speaker:about each decade of my life, I realize
Speaker:how much every phase has shaped me. My twenties,
Speaker:for example, those were the finding myself
Speaker:years. I was fresh out of college, moving into my own
Speaker:apartment, trying to figure out what direction to take my
Speaker:career. And, of course, I didn't
Speaker:solve many issues, but at least I was on a
Speaker:path. Then came my thirties
Speaker:and my forties. Those, I'll call the the
Speaker:balancing years. During my thirties and my forties, I
Speaker:made 3 moves all the way from my family in San
Speaker:Antonio, got married, bought 2 houses,
Speaker:had a baby, and finished a master's program.
Speaker:Looking back, it was a lot. Between
Speaker:family, career, and personal growth, I felt like I
Speaker:had to be everything to everyone.
Speaker:That's when I started to really understand the power of
Speaker:saying no and how essential it is to create
Speaker:space for what matters most. And
Speaker:then my fifties. Well, that was a game changer.
Speaker:In my fifties, I began to focus more on me.
Speaker:It wasn't about what others expected.
Speaker:It was about what made me feel fulfilled. I
Speaker:started to embrace who I was, flaws and all,
Speaker:and and let go of trying to meet everyone else's
Speaker:standards. That shift has been so freeing.
Speaker:Now in my sixties, I feel like I'm standing
Speaker:on solid ground. All those lessons that I've learned
Speaker:from each decade have brought me to a place
Speaker:of peace and excitement for what's next. It's
Speaker:not just about getting older. It's about growing
Speaker:wiser, more confident, and more intentional
Speaker:with my life. As you reflect on your
Speaker:own milestones, take a moment to write
Speaker:down a lesson from each decade of your life
Speaker:or each significant phase. Honestly,
Speaker:it's been pretty interesting and eye opening
Speaker:for me to sit back and think about it. Whether
Speaker:you're in your twenties, your forties, or beyond,
Speaker:what have you learned that has shaped who you are today?
Speaker:Consider how these lessons can guide you as you look ahead
Speaker:to the next chapter. Now, speaking of being intentional,
Speaker:one thing I've embraced over the years is my personal style. You
Speaker:know, I love talking about style. And here's the
Speaker:thing. There's no age limit on feeling fabulous.
Speaker:In fact, I feel like my style has only
Speaker:gotten better with age, but it wasn't always
Speaker:that way. When I was younger, I worried about what was
Speaker:considered, quote, unquote, appropriate in the corporate well
Speaker:world. I felt like I had to fit a
Speaker:certain mole. Now at almost 60,
Speaker:I say almost because, hey, I still have a few days, I've
Speaker:thrown those rules out the window. I wear what
Speaker:makes me feel confident. It could be long or
Speaker:short, black or bold, fitted or
Speaker:loose, but it's always tasteful. I
Speaker:remember a conversation recently about how
Speaker:I wouldn't fit in with a certain group of people because
Speaker:my dresses were too short. While, yes, my
Speaker:dresses are typically above the knee, they aren't untastefully
Speaker:short. Hey. I have long legs. But, really,
Speaker:must we conform to what makes others feel
Speaker:better or what makes them feel secure? I'm not
Speaker:playing it safe to please others. Yes. There
Speaker:are times when the situation, the location,
Speaker:or the event calls for a certain style,
Speaker:and I totally get it and respect that.
Speaker:But changing who we are to please others,
Speaker:that shouldn't have to be the case. Not at this point
Speaker:in life. That, even includes
Speaker:how I wear my hair. And we've talked about the braids in another
Speaker:episode and how I'm truly embracing them, but it's taken a while
Speaker:to get there. It's freeing to embrace your style
Speaker:without worrying about what anyone else thinks,
Speaker:whether it could be bright red lipstick for you or a
Speaker:leather jacket. But whatever it is, I've
Speaker:learned that personal style is about how you
Speaker:show up in the world. It's about owning who you
Speaker:are. Now take a look at your wardrobe
Speaker:or the way you express yourself. Is there something
Speaker:that you've been wanting to try, but you held back because you
Speaker:didn't think it was appropriate for your age or your stage of
Speaker:life? This week, give yourself permission to
Speaker:wear something that's bold or or or try a new look that reflects
Speaker:who you truly are, not who you think you should be.
Speaker:Your style should make you feel confident and
Speaker:fabulous at any age. Now another big
Speaker:lesson that I've learned, especially as I've gotten older,
Speaker:is the power of gratitude as and I mean,
Speaker:truly practicing gratitude, not just thinking
Speaker:about it here and there. For me, gratitude has been a game
Speaker:changer. It shifts my focus from where I
Speaker:might be missing from what I'm sorry, from what I might be
Speaker:missing to to what I already have.
Speaker:One of the ways that I've incorporated gratitude into my
Speaker:daily life is by keeping a gratitude journal.
Speaker:I know I mentioned journaling often, but
Speaker:it really is one of the tools that keeps me
Speaker:sane and grounded. Most nights, now my
Speaker:goal is every night, but that's sometimes not
Speaker:realistic. I write down 3 things that I'm grateful
Speaker:for. Some days, it could be something as simple as
Speaker:having a peaceful morning with my coffee. Other days,
Speaker:it could be something a little deeper, like the support of my family
Speaker:or a meaningful conversation that I have.
Speaker:Gratitude helps me remember that even on tough days,
Speaker:there's always something to be thankful for.
Speaker:There there was one particular rough day that I
Speaker:remember when it seemed like nothing was working out for me
Speaker:or nothing was working out the way I planned. But I sat down
Speaker:that night, and I wrote about the small things that I
Speaker:appreciated, and it completely changed my perspective.
Speaker:Gratitude doesn't erase the challenges, but it
Speaker:does help you to see the light in the dark. I
Speaker:wanna challenge you to start a gratitude practice if you don't
Speaker:already have one. Take just 5 minutes each day and
Speaker:write down 3 things that you're grateful for. It doesn't have
Speaker:to be big. Small things matter too. You'll
Speaker:be amazed at how this simple habit can shift your
Speaker:focus and lift your spirits, especially on tough days.
Speaker:And that brings me to something that I love about birthdays.
Speaker:They're not just about looking back. They're
Speaker:about looking ahead and setting new intentions for the
Speaker:future. I think of birthdays as, like, my
Speaker:personal New Year's, except the resolutions are more
Speaker:about who I want to be and less about checking
Speaker:boxes. As I step into 62,
Speaker:I've been thinking about what I want to focus on this year.
Speaker:One of my big intentions is to embrace more joy
Speaker:and to be more present. I wanna stop rushing through
Speaker:life and really savor the little moments, the
Speaker:laughter with friends, the quiet moments with family,
Speaker:the the beauty of everyday life. I also
Speaker:want to continue prioritizing my health,
Speaker:making sure that I'm taking care of myself mentally, emotionally,
Speaker:and it intentions
Speaker:don't have to be big or overwhelming. They're
Speaker:just guiding principles for how we want to
Speaker:live. For example, instead of saying, I'm a
Speaker:workout every single day because lord knows,
Speaker:I know that that's highly unlikely. I'll set the
Speaker:intention to feel strong and energized, and then
Speaker:I'll make choices that align with that. It's
Speaker:less pressure and more about creating a life that feels
Speaker:good. As you approach your own milestone,
Speaker:whether it's a birthday, a career shift, or a
Speaker:personal transition, take time to set an intention.
Speaker:Ask yourself, what do I wanna feel or experience
Speaker:this year? It doesn't have to be a big goal,
Speaker:just a meaningful intention that will guide you toward
Speaker:living with more purpose and more joy.
Speaker:So before we wrap up today, you know, I always wanna hear from
Speaker:you. How do you celebrate your milestones?
Speaker:What lessons have you learned along the way? Do as
Speaker:you always do. Drop me a voice message at pod.agingwithgraceandstyle.com.
Speaker:As we close, I wanna leave you with a
Speaker:thought. Every year is a gift. Whether
Speaker:you're 22 or 82, you have
Speaker:something unique to offer the world. So celebrate your
Speaker:milestones, big and small, and embrace them with
Speaker:gratitude and style. Life isn't about reaching
Speaker:a destination. It's about enjoying the
Speaker:journey. Now as a reminder, here are a few takeaways.
Speaker:Number 1, reflect on your journey. Take a
Speaker:moment to write down a lesson from each decade or
Speaker:life phase. How can these lessons guide you
Speaker:forward? Number 2, embrace your style.
Speaker:Try something bold or new this week. Let your
Speaker:style reflect you, not what's considered, quote,
Speaker:unquote, appropriate for your age. Number 3,
Speaker:start a gratitude practice. Spend 5 minutes each
Speaker:day writing down 3 things that you're grateful
Speaker:for. It's a small habit that can make a big difference.
Speaker:And number 4, set a meaningful
Speaker:intention. As you approach your next milestone,
Speaker:think about what you want to feel or to experience
Speaker:and set an intention that's gonna guide your year.
Speaker:As always, thank you for joining me. I hope that
Speaker:these takeaways inspire you to embrace your
Speaker:own milestones with gratitude, style, and purpose.
Speaker:Until next time. This is Valerie reminding you to
Speaker:celebrate every year of your beautiful, one of a
Speaker:kind life. Stay fabulous and keep shining, my
Speaker:friend.
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 love today's episode,
Speaker:do me a favor, share it with a friend who could use some
Speaker:extra inspiration. A quick rating and review
Speaker:really helps too. Don't forget to subscribe so
Speaker:you never miss an episode. Let's keep this conversation
Speaker:going. Head over to pod.aging with
Speaker: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.
