Why 'I'm Too Old' is a Lie We Tell Ourselves

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Living our best life.

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It's good to be alive, but it's best to truly live.

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Let your spirit pride celebrate the journey every single day.

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Aging with grace and St in our own special way.

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Have you ever told yourself, I'm too old for that?

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Maybe it's figuring out social media, learning a new skill, starting a business, or even trying a new workout routine.

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We've all been there.

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That little voice whispers, you can't do this.

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And suddenly we believe it.

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Today, we're going to shatter that myth.

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Dig into why age is never the reason you can't learn or grow, and talk about how to start rewriting that inner narrative.

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Hey, friend, who says aging has to mean slowing down?

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Around here, we're all about embracing this chapter with grace, style, and just the right touch of sass.

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Welcome to the Aging with Grace and Style podcast.

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I'm Valerie Hatcher, your guide to empowering tips, inspiring stories, and a whole lot of laughs for women over 50.

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So grab your favorite drink, Turmoil, turn up the volume, and let's dive in.

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Today's topic hits close to home for many of us.

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The belief that we're too old for something or that I can't do this because of my age.

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Spoiler alert.

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That belief has got to go.

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Let's talk about why and how to break free from it.

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I was talking to a woman recently, she's maybe in her 50s, and she told me that she couldn't get into social media because she was too old for that.

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I couldn't help but laugh a little, but not at her, but at the idea.

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I'm 62, running the podcast, creating social media content for me and my church, and learning new things practically every week.

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And trust me, I didn't grow up with Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

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Her comment stuck with me, though, because it wasn't just about social media.

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It was about how quickly we write ourselves off, how easily we let age become a barrier before we even give ourselves a chance to try.

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She said, I can't.

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Before even attempting to step up to the plate.

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I'm going to be honest with you, I kind of rubbed me the wrong way.

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It was like nails on a chalkboard.

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Okay, you get the picture, right?

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You know, I think that we can do anything regardless of age.

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We can't promote ageism against ourselves.

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But let me tell you another story.

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When I started this podcast, I didn't know the first thing about audio editing, equipment, recording, or even how to set up a mic.

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I could have said, I'm too old for this tech stuff and walked away.

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But instead, I googled, I youtubed, I asked questions.

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And now here we are, chatting and sharing this moment together.

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There's another woman that I know who didn't try a yoga class for months because she thought everyone there would be younger, more flexible, more experienced.

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And when she finally went, guess what?

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She loved it and realized there were plenty of people her age in the class.

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So why do we get in our own heads?

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Social media is just one example of how this mindset shows up.

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But it was the social media conversation that I had that prompted this episode.

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I've heard women say they're too old to start a new career, too old to learn a new skill, too old to travel solo.

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But here's the truth.

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Age isn't the problem.

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The real issue is the belief that age defines what we can and can't do.

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Think about it.

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We're bombarded with messages about what aging should look like.

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Slowing down, stepping aside, letting younger generations take over.

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But who decided that?

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Who wrote that rulebook?

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And why are we following it?

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Here are just a few stereotypes that we need to shatter.

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One, older people can't learn technology.

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False.

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You're capable of learning anything if you give yourself the time and the space to try.

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Today, there aren't many excuses because we have so many resources out there to help us learn.

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Now.

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Sometimes we can get bombarded with resources, but they're available.

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Number two, it's too late to start a new career or a hobby.

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That's not true.

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People like Vera Wang and Grandma Moses didn't even start their most iconic careers until their 40s or 50s and beyond.

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As a matter of fact, Grandma Moses started painting at 78 after arthritis made embroidery difficult.

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So what did she do?

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She pivoted.

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And then, number three, you're supposed to slow down after 50.

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Cover your ears.

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But I need to say this this way?

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Hell no.

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Why?

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Who says slowing down isn't a requirement, It's a choice.

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And you get to decide.

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So why do we fall into this trap?

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One reason could be fear of failure.

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Let's be honest.

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We all go through this at times.

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No one wants to fail.

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But sometimes, in a weird growth kind of way, it could be good.

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Or comparing ourselves to younger generations.

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I'll be honest.

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I'm not perfect and I've done this.

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I think I've told you this, but recently I was tapped on the shoulder to lead our social media marketing and communications team at my church.

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I'm lucky because there is a diversity of age on our team.

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But for a Few seconds.

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A few minutes.

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Okay, a few hours.

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I was in my feelings thinking, these young people are going to wonder, what on earth does this old lady bring to the table?

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And what does she know about social media?

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But, you know, I got over it quickly because what I realized was how awesome it is that we are learning from each other.

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We all bring something unique to the table.

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The truth is, these stereotypes only hold power if we let them.

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But let me remind you, those societal messages don't define us.

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They're not the rule book.

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And we get to rewrite it.

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One of the most empowering things that we can do at any age is to commit to lifelong learning.

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Think about it.

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How dull would it be if we just stopped trying new things?

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Learning is part of living.

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Those of us who still work, we learn new things on our jobs almost daily.

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We have to in order to stay relevant as our work environments change.

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So why do we stop at work?

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We can expand our learning outside of work.

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And here's why this is so important.

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It keeps our brain healthy.

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Studies show that learning new skills keeps your brain sharp and reduces the risk of cognitive decline.

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Yeah, it's like a workout for your mind.

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It builds confidence.

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Every time you learn something new, you prove to yourself that you're capable.

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And that confidence, it spills over in every area of life and it opens new doors.

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Learning creates opportunities that you might not have even considered.

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I can truly attest to that.

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Maybe that cooking class, decorating skill leads to a new hobby or a new business.

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There are some practical resources out there for learning, like YouTube tutorials.

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They're out there for just about anything.

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There are local community classes, workshops, online courses, conferences.

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I have learned so much from the online communities that I'm a part of.

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And remember, you don't have to master everything.

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The goal is to enjoy the process of learning and not be afraid to learn.

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And most importantly, is to remove the I can't because I'm too old from your vocabulary.

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So how do we break free from the I'm too old mindset?

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Here are a few steps that you can take today.

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Reframe your thoughts.

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Replace that I'm too old with I'm ready to learn and I'm ready to try.

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Are we going to be experts at everything?

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No.

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Are we going to maybe realize that we don't even like that subject matter?

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Possibly.

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But it's about reframing.

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So here's an affirmation for you when you fall into that trap.

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Just say, I am capable of learning new things, no matter my age.

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And then start small.

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Take one small step toward a new skill or goal.

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Here's an example.

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Watch a beginner tutorial on something that interests you and then surround yourself with growth minded people.

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Connect with others who inspire you to grow and learn.

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I have that person in my life.

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Yashi is so advanced in all areas of business, marketing, video, tech stuff.

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I won't ever be her, but watching her pushes me to aspire to learn more and celebrate every win.

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Whether it's learning to post a photo on Instagram or walking maybe a new trail.

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Or just celebrate your progress.

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Fear Failure is at the root of so many of these beliefs.

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But here's the thing, and I alluded to this earlier.

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Failure isn't the opposite of success, it's part of it.

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So let me give you a quick framework of overcoming fear.

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Identify the fear.

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Are you afraid of looking silly?

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Of not being good enough?

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Pinpoint what's holding you back and then reframe the failure.

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Failure isn't final, it's feedback.

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Every expert started as a beginner.

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And then celebrate the process.

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Focus on progress, not perfection.

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Trying is the win.

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So let's pause for a moment.

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I want you to think about something that you've always wanted to do but you've told yourself you couldn't because of your age.

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You got it.

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Now ask yourself, where did that belief come from?

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Who told you that?

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Was a society, a loved one, or even yourself?

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What's the worst thing that could happen if you try?

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Now write it down.

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Because the first step to breaking through a limiting belief is to recognize it for what it is.

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So this week I challenge you to pick one thing that you've been avoiding because you think that you're too old.

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Maybe it's signing up for a class or learning to use social media, or starting a blog.

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Whatever it is, just take the first step and do it.

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If this episode resonated with you, then share it with a friend who might need a little nudge to break free from their own limiting beliefs.

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Together, we're rewriting the story of aging with grace, confidence, and style.

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See you next time.

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Thanks for hanging out with me today.

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If you love this episode, do me a favor, share it with a friend and leave a quick review.

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It's a small thing that makes a big difference.

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Don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode.

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And hey, let's keep the conversation going.

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Join me at pod.agingwithgraceinstyle.com for more tips, story and a whole lot of connection.

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Until next time, keep shining with grace, style and a touch of sass.