Hello50: What Now?

Anyone who has seen Legally Blonde will remember Professor Callahan’s statement, “Do you think she woke up one day and said,‘I think I will go to law school today’?”. Elle Woods' motivation for attending Harvard Law School was inspired by the loss of a boyfriend and a quest to win him back. Like Elle, my unlikely path to “I think I will start a business today”, was also rooted in loss. In early 2019, my dear mother passed away after a difficult battle with bone cancer. Her diagnosis and subsequent leg amputation led her to moving in with my husband and me so we could care for her until her death. With her sense of humor in tact, armed and often quite dangerous on her scooter, our family watched my mother persevere through her illness with grace and elegance. She demonstrated enormous courage by making the most out of the last two years of life with loved ones. She immersed herself in books, watched movies and ate fabulous foods. Most importantly, she enjoyed her family and friends until her passing.

After my 81 year old mom passed, I began reflecting on my life. Dr. Cecilia Dintino, Psychotherapist and co-host of the podcast, Twisting the Plot, shares that women over 50 will often take inventory of their lives and focus on what they did wrong rather than their strengths. Just as Dr. Dintino explains, I found myself focusing on my missed opportunities rather than celebrating my successes. Dr. Dintino recommends that we should learn from our past but “twist the plot” and consider our endless opportunities for the future. Our story does not end at any age. Take this moment to continue defining our path going forward. As women, many of us spent much of our adult years prioritizing the needs of our family and as we set future goals, we could and should strive to establish our own narrative.

This time last year, my mom had passed, my twin girls were grown and out of the house and I no longer had the same passion in my career. I asked the question I have since discovered many women ponder at this critical point in life which is “what now”? My friend April had similar feelings as we forged our wonderful friendship then business partnership. We decided to venture into the unknown by building a supportive community of other curious, kind, and strong women over 50, over 60 and beyond to support one another as we navigate through these glorious years. April and I hope you join us on this journey. We invite your feedback as we add new content every week about a whole host of topics impacting women over 50. Please continue to read our articles or even contribute your own, watch our videos, and visit us on Facebook and Instagram. Hello50 is all about embracing our motto, It’s My Time, whatever that means to you.

Like Elle, the loss of love was my motivation to fuel a new life chapter. Thinking about Dr. Dintino’s advice, now is the time to look forward to the endless possibilities that lie ahead by continuing to write our own plot twists.