ReDefining 50

  (Or At Least How to Fake It Until You Do) So, you’re starting over. Maybe your life just went through the spin cycle, and now you’re standing here, fresh out of the metaphorical dryer—wrinkled, slightly shrunken, and unsure which way is up. Welcome to the club! We have snacks. Starting over is weird. One minute, you’re living your life, knowing where your coffee mugs are, and the next, you’re staring at a pile of boxes in a place that doesn’t feel like home, wondering if your houseplants are judging you (they are). Maybe you’re single for the first time in decades, maybe you left a job, or maybe you’re just feeling like a character in the wrong sitcom. Whatever the reason, here you are, wading through the mess of reinvention. Step One: Accept That It’s Weird Seriously, it is. You’re going to feel awkward, like a baby deer on roller skates. You’ll second-guess yourself at least ten times before breakfast. Should you take up pottery? Move to Tuscany? Get bangs? (Spoiler: No to the ...

  She stepped into the forest with the weight of the past clinging to her skin like heavy, broken chains. The air smelled of damp earth and pine, the wind whispering secrets through the towering trees. She had no destination, only a need—to dissolve, to disappear, to let the silence of the wild consume her. The moss beneath her feet was softer than any bed she had known, and as she walked deeper, the trees leaned in, their ancient limbs bending toward her as if they recognized her sorrow. The birds sang to her, not with pity, but with knowing. They had seen this before—the wounded arriving, the lost seeking refuge in their world of green and shadow. She found a river, its surface reflecting the sky like a silver mirror. Kneeling at its edge, she dipped her hands into the cool water. It seeped into her cracks, smoothing the jagged edges of her soul. With every ripple, it carried away the whispers of doubt and fear that had haunted her for so long. The wind wound itself around her, p...

  After years—decades, even—of being with one person, your body becomes an open book to them. The rhythm of your pleasure, the way your breath catches, the exact spot that sends a shiver down your spine—none of it requires explanation. There’s a comfort in that. A familiarity that made intimacy feel effortless, like a well-worn path through a garden where every bloom was known, every curve memorized. But what happens when that garden is left untended? When the familiar hands that once traced your pleasure are no longer yours to call upon? When the body that once knew yours better than you knew it yourself is now just…gone? It can be terrifying to stand at the threshold of something new, realizing that with a new lover, there are no shortcuts. There is no well-worn path, no automatic understanding of how your body warms up, unfolds, and surrenders. You have to start from scratch, to teach someone new how to read you, and perhaps even relearn your own body along the way. Yet, buried ...

Letting go of ego isn’t about losing confidence—it’s about gaining clarity. It’s about shifting from defensiveness to openness, from control to trust. Here are a few ways to quiet the ego and reconnect with your true self: 1️⃣  Practice Self-Awareness – Notice when your ego is speaking. Is it pushing you to prove a point, win an argument, or seek validation? Pause and ask,  Is this helping me grow, or just feeding my pride? 2️⃣  Embrace Humility – Admitting when we’re wrong or don’t know something is powerful. It doesn’t make us weak—it makes us wise. Growth comes when we release the need to always be right. 3️⃣  Listen More, React Less – Ego jumps to defend, but wisdom listens. Instead of reacting, try truly hearing someone. Let their perspective challenge you instead of threaten you. 4️⃣  Detach from Outcomes – The ego ties self-worth to results. Whether in relationships, work, or personal goals, release the need to control how things unfold. Trust the process...

Ego is a tricky thing. It convinces us we’re right when we’re actually stuck. It drowns out our inner voice, replacing wisdom with pride. It makes us hold grudges instead of hands. When we let ego lead, our relationships become strained—built on defensiveness instead of honesty. We stop listening, stop learning, stop growing. We cling to our version of the story, even when it no longer serves us. But what if we let go? What if we embraced humility, curiosity, and the uncomfortable truth that we don’t always have the answers? That’s where real growth begins. That’s where healing starts. The ego fears change, but your soul craves it. Which one will you listen to?

  Life begins at 50. If you’re rolling your eyes, stay with me—this isn’t just a cliché. It’s a mantra for women who’ve spent decades putting others first, only to reach a pivotal age and realize it’s their time. For many of us, 50 isn’t just a milestone; it’s a launchpad to a new chapter filled with choice, purpose, and unbridled potential. There’s something magical about reaching an age where you’ve stopped apologizing for taking up space. For women over 45, especially those navigating the complexities of divorce, the fifties bring an opportunity to redefine our narratives. Divorce can feel like the unraveling of a life we once knew, but it’s also an open invitation—a permission slip—to rewrite our story, free from expectations and constraints. And for some of us, that story begins in the classroom. Freedom and Courage After Divorce Divorce, though painful, is often the permission many women didn’t know they needed to prioritize themselves. After years of compromise, sacrifice, a...