What am I selling?

I was asked recently ‘what are you selling?’ I’m selling a healthy midlife body and positive mindset. The cost is your time and commitment. It starts today with you appreciating you are still here and have the ability to change, to embrace and adore your perfect ageing body.
One of the saddest things which has increasing monetary value and is highly sought after, is a toy which is decades old, still in it’s perfect box. No scratches, scuffs or creases. Unplayed with. Untouched. Unloved.
That toy never fulfilled its purpose.
I think the secret to positive ageing is to live in the moment. Not in the past. Not in the future. We are here. Now.

I cannot compare my face or body to the newer showroom shiny one I owned (and didn’t like so much) when I was a teenager. Nor should I. I now have plenty of miles on the clock, lots of scratches, bumps and prangs gained from joyriding my way through life.
It takes more of an effort to spruce myself up each day, no longer not just a quick flick of a mascara brush and away I go. But I’m happy I can still see with the help of my glasses. My hearing is diminishing, so I will be in need of a hearing aid before too long – thanks to many car journeys screeching along with Evanescence for hours on end.
Today I pruned my peach fuzz face with a razor. Plucked my brows which grow everywhere except where I need them. Put in my velcro rollers, then slapped on some makeup to create the best version of my well worn crinkly face.
I don’t look younger, I look my age and I’m completely happy with that.
It’s so important to love your wrinkles, crinkles, scars and all. Never aspire to be the toy in the box.
#ageing #aging #agepositive #positivity #bodypositive #midlife #vegan #plantbased #healthyaging #silverhair #grayhair #over50 #over40 #wrinkles #positiveaging #matureskin #maturewomen #peachfuzzface #womenwhoshave #maturemakeup #olderwoman #fitover50 #pastelbluehair #bluehair

Let’s talk about filters

Lets talk about filters. I am asked often if I use them and the answer is ‘no’. I only use Instagram editing to modify the brightness, shadows and highlights. I simply can’t be bothered to do anything else, it’s just too much effort.

I know lots of women (and men!) use filters with wonderful professional results. Some are filtered to a particular hue or effect, some smooth out wrinkles and make your eyes pop. But, when I started looking for women my age for inspiration just over a year ago, I didn’t find many unfiltered shots of natural ageing…. no botox, no fillers, no facelifts etc. So I started my own.

I have friends who have gone under the knife, with tucks, liposuction and a full facelift and it made them happy. Others with botox, lip fillers, makeup tattoos and it made them happy too. We should do whatever we need to make us happy. Dye your hair? Do it! Shave your head? Do it! Lip fillers? Of course …and so on.
I’m happy to watch my face slowly melt into old age. Which reminds me of a story. When Seb was 8 he asked what would happen if we put a doll in the oven. I said ‘Lets find out!’. So we popped Barbi (no idea where she came from as I don’t have a daughter – sorry to whoever left it at my house) into the oven, then took her out at 5 minute intervals. Pity we didn’t document it as it was incredibly funny. Barbi aged very quickly. Her face melted, her hair made it’s way down her face and her boobs sagged under her arms within 10 minutes. I now know how she felt.
I want to be a positive ageing role model to the younger women in my family and to daughters of friends too. But, if you have coloured hair, botox, fake boobs and you’re happy, thats also a positive role model.
Never worry about the opinion of others. Join which tribe you want, we can all still be friends and happy with our own choices.

#ageing #aging #emptynest #ditchthedye #silversister #aginggracefully #healthyaging #vegan #bodypositive #over40 #over50 #braids #silverbraids #bluehair #matureskin #maturebeauty #maturemakeup #maturewoman #gettingold #violethair

The one thing I hate about ageing

Sadly as we age, those ahead of us must leave to make way for new life….

I have realised the one thing I do hate about ageing. It’s losing the wonderful and precious souls who have positively contributed to, and influenced my upbringing, making me who I am today. Providing love, affection, guidance and support in every possible way.

Sadly as we age, those ahead of us must leave to make way for new life, ultimately allowing us to take their place as senior members of the family, if we are lucky enough to live into our seventies, eighties or more. Older, perhaps wiser, we are able to provide the same support and loyal counsel to the younger members that we once were.
I love everything else about each and every year that leaves it’s little mark or impression on my ageing body. Each wrinkle, sun spot, stretch mark, silver strand and scar is a perfect treasure and reward for a life well lived.
#aging#ageing#midlife#loss#ageinggracefully#silverhair#emptynest#wrinkles#agepositive#braids#silverbraids#bluehair#matureskin#maturemakeup#over50#over40#goinggray#healthyaging#maturewoman#over50style#over50makeup#wrinkles#scars#over50hairstyle#gettingolder#older#bodypositive#positiveaging#proaging