At 62, my life looks almost nothing like the one my 20-year-old self pictured. It’s better.
Sure, I’m divorced and don’t have grandchildren, but I have adult children I adore and friendships with decades of history. Plus, I’m doing something I never imagined: building a career on social media.
Every day, I talk to over 200,000 followers on TikTok and 135,000 on Instagram about hope, finding your purpose, and remembering that life doesn’t have an expiration date.
At an age when many people are winding down, I seem to just be getting started. And I wouldn’t change a thing.
I dress for myself, not my age
I’ve always loved fashion, from jeans and flip-flops to high heels and designer gowns. But these days, I have more confidence in my choices and a lot less interest in anyone else’s opinion of them.
When I look at clothes, I don’t see an age requirement. I see something I either love or don’t.
Whether it’s a bold print, an unexpected silhouette, or a statement piece, my decision on what to wear comes down to how it looks and feels on me, not how old I am. Fashion has always been a form of self-expression for me, and getting older hasn’t changed that.
I don’t think women should have to trade their sense of style for something more “age-appropriate” every time they celebrate another birthday.
Plus, my goal isn’t to look 30. It’s to make 30-year-olds excited to turn 60. After all, why would I want to turn back the clock? I’ve spent six decades learning who I am. I wouldn’t trade that wisdom just to have younger-looking skin.
My friendships don’t require me to be anyone but myself
One of the most beautiful parts of getting older is having friendships that have stood the test of time. There’s something special about sitting across from someone who knows the chapters of your life you’d rather forget and realizing you have absolutely nothing to prove.
My friends and I have stood by one another through divorces, financial struggles, challenges with our children, and some of life’s most difficult moments.
But we’ve also shared incredible joy, deepened our connections, and celebrated the love, wisdom, and experiences that make growing older such a gift.
In my 20s, I was still figuring out who I was. Now, there’s no pressure to perform, impress, or constantly please the people closest to me.
We don’t take everything personally, either. If someone is busy or life gets complicated, we understand. We know that a friendship isn’t measured by how often you see each other.
That kind of freedom doesn’t happen overnight. It’s built through years of showing up, forgiving, laughing, and sometimes simply giving each other grace.
I’ve stopped questioning whether I’m where I’m supposed to be
When I was younger, I spent so much time wondering whether I was on the right path. I had a very specific picture of what my life should look like, and when things didn’t go according to plan, I questioned myself.
At 62, I can look back and see that even the experiences I never would have chosen were my greatest gifts of all. Every path is the right path.
Loss taught me gratitude. Starting over taught me courage. Being told I wasn’t enough taught me to recognize my own worth. And through it all, I’ve developed a resilience that allows me to face whatever life brings with confidence and hope.
And perhaps that’s the biggest difference between 22 and 62: I know that my life is happening for me, not to me.
I spent so much of my younger years thinking about what my life would become. Now I’m actually living it, and I still have so much I want to do.
I know aging is inevitable. But spending decades dreading it isn’t.
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