“Look, you didn’t ask me for my opinion, but I’m old, so I’m giving it anyway.”

– Sophia Petrillo, Golden Girl.

If you remember this quick witted, sharp tongued mother in The Golden Girls, keep reading.

Whilst I love that sassy older lady, my focus today is on the other three characters, Dorothy, Blanche and Rose, versus the modern version of Carrie and co in And Just Like That (Sex in the City, plus 30 years).

Both shows are about a fabulous group of friends in their 50’s.

50 is no longer old

And Just Like That, shows women in their prime.  They are at the peak of their careers, juggling family and friends and living life to the full, whilst managing teenagers, illness, and life’s ups and downs.

OK, most of us are not tottering off to lunch in Louboutin’s, wearing fabulous, impractical, designer gear, the point is this: attitudes have changed.

50 is no longer “old”, we are breaking down the taboo of peri-menopause and menopause, and with that comes greater acceptance of this stage of life.

What are your thoughts around “midlife”?

Mid-life is a great time to sit down with a cuppa and spend some time thinking about the years ahead.

I don’t know about you, but the phrase “retirement plans” has been sneaking into my conversations recently – it’s no longer a distant concept.   Whether you’re thinking about it, or already retired, this is an age that often brings change to our lives.

Whether we like it or not, we’re going to get older, so my challenge to you is to view it through a positive lens.   Take this opportunity to think about what you want.  What makes you happy, what brings you joy and fulfilment?

Reframing midlife

I like to ask my clients these questions to kick start the process:

• What fills your cup?  Make a list of the small and big things that make you smile
• What are your values? What’s important to you?
• What are you proud of achieving? Do you want to do more of this?
• What are you looking forward to in future?
• How do you want to spend your next 10, 20, 30 years?  (hint: dream big)

If you have spent the last decades focusing on career and family, you may be holding onto some habits that no longer serve you.  Using these questions can help you examine what you can let go of, and what you’d like to do more of.

Healthspan vs lifespan

If we consider that most women live into their 80’s, you may well have decades of life left to live.

The difference between healthspan (how long we live in a healthy state) and lifespan is over 7 years for women in Australia.  That means that we spend 7 years living in a sick or unwell state.

That’s a long time.

So, this reframe isn’t a selfish exercise.

This is about prioritising yourself, so that you can live a full, engaged, hopefully healthy life for as long as possible.