What’s up with women and wine?!

This post isn’t so much about drinking wine, but more about aging, oppression, and liberation. 

But I hope you’re enjoying a glass as you read this!

Getting Old Sucks

March of 1981

I was born. I was happy. I was free. I was hopeful. I was ready to take on the world.

Flash forward to March 0f 2021

All of a sudden I turned forty! That’s right, 4-0.

Fourty is old folks! At least it thought it was until I turned it!

It’s like, one day my friends and I were hitting the clubs; the next we were attending each other’s weddings and baby showers, and then…  boom! Ten years pass and then {enter} MID-LIFE!?

What the fork?! 

Mid-Life Quandaries and Realizations

Leading up to and following this milestone, I found myself feeling depressed and like I had hit a dead end.

“I was tired, unfocused, neglecting myself, feeling stagnated, and straight up unhappy.”

I was unhappy in my marriage, unhappy with my weight and overall health, unhappy with my mental state, and unhappy with life.  Something needed to be done, and then it happened without me even realizing it.

The cliche mid-life crisis came on like a dump truck, dumping my shit right… on the top of… my head. I think stood there for a moment before deciding I had to do something. I needed to sort through, organize, and clean up the mess that was my life.

Since then, I realized a few of things about myself, my relationships, my goals, my priorities, my past, and my future.

First is that I am the only one to blame for where I am in life.

Second, I have been hiding all my life.

Third, not only do I have to be an active participant in life, I have to fucking drive the bus!

Removing the Weighted Blanket

As I began sorting and cleaning off my life’s garbage, I somehow discovered a blanket that I’ve been hiding under.

I’m not talking the soft, cozy, warm ones that you wrap around your shoulders while reading a good book.

This was a blanket that likely started as that, but I made thicker and larger with each passing year in an attempt to sheild myself from the outside world. While it did its job, it also started to weight me down! It had become a thick, oversized, weighted balnket. One I was so tangled up in I could barely breathe.

It was no longer a safe place. I was no longer cozy. In fact, it had become a nightmare.

Eventually, I found the edge and peeked out. Were there any big bad mosters out there? No, just me, myself, and I. Is it possible I had become the monster? If that was the case, I couldn’t, I wouldn’t have it!

I conciously decided I would risk the occasional removal. Each time I did so, I gained more clarity and focus. I try to be present in the moment and focus on the future. I now know I need to prioritize myself, my physical, my mental health, and my passions and with growing confidence, I take the necessary risks in order to create the life I want and deserve.

While I sometimes get scared and run frantically to hide under my blanket, I soon realize it isn’t all that great under there.

Aging Like A Fine Wine Means Aging Gracefully

Now, even though I’m going through this with you, I have something “you might want to know.”

I’m going to share a story with you how I embrace the aging process in hopes of inspiring you to do the same.

In 2018, I decided to go grey. I knew I had lots of grey hair and had grown tired of dying it. I wanted to see what my natural color was like in all its glory. Was my pattern and texture good or bad?

I began in the fall. I wore a hat most days for what felt like an eternity but in hindsight was just a blip. It took me a little over a year before it had grown out to the point where I could cut it and not look ridiculous. It was so liberating!

Since then, I have inspired many women to embrace their greys and join the silver sisters club. Here’s my photo journey.

It’s empowering to show your truth and rewarding when you get positive feedback. I am thankful for the women who inspired me to take the leap, and am honored to have inspired others!

Doesn’t actually matter what your age is right now, just do these few things.

Who are you?!

To answer it, ask yourself these very important questions.

Are you living a life that fosters your passions?

Do you know how to set healthy boundaries?

Do you take care of your body and health?

Age Gracefully, Friends.

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