Welcome to the New Home for Women in Second Adulthood

25 March 2009 1,695 views 9 Comments Tags: Birthday, Fifty, Friends, Second Adulthood, women

We’re Celebrating…Join Us!
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With the launch of this website we are celebrating the new home for Women in Second Adulthood along with the publication of my new book: FIFTY IS THE NEW FIFTY: 10 LIFE LESSONS FOR WOMEN IN SECOND ADULTHOOD. In my books, I have collected anecdotes, insights, and wisdom from women at a new frontier of self-discovery; their stories, along with front-line scientific research and understanding from those professionals who are monitoring our journey, offer practical guidelines for all of us. On this website we can do the same among ourselves.

We are the first generation of women to experience this second chance at growing-up; after decades of living prescribed roles, each of us is finding her own voice and writing her own script. We – more than 37 million of us – are building the personal drive and political clout to make changes in society as we invent the rest of our own lives.

Many of us became aware of this new stage when we confronted a 50th birthday and the question “What am I going to do with the rest of my life?” As we answered that question for ourselves we discovered what is new about 50 – and 60 and 70. That is why 50 is not the new 30. In many important ways it is better than earlier ages – we feel braver, smarter and more confident – and most women I have met do not want to go back to the lives they lived when they were younger.

That is the way it has been for me. Although I had reported on women’s lives throughout most of my first adulthood, as I reached midlife for the first time I needed to understand what was going on in my own life. I was the one wondering if I was crazy and if I was the only one shaking things up. As I talked to other women I was reassured and energized by our shared experience. For example, the realization that we no longer care so much about what other people think about our behavior or ideas. As long as they feel right to us. And the exhilaration of hearing yourself say “NO” loud and clear without the world falling apart.

Since then I have written two books about us. But, the more we live, the more we discover and the more there is to say. Where better to continue the conversation than right here where we can talk directly to each other?

We’ve added some new features to the site, a newsletter and more changes are coming. We hope you find the site a welcoming, comfortable place to call ‘home’, bring friends, tell your stories and add to our collective wisdom and about the discoveries of our generation

Join Us!

Photo Credits:

SBL Portrait, Photographer: Ellen Warner

(L-R ) Robin Morgan, SBL, Gloria Steinem, Elaine Lafferty

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9 Comments »

jane adams said:

While we’re visible to those who know us personally, women over 50 are often invisible to everyone else! Often we’re overlooked on the net, too, and the best thing we can do for our peers who aren’t net-savvy yet is to introduce them to sites like this.
Most lifespan/adult development literature goes from the empty nest stage to “old old” and hasn’t caught up, yet, with the reality of who we are, the impact we have, the lerssons we have to teach and those we’ve yet to learn.

# 10 April 2009 at 10:31 pm

jane adams said:

Women our age are generally invisible societally except to those who know us personally. Most lifespan and adult development research swoops from the empty nest stage to “old old” without taking note of the years in between. We’re also pretty low-profile in cyberspace – one of the best ways to remedy that is to turn other women our age who aren’t very net-savvy yet onto sites like these!

# 10 April 2009 at 10:35 pm

Heather Street said:

I’m really looking forward to reading this book. She is one of my dearest friends. I’m glad I now can justify my behavior by something written. Much love. Heather xxxooo

# 11 April 2009 at 10:14 am

sue22655 said:

50 is less than 2 years away and reading your blog entries, those of fellow posters, and knowing all the wonderful and dynamic women I know over age 50 really lets me know that the best is yet to come. I have nothing to fear of aging and aging well.

# 13 April 2009 at 1:35 pm

Marlaine Selip said:

I love this site. It’s perfect for women at this GREAT time in our lives our second Adulthood. I’m going to recommend this to all my friends…finally a place for us to network and look forward.

# 21 April 2009 at 5:02 pm

Shannon A. said:

I’m not quite 50, however, reading through this website reiterates to me that life just keeps getting better! We all need to embrace our age, not deny it.

# 22 April 2009 at 2:58 pm

Susan Crowe said:

There’s not a woman I know, no matter what her age, that doesn’t breathe a sigh of relief at the wisdom imparted from a book like this. Mary Oliver spoke about this in her poem, Wild Geese:
You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
for a hundred miles through the desert repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
So we can be who we are, and it’s good enough. Such a complex concept to learn! I can never get enough of that. Thanks Suzanne

# 22 April 2009 at 8:50 pm

Deb Wilhite said:

I can’t wait to share this information, not only with my friends but with my granddaughters. There’s stuff in here they need to know, especially Gloria and Bella. We’ve still got work to do… let’s get busy and make sure the next generation knows how it really was and how it came to be!!

# 25 April 2009 at 2:39 pm

Felyce said:

I am curious about this book? Are the 60s addressed? Ageism?

I have been experiencing what appears to be agism for some time. I am the oldest teacher at an elementary school where most of the teachers are women 30ish who are starting their families. I am treated like I am invisible when in small meetings with younger teachers. I’m usually reserved ( a drummed in behavior) and do not like to interrupt in order to be heard. Some people go on and on. It seems as though others are not being invited into the conversation. How can I overcome these obstacles?

# 27 April 2009 at 2:02 pm