A few years ago I had an epiphany about my definition of success. I was no longer motivated to be successful in the same ways I had been. My values had changed, as well as my stamina to pursue the same goals. I found myself becoming quieter, more reflective and wanting to contribute more to the world instead of my bottom line. It scared me, really scared me, and for a time I struggled with feelings of laziness, and self-recrimination for not being the achiever I had been.
There are so many cultural memes that denigrate older women; just watch the commercials on TV and other media. We older women are portrayed as mainly concerned with our looks, or less capable, or less active. These both create and perpetuate the myths around the aging woman.
But, with the quiet spaces and introspection came new understandings of how I wanted to change my life, and clarified my life’s purpose. I wanted to slow down and be present in my daily life, and help women through life’s transitions, especially women entering what I call their “elder-womanhood “.
We’ve all had some kind of definition of success by which we’ve measured our activities. Now that we are mature, wise women, think about how this has changed for you. Think about what defined success even 5 or 10 years ago. How is it different now?
Or, is it different? I’d love to know!
