HAPPINESS

I love the sunshine. There is something about basking in the warmth of summer – wearing sunscreen of course – that makes me feel deeply happy. Or does it? After reading a new study from the University of Westminster, I’m beginning to question whether the idea that the weather affects my mood is all in my head.

When I ask the members of our community what challenges they are facing, a lack of meaningful friendships and a lack of financial resources are at the top of the list. On the surface, these are different issues, with different causes. But, if you dig a little deeper, they both relate to our changing circumstances...

Do you every feel like life takes on a momentum of its own? I know I do! As we pass through the decades of our lives, one decision blends into the next. Finally, as we reach our 60s and we finally have time to evaluate our lives, it’s easy to wonder “how did I get here?”

On some level, I guess we all dislike change. In fact, for most of our lives, we have done everything in our power to find stability. Most of us looked for “safe” jobs. We tried to get our family to “safe” neighborhoods. Now that we are 60, we are told to put our investments in something “safe.” In all of these cases, the word safe also means predictable.

By the time we reach our 60s, most of us have made our share of sacrifices. We have relocated to support our husband’s careers, put our dreams on hold for our children and supported our communities at our own expense. I’m not saying that any of these actions are wrong – far from it! I’m simply saying that most of us have made a habit of putting others before ourselves.

Women over 60 are a resilient lot. We’ve had to be. Throughout our lives we have battled discrimination in the workplace and crayons on the walls at home. We have loved and lost. We have followed our dreams and encountered more than our fair share of nightmares. Now, as we reach our 60s, despite our natural resiliency some of us feel a bit battered and bruised by life.

I once heard a quote, “People that say that money can’t buy happiness must be going to the wrong shops.” Well, according to science, whoever said this was right – but, not for the reasons that they probably meant...

Many women over 60 have secret dreams about what they would like to do with their lives. Some want to travel to exotic places and learn new things. Others dream of starting new business projects or exploring their passions. While there are many women who succeed in building their dream life after 60, still more never reach their potential. The reasons for this are varied...