When I was 20 my boyfriend at the time told me that I had a “sheltered” life. I never really asked what he meant exactly but I assumed it meant that I didn’t come from a broken family like he did. When I think of a sheltered life, I think of someone who is overprotected from outside exposures, unpleasant situations, and every day dangers. I don’t think that was me. I was raised by two loving parents who guided and were there for me, but I’m pretty sure I was encouraged to play outside every day until the sun went down. I had a pink bike that I would use…

Do you ever feel like something is missing from your life or you simply wish you could have more of something, whatever that may be? I recently conducted a poll among my awesome Rocking Over 40 community asking them to fill out the blank in the following statement: “I want more ___________ in my life.” People have all kinds of fun and interesting ways to fill in that blank, but what is most surprising to me is that the things we want more of during this life stage are pretty timeless and universal. It doesn’t matter what age you are, these are things we all crave and need more of…

C O U R A G E. Now there’s a word that incites different feelings for people. A word that some identify with and others don’t. When I was in my 20s, I didn’t consider myself courageous. As a matter of fact, when I thought of courageous people, I thought of people like Rosa Parks fighting for civil rights, or Amelia Earhart, who literally gave women wings in a male-dominated industry. I thought of firemen who raged wild fires risking their lives every day, or soldiers who fought and died for the freedom of our country. A courageous person was someone whose impact, bravery and actions affected millions and created…

A few days ago, I conducted a quick poll on Facebook to determine what age most Rocking Over 40 women feel at heart, regardless of their chronological age. A resounding majority feel younger than they really are…a couple of DECADES younger, as a matter of fact. Ooh-la-la! There were a minority of women who felt their age or much older and it was primarily due to illness, an unhealthy lifestyle, or overall exhaustion. To check out the results on Facebook, click here But generally, women in their 40s and 50s feel in their 20s at heart. I’ve often heard 40 is the new 20, but I think that is a flawed…

A few months ago, my youngest son turned 6 and I recall how excited he was to be having a birthday. Thirty days prior to his birthday he started a countdown and talked incessantly about all the things he was going to do on his big day. He was eager to turn 6 and not be 5 anymore. “I’ll be a big boy now, right mom?” he asked continuously. He was 5 going on 12, and on his way to “catching up” with his older brother. His birthday (finally) arrived and he had the time of his life, the “bestest birthday ever,” he proclaimed all day.  He went to bed…