When I turned 50, many things changed. For one thing, perimenopause hit and I started sleeping very little and sweating a lot. And for another, I was eternally grateful to be ushering in that new decade, after a bout with breast cancer in my mid-30’s. Midlife crisis? Not me.
I began to realize that I was still me…but different. I still doubted myself at times, but doubted myself less and forgave myself more.
I knew I looked and was older but I didn’t feel it, except for the good parts: the confidence and conviction that I mattered just as much as the next person; the ease of fitting into my skin and not itching to escape it; the knowledge that so many of my experiences – though painful, gut-wrenching sad and equally perplexing – would all add up to making me a better older person.
When my two children were in high school, I returned to school myself and happily tackled an MFA at the prestigious Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, New York. While the experience of being a student in your 50s is somewhat akin to being dropped off in an unfamiliar neighborhood without the benefit of a cell phone or any sense of direction (a frequent nightmare of mine), I happily “endured” the three years of incredible enrichment from some of the most brilliant and generous teachers I’ve known. My diploma hangs on a wall opposite my desk in my home office, displayed in a frame purchased at Staples the day after graduation. Every so often, when I’m suffering a bout of “I’m-no-good” I steal a glance at it and my shoulders soften just a bit.
I’ve been writing about health ever since and feel so grateful and satisfied to be on this journey at this time in my life. Writing, interviewing and collaborating gives me that opportunity to quench my endless curiosity about everything around me; a chance to delve into subjects I’d always wondered about, like sleep deprivation and the benefits of Omega-3s or why some people are naturally happy while others think too damn much about how to be happy. And although I’m no longer in school, I feel like I learn something new, through my work, each and every day.
I pursue my writing like I pursue my life: with passion, conviction, joy, patience and fortitude. And if I reach just one person through my words, and am able to make a difference in their life, I am satisfied.
My portfolio covers a wide range of health, fitness, nutrition and wellness topics, written to inform, educate and empower women to take charge of their health. I’ve written about acupuncture, aging, beauty treatments and belly fat; menopause, breast cancer and diabetes; spa travel, sleep, superfoods, and so much more.