No. F*cking. More.

We’re awake for the first time in our lives (usually at 2:00 am #amirite) and we get to be whoever the f*ck we want in the second half of our lives We can return to the person we were sent here to be, sans the opinions of others Check out our feature where we have a sit down with our younger selves, and share what we wish we could have told ourselves then.

We also have the freedom to live comfortably in our skin, because, let’s face it – at this stage in our lives, Mother Nature is 100% in charge. You can only fight it so much We have little choice but to – once again – unravel the unfair and inaccurate things society has told us about our looks and our bodies Contributing author Sharon Evans shares her journey to gray hair, and I talk about how swimsuit season doesn’t suit me anymore

Even though the past year was one of the toughest in my life – and that was after a couple of years of spectacular f*ckery – I’m enjoying freedoms I’ve never had before. I have the freedom to read a book from start to finish, the freedom to eat what I want and when, the freedom to go to bed when I want, the freedom to enjoy my adult kids without scrutiny or ridicule, the freedom to work on my terms, the freedom to spend money (when and if I have it) how I want, and the freedom to make my own decisions Most importantly, I have freedom from cruelty, verbal and emotional abuse, toxicity, chaos, and narcissism.

Grains of freedom become mountains

One of my favorite memes right now is, “This current chapter of my life is called ‘MY TURN,’ and I’m unapologetic as f*ck about it.” I’ve ordered t-shirts for every day of the week with this saying printed on them, lest anyone have any questions about my behavior or decisions

So, how are you defining personal freedom in mid-life? What sh*t will you absolutely NOT tolerate anymore, having paid a high price for whatever grains of freedom you have? What areas of your life have you earned the right to dictate – free from the harmful mental cobwebs others spun in your mind? This summer, I encourage you to build a mountain with those grains of freedom, step atop it in your flowing robes, adjust your crown, and claim the most authentic, free, and healthy version of yourself

Love to all,

Long before the pandemic forced many women to rediscover their long-forgotten true hair color, I decided to stop coloring my hair and see what nature offered up in terms of my moresalt-less-pepper locks. I wish I could tell you there was some deep-rooted desire to get in touch with my true self, but the predominant reason I made the leap is due to sheer laziness My chosen colors were dark enough that the gray roots were becoming obvious within 2-3 weeks after coloring, and even though I generally did the color myself at home, it was just one more task on my endless to-do list that I realized could just go away Here are some things I learned in my one-and-a-half-year journey to naturally gray hair.

Cue everyone ' s opinion...

Your people will have opinions Lazy as I can be, I did not venture into this territory without research and consideration of how best to accomplish this change with the least amount of disruption to my physical and mental wellbeing I had conversations with the people close to me about my decision, particularly those who would likely have to be seen with me during this time.

Reactions included “Moooommmmmmm please just wait until after I graduate” from my youngest daughter still at home (translation, “you’ll ruin my pictures”); “You’ll do what you want anyway so it doesn’t matter what I think” from my husband (fair deduction); and “you do you boo, we love you no matter what” from my girlfriends

It's not the hair color I miss...

Our appearance is tied to who we think we areI was one month away from turning 48 when I touched up my roots for the last time. I already had one granddaughter and was hoping to retire soon after I turned 50, so in my mind, it was natural to move in the direction of a more “mature” look Since then, I have noted times when I see pictures of myself from the past and commented that I miss having dark hair What I have realized is that it’s not the hair I miss but the life that version of me was living at the time. It’s a visible reminder of the passage of time, and I think emotions around that will always be both bitter and sweet