Fifty Shades of Fifty – How women in their fifties discover who they are now

50 is Nifty – maybe - but that's not how I would describe my fifth decade.

I celebrated my 50th birthday in 2004.

The vibe was different then. We were riding high on the wave of a new millennium. We survived Y2K!

I threw a spectacularly fun New Year’s Eve party on December 31, 1999, my home bulging with friends, as we tipsily awaited the turn of midnight to see if our technology-based world would short circuit!

You know what happened, of course. All the hype about universal computer melt down deflated like my party balloons the next morning.

Enter the 2000s and we seemed to be on an energetic high! It felt like most of the world was making and spending money, more than ever before.

My company was growing at a rapid pace and I was running to keep up as its leader.

My 5th decade was witness to one more divorce and another marriage. Joyfully, this decade also allowed me to blend three families and extend the privilege of my matriarchal domain over multiple continents.

My company, Phancorp Inc. soared to new heights of success but within a few years, limped along with so many other companies whose wings were broken by the 2008 economic disaster.

I was furious with the S.O.B.’s of the financial sector for their mismanagement of the mortgage and real estate industries. The repercussions of their shell game wiped out decades of hard work and investment in many businesses.

Charles Dickens expresses well the lingering essence of my fifties; “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.”

This was a season of high creativity and adventure for me. I travelled a great deal and was privileged with lifetime memories of new countries, cultures, friends and experiences.

My fifties were a marathon of self-discovery, learning and professional growth.

I laughed with joyful abandon, loved deeply, and mended my broken heart more than once.

I struggled to adapt to my changing body and yet marveled at my powerful sexual energy. My confidence as a woman advanced and retreated like the ocean surf.

This certainly was the decade of greater change than any other time of my life. I was transforming at a rapid rate.

 Looking back to my fifties, some of the most valuable things I learned were:

•  Invest in the best made and most beautiful underwear.
• Dance a lot. It’s therapeutic.
• Extroverts need time alone too.
• Do it now! The chance may not come around again.
• There is always room for more love.
• A family is chosen. When they choose you, that’s the greatest gift of all.
• Money comes and goes. Memories last. Make them good ones.
• Never underestimate me. That’s the fuel to my fire.
• Don’t put all your (nest)eggs in one basket.
• Keep your passport up-to-date and luggage in ready condition.

More about how I discovered who I was as a woman in my fifties awaits for you at www.WhoIAmNowBook.com

You might discover yourself in these pages.

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