Article by Fabafterfifty
With a title like that, I was sure we would find lots to talk about, and I was not disappointed. Jaki interviewed women aged from 45 to 102 from five different countries and very diverse backgrounds and cultures to bring together their insights on life and the opportunities for women over the age of fifty.
Jaki (also in her fifties) met a host of women who were keen to stress that for them being in their fifties meant getting more out of life not less. In fact Jaki highlights that 50+ means just that, ‘plus’ as in more, more wisdom, more courage, more possibilities. Jaki describes her interviewees as ‘women of the harvest’, all had ‘sparkle’ which came from their strong sense of self and enjoyment of life and the opportunities it presented.
Jaki sees life as a journey from and to freedom. Through her discussions with the women in her book she sees how women transition their lives, let go of trying to uphold outmoded social patterns, return to or start new careers, revisit friendships, develop deeper more meaningful relationships, and become truer to themselves to live deeper richer lives.
Changing Perceptions of Ageing
Jaki is also conscious of how we need to change perceptions of ageing, as she says, when announcing that Barbie was 50, the bi-line…..’don’t tell anyone’ said a lot about attitudes and perceptions (although Jaki also notes that people are happy to state their age when in their nineties with pride!) Jaki hopes that others reading her book and its conclusions, drawn from interviews with so many varied , interesting and inspiring women, will help take away the fears and negativity associated with ageing, and help others who have reached and who will reach 50plus with a sense of hope, optimism and appreciation of wisdom and ‘greatness’ which maturity can bring.
Jaki is passionate about helping women appreciate the potential they have in the best years of their lives. A book full of humour and honesty, Fifty and Fabulous! is helping to change the language of ageing.
An inspirational book written by an inspirational woman and a must read for women of any age.
Related posts:
- Fit at Fifty and Beyond- Book Review
- Is Fifty the new Thirty?
- Being Fabulous is a State of Mind
- The Purple Hat
- 50 is just a number
