Radical Aging: How To Live Fully And Fiercely After 50

Wildly Imperfect: Elaine Blais

I’ve definitely gotten more radical with age. Haven’t you? I’ve learned that what I focus on becomes my reality—so I’m pretty damn selective now. Things that used to rile me up? I’m much softer about those. But when it comes to protecting my time, energy, and attention? Oh, I’m fiercer than ever. My priorities are simple: what sparks my joy, the people I adore, and helping women build radical self-trust and unapologetic self-approval. 

Aging Is A Gift:

Aging is a gift. In a world that tries to convince us that getting older is something to fear—especially for women—embracing your age is a downright radical act of self-love and unapologetic self-approval. There’s nothing more powerful. 

I see it everywhere, don’t you? Society’s nagging whispers (or full-on screams) that youth is the pinnacle. That wrinkles are some kind of crisis, and growing older means you’re supposed to just disappear. Please.

“Aging is a gift.”

This is patriarchal perfectionism playing its little mind games. Midlife is not the affliction, it’s the remedy. It’s the moment we stop bending over backward for perfection and start standing tall in our wisdom, power, and unapologetic authenticity. Let them keep chasing the fountain of youth – we’ve got better things to do!

Rejoicing In It:

As I write this, I’m days away from turning 68—and sister, I’m rejoicing in it! I once heard Diane von Furstenberg, chatting with Julia Louis-Dreyfus on her podcast Wiser Than Me, say she doesn’t talk about how old she is; she talks about how many years she’s lived. Well, I’ve lived 68 fabulous years, and let me tell you, that’s nothing short of brilliant.

I love my life now more than ever. Maybe it’s because more than half the sand in my hourglass has slipped through, but the wisdom that comes with that? Oh, it’s powerful. The kind of power I could only dream of in my younger years. Life is truly what you make it. Since it’s all made up anyway, it’s time we make up our minds to live the life we’ve been dreaming about. Consider this your manifesto for radical aging.

We can age in a way that feels liberating, empowering, and energizing. This is Radical Aging: where we reject limiting beliefs and societal expectations about aging, reclaim our inherent power, and rejoice in the richness of midlife and beyond.

Reject: Ditch The Outdated BS:

The first step in radical aging is all about rejection — but let’s be clear: we’re not rejecting ourselves – not anymore. We’re rejecting all the garbage society has tried to serve us on a silver platter about aging women. We’re tossing out the stale, outdated beliefs that have been crammed down our throats for way too long.

We reject the ridiculous idea that our value shrinks with age, and don’t even get me started on the notion that beauty fades. We reject the myth that the best days are behind us, that we’re crumbling, irrelevant, or a burden.

These tired old stories are designed to keep us small, but we’re not playing that game anymore. Sisters, we are powerful beyond what we can even fathom. It’s time to step into that power with some serious sashay.

By midlife, we’ve seen enough to know what’s true for us. We’re comfortable in our skin, we’ve weathered heartbreaks and celebrated victories. Rejecting society’s obsession with youth is how we break free to embrace life in all its richness. We become timeless, ageless, full of depth, character, and an inner glow that no wrinkle cream could ever match.

We are the blueprint for the women who follow us—daughters, granddaughters, and beyond.

Reclaim: Snatch Back Your Power:

Midlife is the perfect time to reclaim all that power we might’ve put on the back burner while we were busy living for everyone else. Now’s the moment for a cosmic recalibration. It’s the season of asking: What do I actually want? What pieces of myself did I hide away, and how do I reclaim them?

Think of midlife as a portal to rekindle all those forgotten dreams and desires. Maybe you’re an artist who set down the paintbrush, or an adventurer who stopped exploring. Perhaps you’re the woman who kept quiet to keep the peace—raises hand—I see you.

“Think of midlife as a portal to rekindle all those forgotten dreams and desires.”

But here’s the scoop: midlife is about reigniting those passions, reclaiming your voice, and stepping unapologetically into who you were always meant to be. We’re not done—we’re just getting started. Reclaiming your power means flipping the script from self-improvement to self-approval.

You are not a work in progress – you’re already a masterpiece, unique and perfect just as you are. Now, go out and strut through life with the confidence of someone who knows her worth.

Rejoice: Celebrate Like You Mean It:

Radical aging calls for rejoicing. It’s time to soak up all the joy, pleasure, and celebration that life has to offer. We’re not pretending aging doesn’t come with challenges, but we’re here for the whole experience. Life in midlife is all about celebrating our wisdom, resilience, and our ability to handle whatever comes our way. 

Midlife is an invitation to savor every drop of this wild ride. It’s not about slowing down – it’s about being smart with your time, energy, and resources. We rejoice not because life is always sunshine and rainbows. We rejoice because we’ve learned to appreciate the beauty of every moment, every day, every season.

Here’s the best part: we’re no longer living by anyone else’s expectations. We’re dancing to our own rhythm. That might mean taking solo trips, starting new adventures, or enjoying quiet mornings with a cup of tea. Joy is your birthright, girlfriend – let it overflow and spill into every part of your life.

Radical Aging Is A Full-On Revolution: 

Let’s face it, we can’t stop aging but we can revolutionize it. It isn’t something to dread. We’ve been rewriting rules of beauty, strength, and purpose at every stage of our lives. We are not about to stop now. We’re flipping the script on what it means to age as women.

This isn’t the beginning of the end – it’s a continuation of our evolution and expansion. Aging isn’t about losing – it’s about fully living. We get to reject what no longer serves us. Reclaim our innate power. Rejoice in the freedom, wisdom, and beauty that midlife so generously offers.

This is our revolution, and we are unstoppable.

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About the Author:

Elaine Blais is Spiritual Life Coach, Imperfection Alchemist and author whose superpower is helping humans, primarily women, alchemize their perceived imperfections and turn them into strengths. Her signature program, The Art of Self-Approval™ is a pathway to breaking free from the chains of perfectionism and people-pleasing and unlocking your full potential.

After a quarter century in the corporate grind, and years of struggling with co-dependency and self-doubt, Elaine decided to leave behind what was expected of her and transform into the woman she wanted to be. So, at fifty-nine, she decided to write a new chapter in her life, literally. Her debut book, 3 Secrets to a Kickass Life, is a manifesto for those looking to live with intention and purpose. Elaine believes you can write your own story too.