When I look back at my mother’s generation, many women had already stepped out of the workforce by their early 50s. Some never even entered careers in the paid labour force at all. Retirement was often expected — sometimes even encouraged — whether or not they were ready. Their lives revolved around home, family, and a certain script: you baked the food, kept the house, raised the kids, and maybe, if you were lucky, you snuck in a dream or two.
For many of us in our 50s and 60s today, that story looks very different. We’re working longer, starting new careers, or finally chasing dreams that took us a little longer to get to. Yes, part of that is practical — people are living longer, the cost of living is higher, and retirement isn’t what it used to be. But it’s also about identity. Work isn’t just a paycheck; it’s meaning, contribution, and connection.
My own story? I raised seven children. Seven. (Yes, you heard that right — that’s a lot of packed lunches and mountains of laundry.) I always had a yearning for professional leadership, for a life outside the walls of my home, but I also had an incredible desire to be a mom. And honestly, I didn’t know how to do it all. My generation of women were the first ones really trying to bridge two worlds: we were expected to bake cookies and show up at the PTA, but we were also secretly dreaming about offices, boardrooms, and career paths.
Now, at 61, I find myself working longer not because I missed my chance, but because I finally have the chance. I’m part of a generation of women who had to figure out how to step out of the home, chase professional dreams, and still carry all the love and responsibility that came with motherhood. We may have taken a little longer to get here, but we’re here — and we’re not done yet.
Women, Aging, and Identity in Midlife
And yet, here’s the part I don’t always talk about out loud: I still struggle with aging. I have this deep desire to do more, to be more, to keep building and creating. But when I look in the mirror or notice the lines on my face, I sometimes wish I was younger — with more time, more energy, more years ahead of me.
The truth is, our culture doesn’t make this easy. We live in a society that quietly devalues aging, especially women as we grow older. We don’t celebrate the voices of our seniors; we sideline them. And suddenly, I realize — that’s me now.
I catch myself wondering: Do people look at me and think I’m too old to be doing this? Too late to start, too ambitious for my age? And at the same time, I know I have so much left to give. So much left to create. And I know I’m not alone — so many women in their 50s, 60s, and beyond are carrying this same mix of yearning and doubt.
The New Midlife Story: Women Redefining Work and Aging
I think it’s time we start opening up real conversations about this stage of life — about aging and goals, about perimenopause and menopause, and about what it means to still have professional dreams burning strong.
Our generation of women is rewriting the script. Instead of retiring quietly, many of us are:
- Starting businesses or shifting into encore careers, finally giving breath to ideas we’ve carried for years.
- Stepping into leadership later in life, even after being overlooked or underestimated earlier.
- Balancing hot flashes, brain fog, or sleepless nights with the determination to show up and do the work anyway.
- Refusing to fade into the background, even in a world that still struggles with ageism and sexism.
We’re not doing this because it’s easy. We’re doing it because we still have something to say, something to give, something to build. We carry wisdom, resilience, and perspective that only come from decades of lived experience. And whether the world is ready to admit it or not, that makes our presence in the workplace more valuable than ever.
Looking Ahead: Women, Aging, and New Possibilities
The truth is, aging doesn’t mean we’re finished — it means we’ve collected wisdom, strength, and stories that still need telling. I know I’m not done, and I suspect you aren’t either. This is just the beginning of a conversation I want to keep having — about aging, goals, menopause, ADHD, and the ways our generation is changing the script. Stay with me — there’s so much more to say.
