uncover your grey

Is now the time to uncover your grey?

anything else you may have been hiding..

So, here we all are, lockdown, I do hope you're all safe and well?

I think you'd agree it's easy to get through something when we know how long it will last. But in these unprecedented times, unfortunately, we don't have that luxury. So best we get around to the things we have said we don't have time for eh?

For me, a long overdue blog post, lord its been too long since I've written for the Embrace Age page.

Life gets in the way, tap dancing on a penny, juggling between styling gigs and collaborations. I've chosen the collabs wisely over the past year; it's not just about free stuff (contrary to popular opinion) it's about wanting to collaborate with a brand or company that I think understands what it is I'm trying to do with Embrace Age.

Which to remind you, is to show my peers we women over 50 are still vibrant and confident, and not invisible in advertising. As a consequence, as older women stand up, my hope is this will show younger women there is nothing to fear in age, but much to look forward to.

If you know me, then you will know how I've been banging on for years my thoughts on the fact ageing is a privilege, not a right.

So many humans don't get the chance to age, at 57, I look around at who I have lost, so I thought this blog piece might be the perfect opportunity to bring it up again.

As I look around at the women I come into contact with, happily there are more standing up to be counted since I started EA five years ago, but many still feel invisible.

What will it take for advertisers to realise older women want to see each other, why doesn't that happen often enough?

Sometimes I have to shake my head, and wring my hands in utter despair, why don't we celebrate age?

Why do we fear it?

Why do we spend billions of dollars in a desperate attempt to defy age, why do we worship any product that states its anti-ageing and use terms like 'turn back the years'?

As consumers, we are made to feel inadequate (no matter our age) we're an easy sell once undermined, It's a complicated question; habit, lack of confidence, comparison to others. perhaps all those things above and more?

Hiding signs of our ageing or being embarrassed by signs of it doesn't compute, even more so given the current state of our world.

Ageing shouldn't be something to fear, we should feel blessed we get the chance.

So do we want to move forward in fear of it? Or, do we want to age on our own terms, not be defined by it?

Ageing should bring a sense of freedom, no? Wrinkles are something we earn, yes?

Mid-Life should be more about understanding what is essential, being kind, to ourselves and to others, being smarter, and above all else, discovering how to create our most authentic lives.

Which leads me to the current pandemic, and what we can do for ourselves while we're all locked down.

Many women will be wondering about what to do with their grey roots, not to mention all of the other weekly/monthly top-ups like, nails and waxing. Yes, bush will be back, the carpet may well match your drapes and to be sure we may be able to plait the hair on our legs (but obviously not each others while in lockdown).

No botox? Maybe after this, it might be helpful to see your face emote? Lord knows there's enough to cry about?

It could be the perfect time to contemplate what, out of any of this, could be a gift moving forward.

As we emerge from this hibernation there shouldn't be any shame about grey hair; let's face it, we are all in the same boat. I think people will be proud of exposing some of the things they've been covering up once the Covid 19 has lifted.

I'm not advocating letting one's self go to complete rack and ruin, I'm all about being our best selves, emotionally and spiritually. But physically, surely our internal health is more vital than the constant exterior upkeep we have fooled ourselves into believing we really need? Surely we can use this time to encompass some understanding of what's worth worrying about in life, and, what is not.

I'm asking you to think on it; times are a-changing, and at a time like this we owe it to ourselves to take a good long look at who we are now and who we once dreamt we could be, then how to get back on track.

I'm asking myself the same tough questions, especially about being authentic. If you had asked me a month ago if I was happy in what I do, I would have said yes.

Now, I'm not sure; I'm not sure if all the work I've put into Embrace Age has fallen on mostly deaf ears, should I change tack?

I'm not sure I want to live in Melbourne anymore, perhaps the right move for me would be to realise what's more critical finally. Maybe that includes a reinvention, a step home to Tasmania to be nearer my ageing parents.

I am sure though, that I'm going to make some pretty tough decisions and when we come out of this mess I'm going to make them happen, are you?

*Update May 2023

It was April 2020 when I wrote this piece..I did indeed move back to Tasmania June 2020, it's coming up to three years. I could not be prouder of my decision to reinvent my life, closer to family, community and nature, who knew given what has transpired in Melbourne; this move would be the best decision I ever made?