There are many quotes related to age that are intended to make us feel better. For example: ‘Thirty is the new twenty,’ ‘No woman should ever be quite accurate about her age. It looks so calculating’ or ‘Age is of no importance unless you are a cheese.’ The reality, however, is that our age influences our life decisions.
Many women seem to think that they’re not able—or even permitted—to do certain things because something in society determines that it’s inappropriate. Think about it: how often do you hear women say, “I can’t do that because ______.” This is largely due to low self-esteem.
Lately, I have seen more and more pictures of older women doing things that are ‘not appropriate’ for them. I love them because that is what life is all about. This is why, I want to share with you some examples of inspiring and strong women who don’t care what society says about how we are supposed to live.
Dyeing Their Hair with Fantasy Colors
Do you think you are too old to dye your hair with bright colors? Yes? Then think twice. There are many women who are not celebrities who they dye their hair, but let’s look at some names and ages of women you’ll likely recognize: Rita Moreno, Zandra Rhodes, Vivienne Westwood, Shelley Fabares and Helen Mirren. They’re all older than 70—I will be one of them when I get older. These women are proof that hair colors don’t have an age limit.
Wearing Sexy Clothes and Bathing Suits
It is crazy how society criticizes women for wearing the clothes that they want to wear—and this is not a matter of age. However, there are women who live by their own rules and embrace who they are and how they feel. I’ve seen pictures of 80-year-old women in bikinis and even g-strings. 90-year-old Australian Irene Carney is one such model of inspiration. Encouraged by her friends and the staff of her nursing home, she bought—and rocked—a retro bikini for a cruise holiday.
Then there are women like 58-year-old Mary Ann Holand who pose in sexy lingerie for interviews while stating, “No one but me dictates my sexiness.” Pamela Madsen (52) is another open-minded woman who has commented, “Sexuality has become my friend,” while 67-year-old Barbara Rabin comments, “I’m so much stronger now. And strength is sexy.”
If you’re still not convinced, take a tip from Miss Great Britain 1982, Della Draper: At 53, she is still sexy and has the love and support of her daughters. In an interview two years ago, she commented, “I occasionally worry about wearing a bikini on the beach but my daughters assure me that I look better than some of their friends in a two-piece and at 51 that makes me feel pretty good.
Tattoos and Piercings
Piercings and tattoos aren’t just for young women as June Seccombe (86) demonstrates. Having recently had her first tattoo done, she commented, “My neighbours could not believe I had got one done; but everyone seems to say they like it.”
54-year-old Cathy Ward is another example of women getting tattoos later in life. For her, her first tattoo was inspired by her love of Twilight. Other women have gone the tattoo route to remember loved ones. For example, Winifred Turner is 94-years-old and has three tattoos: two to remember her dead husband and one for her grandchildren.
At 85-years-old, Joy Tomkins is another woman to admire. She wanted doctors to respect her right to die, so she got two tattoos: one says, “Do not resuscitate” and the other says, “PTO.” Yet another woman who sat for her first tattoo at the age of 87 is Gwladys Williams, who had a tattoo done in memory of one of her daughters.
It’s clear that tattoos and piercings are not just for the young. Many people choose to get tattoos to commemorate and remember special events and people, so don’t hesitate to get that piercing or tattoo that you’ve always wanted.
Extreme Sports
I have to say, I’m not a big fan of extreme sports but I want to try skydiving someday like Georgina Harwood who celebrated her 100th birthday by jumping out an airplane. If you think that is crazy, do a search for 77-year-old Tamae Watanabe, who climbed Mount Everest at the age of 73, and Madonna Buder, who is 85-years-old and a triathlete. She is known as the Iron Nun because she has completed 45 Ironman races and more than 350 triathlons. Similarly, marathon swimmer Pat Gallant-Charette is 64-years-old. and a marathon swimmer.
Our final example is Dorothy Custer who parachuted off a bridge at the young age of 102 years.
She explained her lifestyle by saying, “I never thought of age. I just went on living and having a good time.”
These women are crazy, but in a good way. They are just living their passions, even if they need to be more careful than younger people when doing these sports. If you are healthy and energetic, go for it.
Working Their Dream Job
If you are thinking about giving up on your dream to become whatever you desire, you may be inspired by these special women. The first woman is Hedda Bolgar. She died in 2013 at the age of 103 years, but she worked as a psychoanalyst until the age of 102. She said that she was too busy to die.
Proof that you’re never too old to train for a new job—especially when it’s your dream job—is Evelyn Gregory. Now in her mid-80s, she trained and qualified as a flight attendant when she was 71-years-old. Similarly, 86-year-old Jacqueline Murdock not only recently became a model, but—at the age of 82—became the face of Lanvin’s New Fall Campaign.
Yet again proving that old doesn’t mean fragile, 97-year-old Tao Porcho-Lynch is the world’s oldest yoga teacher. If that isn’t impressive in itself, she’s still strong enough to support her entire body on her hands! Speaking of hands, despite being crippled by arthritis, Anna Mary Robertson (Grandma) Moses became a painter at the age of 76 and produced more than a thousand artworks over the next 25 years until she died at the age of 101 in 1961.
Many of these women’s achievements are incredible and inspiring in people half their age; for these women to have achieved all that they did at a time of their lives when many of us have resigned ourselves to old age is even more inspiring! We only have one life, and we cannot let others decide it for us, so do what you’ve always wanted to do. Remember: Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.
What are some of the things that you’ve always wanted to do? Share you ideas below.
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