Reclaiming Midlife: We are redefining the narrative.

What being a woman over 50—a midlife woman—means today is changing, because we’re the ones changing it. We’re no longer accepting ageism, outdated stereotypes, or the idea that our next chapter is about fading into the background. We are reclaiming what midlife looks and feels like.

There’s a Forbes article that says women over 50 are the largest demographic starting new businesses. That doesn’t surprise me. Many of us have faced ageism in the corporate world. So it makes sense to take all that experience, insight, and power—and build something on our own terms.

But this moment isn’t just about business. It’s about identity. It’s about owning the fact that we get to define our worth and design lives that feel good to us. We’ve earned the wrinkles. Age is powerful because we’ve lived. And we’re done being judged by how we look. That’s the freedom of this phase—letting go of the pressure to perform or please, especially for the male gaze.

One of the most liberating realizations is that we no longer need the permission of men. For so long, stories about life, beauty, loss, and even sexuality were filtered through a male lens. The Geena Davis documentary, This Changes Everything, on gender in media highlights this beautifully. She launched the Geena Davis Institute to prove what many of us have known for decades: women were underpaid, underrepresented, and expected to conform to narrow ideals.

And now, as we enter a new stage of life, we’re being targeted again—this time, menopause is being framed as a “medical issue.” Like when we were teenagers, brands are trying to sell us things to fix what isn’t broken. Sure, medical support has its place, but the old playbook is being dusted off. They’re coming for us like they did before—when we were most vulnerable.

When we were younger, validation often came through the approval of men—bosses, partners, culture at large. Everything from our weight to our postpartum bodies was judged. But at this age, we no longer need to live by that script.

That doesn’t mean all men are to blame. Things are shifting. My son’s generation is rewriting how we think about identity, masculinity, and femininity. I may not agree with all of it—but I respect their desire to dismantle the system they inherited.

And for us? The power is in taking control of our own narrative. We get to choose what makes us feel alive. We decide how we want to show up. We don’t need permission. We don’t need approval.

It’s empowering. It’s hopeful.

Would I want to re-enter the job market? Honestly, probably not. I know how capable I am, but I’d still worry about being judged for my age. Ageism is real. But so is the shift. There’s something exciting happening—and I’m proud to be a part of it. Even in our small circles, we are rewriting the story.

And that’s how change begins.