I began writing this newsletter during a tumultuous time in my life: I was unsettled and restless, hyper-aware of getting older but quite sure I didn’t want to stop working, maybe ever. My client work had slowed down a bit (always terrifying for a solo entrepreneur) and I was contemplating searching for a job-job.
Was that even possible? What is the world like for late-career women who have experience and knowledge to share? How does a career — and, more importantly, a life — keep growing as the timeline becomes obviously shorter?
I’ve loved having conversations with friends and experts and women I’ve never met before about how they think about their work, their relationships and their lives as they move past 55, 60 and beyond. I’m convinced we are part of a demographic wave that is changing the world: This year, 11,000 Americans A DAY are turning 65, which is a record. Slightly more of them are women.
I’ve also loved sharing my personal stories of aging, growing and parenting in this new phase of my life. Your feedback and support have been wonderful and a little surprising — who knew that my decision to stop coloring my hair would be the most popular column yet?
But I still haven’t answered many of those questions in the second paragraph, above. Mostly because they take reporting, time and thought, which I haven’t had as much time for in recent months. (Yay for new clients!)
So I’ll be taking a few weeks off here and there through the end of the year to set up interviews, read deeply into the research (what there is of it) on late-career women, our decisions, our money and our happiness.
What would you like me to think about? What kinds of questions are you and your friends asking each other about retirement, late-career change-ups and general decisions about what you want to be when you grow up? I’d really appreciate knowing what makes you mad, confused or just interested about this time in our lives.
THANK YOU so much for reading. I am grateful for each one of you.