7 Ways Women Get Better with Age

As I scanned the magazine racks in the Hudson bookstore at JFK on my way to Italy earlier this month I saw nothing — absolutely nothing — written for women over 50.

Actually, that’s not quite true. Allure had a cover story about “Hot Dame” Helen Mirren and an article on “7 Things That Get Better With Age.”

Curious about what the Allure magazine staff thinks gets better with age, I picked up a copy.

As I read their version of what gets “better with age” I couldn’t decide if I should laugh or cry.

Allure Magazine’s 7 Things that Get Better with Age

Here they are — straight from the pages of the September 2017 copy of Allure. The annotations, of course, are mine!

1. Your double chin disappears.

Really??

I don’t know a woman over 50 (myself included) who doesn’t secretly stand in front of a mirror and pull up the skin around her neck and chin to see what she looks like without her newly acquired wattle. Sadly, it’s hard to stay aloof from the idea that double chins matter.

2. You’re a lot happier.

Yes! I do like this one.

Indeed, there is a body of research that suggests that people get happier as they get older. That may be hormonal, but I suspect it’s because as you crest 50, you are starting to figure out who you are and how the world works (more on that in another post).

3. The bags under your eyes let up.

Oh my! Another one about looks. Turns out that as the fat under your eyes is replaced by fluids, they’ll go down throughout the day as the fluids drain from your face to your feet.

I don’t know about you, but of all the things I might imagine celebrating when I think about aging, the changing nature of the bags under my eyes is NOT one of them!

4. Sex gets hotter.

For lots of women over 30 or 40 or 50, there’s a good chance sex does get hotter as you get older. You know yourself and your body better. You know what works and what doesn’t. But for most women I know, in these over 50 years, the wonder is that sex and desire are no longer running your life. And that’s the big improvement!

5. Your skin looks glowier.

Sigh … again … really? Glowier? Did you look in the mirror this morning and think, “Wow! I look glowier than I did ten years ago?” I think not.

6. You can save a ton on waxing.

Yes, you probably do have less hair. Fewer eyebrows to wax away. Less underarm and leg hair. And well, I won’t mention the rest. But if saving money is important to you, is this the line item in your budget you’ll celebrate cutting?

7. You’re more open-minded.

According to Allure, a study at the University of Michigan found that women in their 50s were more empathetic than younger women. Finally, this is one more I can get behind.

My 7 Things that Get Better with Age

And now, here’s MY quick list of what gets better with age.

1. You’re less easily embarrassed.

Enough said.

2. You know more fully what you’re good at.

…And what you’re not.

3. You have a remarkable collection of friends and contacts.

You have a reliable network that will help you get just about anything done.

4. Sex is nice, but less important.

Sex is even better than it was, but it doesn’t matter all that much any more. And that’s a great relief.

5. You no longer have to obsess about whether you look sexy.

Attractive and comfortable become more important then looking sexy.

6. You’ve developed some real skills.

Just about everything you’ve learned in your first decades sets you up for success in anything else you choose to do.

7. You have a clearer sense of your values.

You know what matters to you and what doesn’t. And that knowledge guides your choices!

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This list is just a beginning. I’m convinced that a woman’s power and ability to live fully is just beginning at 50. The hot flashes and occasional grey hair are reminders that life is about to get better!

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