Move Over Millennials - How Can We Convince Brands Ageing Isn't a Bad Thing?

The days of mid-life women feeling invisible are numbered. Now enjoying being wealthier, healthier and more active than in generations past, smart brands are starting to vie for our attention. “We’re making a lot of purchasing decisions because we are buying for ourselves, our kids and our parents,” explains Kate Christie, time management expert and author of The Life List: Master Every Moment and Live an Audacious Life. “On top of that we are healthy, active, we’ve got energy… time and freedom. 

“There’s always this negative spin and rhetoric about this being a time of crisis for women and I think that’s absolute crap.” In fact, Faith Agugu, psychotherapist and founder of the Silver Sirenspositive ageing movement, believes few life stages offer as much joie de vivre as post-50.“It’s normal to reevaluate our lives at that time and unpack the negative messaging around ageing, but most women on the other side of it realise that this is potentially the best time of our lives,” she says. “We’ve got more time and more resources, and can decide what we want to spend it on, instead of spending it on other people.”

REBRANDING OURSELVES

More and more women are cottoning on to the freedom and potential that comes with age. “I feel like there is a groundswell – we are a force to be reckoned with,” Faith says. “We have confidence and lived wisdom. We are seeing older actresses and fashion models, and even the media is understanding that we are a powerhouse in terms of spending.” For many, the real fearlessness comes post- menopause, with research showing women get happier between the ages of 50 and 70. 

“There’s a lot of [messaging] that we’re going to be stuck in this menopausal phase, and it’s all going to be downhill and about decay,” Faith says. “But it’s not true – I’m a post-menopausal woman and it gets amazing!” Faith challenges us to use our wisdom to pursue rewarding career roles. “A lot of women focus on the negativity around invisibility, which is real, but the fact is, we’ve got amazing women in this age group in powerful leadership roles,” she says. “You can trust your intuition and take some bold moves that you wouldn’t have dared to take in your twenties or thirties.”

CONQUER YOUR GOALS

If you want to tap into your power and potential, Kate recommends carving out some time for reflection. 

“Find that quiet space – for me it’s often walking on the beach or swimming,” she says. “Think about, ‘What are the things that are most important to me? What do I want to be prioritising in my life right now?’” She suggests writing a comprehensive ‘life list’ that details everything from your finances to wellbeing, relationships, adventure and causes to support, then setting a mix of big and small goals to achieve. 

“We need to be very deliberately crafting out what the next part of our life looks like,” Kate says. “One month I sent myself on a ‘yes quest’ where I had to say yes to every [opportunity] – so I went speed dating and I saw a clairvoyant. It doesn’t always have to be audacious and about getting to the 

top of the mountain.”