Beyond the Mask: Discovering Your Authentic Self After 50

Have you ever felt like you're living someone else's life,

Like you're wearing a mask to fit in, but it's slowly

suffocating your true self. If so, you're not alone,

and this episode is for you.

Hey, friend. Ever feel like those old fashioned

ideas about aging just don't fit you? If you're ready to

own this incredible chapter with grace, style, and a touch of

sass, this is your space. Welcome to the aging with

grace and style podcast. I'm Valerie Hatcher, and I'm here

with empowering tips, inspiring stories, and a whole lot of

fun just for us, women over 50. So grab

your favorite beverage, turn up the volume, and let's

get started. As women

over 50, we often find ourselves navigating

significant life transitions, and embracing our true selves

can be a powerful and liberating a.

Kinda like when you've had on Spanx all

day and you take them off and you feel like you can

finally breathe. Well, that's also a liberating experience that

I a this to. In today's show, we're discussing

authenticity. We'll define it, discuss its

importance, identify common barriers, and

share practical steps to embrace our true self.

Authenticity has played a significant role in my

life and in the lives of many women that I've spoken with.

For me, embracing authenticity meant

letting go of societal expectations and

truly listening to my inner voice. It's been a

journey of self discovery and empowerment, and I'm

excited to share this journey with you. As we

age, many of us find ourselves

on this journey to authenticity.

Maybe you've always put others first, or

perhaps you've been living up to an image

of who you thought you should be, well, now

is the time to embrace personal growth and self

discovery. There are myths that

authenticity means sharing everything or

having no filters. So but what does

it really mean? Authenticity is about

your true self. It's aligning

actions with values and living without pretense.

It's the courage to show up as you are

without hiding behind Sass or conforming

to others' expectations. For women over 50, this

journey is particularly meaningful as we

navigate new chapters in our lives.

So life transitions like the empty nest,

retirement, or career shifts offer,

a unique opportunity to reassess and

embrace authenticity. These changes often

prompt us to reflect on who we truly are

and what we want from life. Living authentically

brings numerous mental and emotional benefits.

Actually, studies have shown that it can significantly

improve mental health and overall well-being.

When we're true to ourselves, we form

stronger, more genuine relationships. It's a

time for self awareness and reconnecting

with our true self. And let's not forget the

boost in confidence and self esteem that comes from

embracing who we really are. Now let

me share a personal experience about staying true to

myself. For years, I have found

myself more drawn to conversations

about sports, cars, world events, and some

shopping rather than what some might consider

traditionally feminine topics. I guess you could

Sass, I have always been a guy's girl. No.

Not in a flirtatious way at all. I've just

enjoyed those conversations. This preference

sometimes put me at odds with certain

social groups. I once joined an

organization where the popular crowd

had very specific interests, like tea parties

and shopping and what I felt was surface level

chatter. Now don't get me wrong. I enjoy a good

shopping spree now and then, but it's not my main

focus. I think my background in corporate a

has meant that I was more comfortable with the, quote,

unquote, water cooler a, discussing

business strategies, technologically technological advancements,

or the latest sports news, kids, and shopping.

My dad was 1 who could talk to anyone

about anything. So I felt, and, actually,

I still feel, it's good to know a little bit about

a variety of topics for the sake of conversation. But

back to my story. In this group, my

interests were seen as unusual,

and I felt pressured to conform. I

faced a choice, change myself to fit in

or stay true to who I am. I

chose authenticity, which initially led

to feeling somewhat isolated. Yes. It

stung a bit. But pretending to be someone else

just to please others, that felt dishonest

and exhausting.

Interestingly, as time passed and some of these

people got to know the real me, attitudes began to

shift. They started to appreciate or

maybe at least better understand my perspective.

This experience actually taught me a valuable lesson.

Conformity, it can sometimes border on

cult like behavior, While authenticity,

though challenging at times, allows for

genuine connections and self respect. Now the

takeaway, align yourself with people who appreciate

your true self a of whether your

a fit expectations. It's far more

fulfilling to be authentically you than to

exhaust yourself trying to be someone

that you're not. The path to authenticity

isn't always smooth, especially for us over 50.

We face unique challenges touch as societal

expectations, Societal pressures and

stereotypes about how we should behave or look can

inhibit our authenticity. We may feel, I don't

know, compelled to conform to certain roles or

appearances, which can stifle our true self.

Then there's fear of judgment. The fear of criticism

and judgment often holds us back. We worry about how

others perceive us and whether we'll be accepted.

Going back to my story, it would have been easier for

me just to be like the others than to be shunned by

them. Then there's internal doubt.

So internal struggles like self doubt or

imposter syndrome can also hinder our

authenticity. We may question our worth and our abilities,

doubting whether or not we can truly be ourselves.

Career transitions or retirement can shake our sense of identity.

Changing family dynamics, such as children leaving the

nest or as we later become a,

health and body image concerns that come with aging, all

of these can affect our path to authenticity.

But remember, these challenges are also

opportunities for growth and self discovery.

So how can we cultivate authenticity in

our daily life? Well, if you've been around, you

know I have some steps. Actually, I have 5 of them, so

here they are. Number 1 is self reflection.

Take time for self reflection through journaling.

You know I always talk about journaling, meditation,

or conversations with trusted friends. These

practices help us gain clarity and connect with our inner

selves. Number 2, identify core

values. Identify and align with

your personal values. Understand what truly matters

to you, and let those values guide your decisions and your

actions. 3, set boundaries.

Setting boundaries is crucial for protecting your authentic

self. Learn to say no when necessary and

prioritize your well-being. 4, practice

self compassion. Embrace self compassion

and patience on your journey to authenticity. Be kind to

yourself and acknowledge that it's a continuous

process of growth and self discovery. And 5,

take small steps. Start with Style,

authentic actions and gradually expand

them. Each step you take towards living authentically

builds confidence and reinforces your true self.

I, recently listened to a psychologist who was

discussing just this topic. Her advice was

to start small. She said, a isn't

about making drastic changes overnight. It's about

gradually aligning your outer life with your

inner truth. Small steps can lead to

significant empowerment in our happiness and provide a sense

of fulfillment. Some techniques that she

suggested were, when you feel afraid to express

your true self, ask yourself, what's the worst

that could happen? Often, our fears are

exaggerated. 1 of my favorite

quotes about authenticity is from Brene Brown, and

it says, a is a daily

of letting go of who we think we're

supposed to be and embracing who we are.

a of our listeners told me that

she had spent her whole life being who everyone

else wanted her to be. But at 55,

she finally asked herself, what do I

wanna be? And I was recently at a

podcasting summit, and I talked to a few women over

50 on our we were talking about our

why. What brought us to podcasting? And

1 of them told me, she said she finally decided to pursue

her passion for podcasting at 57. And she

said it's been the most fulfilling journey.

She told me that, embracing her true and

authentic self had brought her so much joy.

Now I talked earlier about steps to embrace

authenticity, but here are a couple of other tips

that you can use daily. So

if if this is new to you because you've spent

so much time conforming to the expectations of

others, then you will need to really get

in touch with who you are. 1 way of doing

so is to incorporate daily mindfulness practices

to stay connected to your true self. So

whether it's through meditation, deep breathing,

or just simply being present, Mindfulness

helps maintain authenticity. And then

another is to live authentic

authentically by communicating honestly.

Now that doesn't mean you just say whatever's on your mind all

the time. We still need to have a filter and to respect

others' feelings, following your passions

and embracing imperfections.

Remember, authenticity is about progress,

not perfection. So Sass we wrap

up, let's recap our key points.

Authenticity is about being true to yourself.

It brings benefits like improved well-being and

stronger relationships. While there are challenges,

especially for women over 50, they can be a.

And practical steps like self reflection and

pursuing passions can help cultivate authenticity.

I encourage you to take 1 step towards

living more authentically this week. Maybe, you know,

is trying a new hobby that you've always been curious about

or having an honest conversation with a loved 1

or not doing what everyone else is doing to fit in.

Or maybe like me, just don't go to the tea and crumpets

place to fit in because you know when you leave, you're

gonna be hungry. Remember, it's never too

late to start living your truth. I'd

love to hear what living a,

yes, I've been struggling with that word, means to you. Share

your stories in the comments or on social. Don't forget. You

can leave me a voice message at pod.aging

with grace and style.com. I'm getting more and more messages

every week, and I love them. So thanks

for joining me as we take this journey to embracing

authenticity. Until next Style, keep embracing

your authentic self and being true to

who you really are.

Thanks for hanging out with me today. I hope you're feeling

inspired and ready to own your awesomeness. I love

sharing this space with you, and if you of today's episode,

do me a favor, share it with a friend who could use some

extra inspiration. A quick rating and review

really helps too. Don't forget to subscribe so

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Until next time, keep shining with grace,

style, and a whole lot of sass.