For too long, society has imposed narrow,

outdated definitions of what it means to be a successful

woman. But as we navigate the second

half of our lives, it's time to change those limiting

narratives and embrace a more empowering,

fulfilling vision of success that aligns with our

values, experiences, and aspirations.

Today, we're going to talk about rewriting

the rules of success.

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.

A few episodes back, episode 55,

we talked about how to love your aging body with

confidence. And just last week, on episode

56, we discussed personal style.

Today's episode is all about empowering you to

rewrite the rules of success. As we

age, our perspectives on what success means

can shift, and it's essential to embrace those

changes and define success on our own terms.

So what does that even mean? I'm sure most of us have

felt that Aging of, am I doing this right? Or

maybe, is this really what success looks like for

me? I know I certainly have, especially

the am I doing this right part. We've all been

fed this narrative of what successful woman should

be, you know, the whole lean in,

have it all, climb the corporate ladder thing. But guess

what? That narrative is old news.

It's time to to rip it up and write our

own. As women over 50, we've lived

through diverse experiences, we've overcome

challenges, and developed a deeper understanding of

what truly matters in life.

Success for us might mean finding

a sense of purpose, nurturing

meaningful relationships, making a positive

impact on our communities, or just

simply living with authenticity and joy.

Not long ago, I had a moment of reflection where

I realized that some of the goals that I had set for

myself in my younger years no longer resonated

with who I am today. Well, that's

because I've Grace. I've evolved,

and my priorities have shifted. But it

was a powerful moment of a, understanding

that success is not a and size fits all

concept. It's unique to each of us, and it

evolves over time. Now I know I

said it's time to rewrite the rules, but what

are these rules of success that I'm talking about?

Well, society has this funny way of telling women what

they should value, a fulfilling career,

a perfect family, a flawless appearance.

Does that sound familiar? And while there's

absolutely nothing wrong with any of these things because

I value those things, but they can be pretty

suffocating when they're the only options

that are on the table. And here's the kicker.

These rules aren't just outdated. They're often

flat out limiting. They a us

in, making us feel like we have to fit

this cookie cutter mold to be considered successful.

Again, this is not a and

size fits all thing. So

why bother rewriting these

rules? Because when we

redefine success on our own terms, magic

happens. We start living lives that are

authentic, fulfilling, and truly a

with who we are. And guess what? When we

rise, we lift others up too.

So how do we actually rewrite these

rules? Of, of course, rewriting

the rules isn't easy. It takes courage.

It takes resilience and a strong

support system. It

also starts with some serious self reflection.

Let's explore how to redefine success and and to

better reflect your personal values and goals.

Now, as I've said, success doesn't have to

be about climbing the corporate ladder

or amassing wealth. It can be about

achieving personal happiness, making a difference in

your community, or pursuing,

a passion project. I recently

spoke with several women who have redefined success for

themselves. One of them left her

high powered corporate job to start a nonprofit

supporting young entrepreneurs. Her measure

of success is now based on the impact that

she's had making rather than on her job

title or her salary. I've also

received messages from listeners who shared their

journeys of redefining

success. A listener, Martina, found success in

her sixties by finally pursuing

her lifelong dream of writing a book. And, you know, I

know a lot of women our age who are writing books these days. I

think that's absolutely great. At the end

of the day, it's not about fitting into a mold,

but about creating a life that feels

fulfilling to you. Here

are 3 practical steps to redefine

success. And, you know, if you listen to me, y'all know I

love to give steps. The first one is

set personal goals. Take some time

to reflect on what success

means to you. Set goals that

that are meaningful and aligned with your values.

This could be anything from learning a new

skill to dedicating more time with your

family. Next would be to

embrace the idea of lifelong learning,

whether it's taking a class, pick picking up

a a new hobby, or simply staying

curious. Learning keeps our minds

engaged, and it opens new opportunities for success.

And then thirdly, networking and mentorship.

Connect with others who who share your interest and

your values. Building a supportive network and

provide a and encouragement as you

pursue your redefined version of

success. Now

let's talk quickly about some mindset

shifts that can help on this journey.

The first would be to embrace a growth mindset,

which is the belief that you can develop

your abilities through dedication and hard

work. This mindset, it

encourages you to see challenges as opportunities to

grow rather than obstacles.

And then next would be embracing failure.

Understand that failure isn't

the end a a part of the learning process. Now

trust me. I know that the

idea makes you say, no

one wants to fail. But think of it like this.

Each setback is an opportunity to

to learn and grow. Let me repeat that

for myself and those in the back of the room who didn't

hear it the first time. Each setback is an

opportunity to learn and grow.

Many successful people, including Oprah Winfrey and JK

Rowling, Grace numerous rejections and failures

before ever achieving their goals. Embrace

failure as a stepping stone rather than a

setback. Success is

a personally or and deeply, I'm sorry, a deeply

personal concept. It's not about

meeting societal expectations.

Success is a deeply personal concept. It's

not about meeting societal expectations,

but about creating a life that feels true and fulfilling

to you. Reflect on your

own definition of success, set meaningful

goals, and embrace the journey with a

growth mindset. At the end of the day,

empowering ourselves to rewrite the rules of success

is about more than just personal fulfillment. It's

about reclaiming our power as

women over 50. We have spent

decades navigating a world that often

undervalues and underestimates us. But

now it's time. It's our time to shine,

to to use our voices, our experiences, and

our collective wisdom to create an inclusive,

empowering narrative of what it means to be a

successful woman. So this week,

I encourage you to take a step towards redefining

success for yourself, Whether it's

setting a new goal, learning something new,

or reaching out to a mentor, take that step

and and start rewriting your own rules.

So there you have it. Today, we've challenged the

status quo, questioning those old school rules,

and started crafting a a new narrative

for success, one that's uniquely

ours. And, hey, I I

wanna hear from you. Share your thoughts, your stories,

your own definition of success on social at I

am Valerie Hatcher, or leave me a voice message

at pod.aging Aging grace and style.com.

I love hearing your voices. Let's

build a community of women who are boldly

rewriting the rules and living life on their

own terms. Until next time, keep

rewriting those rules because you

are the author of your own success story.

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 you never miss an episode. Let's

keep this conversation going. Head over to

pod.aging with grace and style.com to sign

up for my newsletter. Until next time, keep shining

with grace, style, and a whole lot of

sass.