You Don’t have to be Madonna to be a Sensational Woman over Fifty

By Marina Klima Goldberg –

First it was leg warmers and miniskirts. Then it was rock music and Madonna.

And tons of makeup so when you wash it off, you do not know who is looking at you in the mirror.

But most of us, girls of the eighties turned out Ok.

Yes, it was many crazy parties back then and my mother thought that I was good for nothing. I was a little too much for a traditionalist mother. She lost sleep, poor thing, when I took off to America in January of 1988. She did not even believe I was pregnant. She thought it was one of my tricks just to get away with a husband. Twenty four years later I have to say that she was right. I did not have any idea what I was doing. I just wanted my baby to grow up in a free world, away from the Soviets.

And I was not alone. Many of us, young crazies of the eighties ran away to become sensational mothers, wives and successful paycheck makers.

We were the first ones to say that it was okay for a woman to talk about sex from the screen and in life. We were the first generation of women that earned the right to own a business independently, without a man. We played well with others. We joined younger sisters and, now our daughters to redefine what it means to be a woman.

You do not have to be Madonna to be sensational. All you have to do is believe in yourself. And if you are a woman over fifty, the believing part is finally easy for you. No mother or a husband, or even a girlfriend to judge you. Or if they do, they are just wasting their time. You don’t care if people judge you anymore. And that is what gives you a voice. That is what makes you free at any age.

Remember the times when we were inserted inside the business suits just to be in business? All the stockings, boxy jackets and blouses “dry-clean-only” were the thing of the eighties and nineties. Today many of my women friends make seven digit profits as home based businesses. It seems that more and more smart men join women dominated sites, such as Pinterest.

As we learn from our daughters, they in turn come to our kitchens to learn from us, the crazies of the eighties. Talking about the kitchen, I am thrilled that the homemaking and decorating has become more authentic and approachable. With all the DIY sites and fantastic blogs you could get advice on anything.

Healthy has become new beautiful. And again it is women over forty and fifty that drive anti aging and rejuvenating industries. From supplements to cosmetics and beyond, we are pouring funds into the pipelines of the health and beauty businesses. For this alone, we deserve a big hug for from the economists.

I feel lucky to belong to be a women-over-fifty tribe. Sometimes, I read about my generation as being selfish. Honestly, my selfishness always worked well for many people. Just like many boomers, I was raised to believe that I could do anything. Through life, I constantly challenge my abilities. When I felt that my paycheck did not feed my soul, I waited, and then quit my day job. I never looked back no matter how hard it was. This sounds like cliché, but I did not regret my choice for a minute. At the age of forty I went back to college and at forty three got my second degree in interior design. I thought I was not the first woman on the planet to raise young children and study at the same time. I put a couple of pounds by sitting with homework, perhaps, obsessively. But every pound I gained was a worthy trade-off at that time.

I enjoy my interior design practice. Also, I like to share what I learned from my business and from life by writing this blog. I believe that my latest passion for age related home modifications is valid. Even if I helped one person avoid nursing home and be independent at home, that is a good thing. But I helped more than one. I will continue with my blog and with my interior design practice.  As a baby boomer woman over fifty I believe in sensational, fulfilled life at any age.

How about you? We really would like to hear from you and learn about your experiences in business and in life. Write down here what you think about your ever changing role as a woman in this world. Let’s chat.