2022 Holiday Gift Guide for the Midlife Woman in Your Life

Midlife is a time of transition that often leads to reflection and transformation for so many women. We’re inspired by their stories and are excited to support women-owned businesses with our second annual Rumblings’ Women's Gift Guide featuring unique items for any woman in your life. This list was curated from recommendations from our Rumblings community, as well as from our personal experiences.

Supporting women comes in many forms, and shopping at women-owned small businesses is one way you can do that! Join us in making purchases from these and other small businesses this holiday season to cheer for and encourage women in their many endeavors.

Heirloomista

We love these homemade herbs and garlic salts from Heirloomista—a women-owned, woman-run farm in Amador, Minnesota. Kelsey Love is the driving force behind the farm with a mission to heal the earth through agriculture and inspire people to engage with the planet in a meaningful way. These salts (and you should check out her candles, too) make a perfect gift for colleagues or neighbors.

Fringe & Fettle Ceramics

You can find beautiful yet practical ceramic pieces at Fringe & Fettle—a one-woman show. You can explore the wonderful pieces on the website or shop them on her Etsy shop.

ABBY ALLEY

We recently heard about Abby Alley, and with one glance through the website, we knew the reasonably priced, beautiful jewelry pieces would be perfect gifts for our girlfriends. In 2016, Abby began working with East African artisans and testing the market with an online store. She launched her own brand, Abby Alley, in November 2018.

MEND Jewelry

We have several pieces of MEND’s natural gemstones and crystal jewelry. Not only have we fallen in love with the jewelry, but we’re also so impressed with MEND’s founder, Jordyn. Each MEND piece has meaning, and the healing crystals offer restorative empowerment to conquer life’s circumstances. You can find the perfect gift for any woman in your life on the website.

Emily’s Fresh Kitchen

Our friend, Emily Maxson, wrote a beautiful cookbook. The simple recipes use real food and are easy to make (and enjoy) any day of the week. Order a signed copy of her cookbook for a friend, family member, or neighbor. It’s a gift any woman would enjoy for years to come.

Clare V.

We’re obsessed with Clare V handbags, straps, and accessories. Originally from St. Paul, Minnesota, Clare noticed a lack of functional yet stylish laptop cases while working as a journalist for French TV. Clare now produces a full range of bags and accessories, including tech, travel, small leather accessories, men's, t-shirts, and shoes. While the brand has continued to grow, the line continues to be made exclusively in Los Angeles. You can shop the full line of her new products and Le Resale—a peer-to-peer marketplace for pre-loved treasures from past seasons—on the website.

Isadore Nut Company

Isadore Nut Company makes award-winning snacks and gifts that are more than just delicious and good for your body. They also ensure half of their staff is people with disabilities. The others are women, people of color, and immigrants. They give people a chance to learn new skills and accomplish their goals by giving them a job.

Bolton Bees

Give a gift of good health and sustainability—honey. Bees are responsible for pollinating ⅓ of the world’s food supply, including many fruits and vegetables that are important to a healthy diet. Honey is a natural sweetener with nutritional benefits, but it’s also critical to the existence of honey bees, which are in turn essential to our health. Gift natural honey straight from Bolton Bees Beekeeper Chiara Bolton.  Shop location-specific, solar-produced, or custom-label honey. 

Gaderian Wines

Gaderian Wines is a women-owned winery and wine you can drink with your friends and family around the table, firepit, picnic blanket, or living room. Celebrate these women with the woman in your life by sharing a bottle of Gaderian wine.

Chef Robin Asbell

Robin Asbell is an author, educator, and natural foods chef who creates luscious, feel-good food. Treat the food lover in your life to a new cookbook for inspiration or a virtual cooking class for fun times with friends.

Ear Things by Laura Wolovitch

Handcrafted jewelry utilizing new, recycled, and vintage materials. Shop Ear Things By Laura Wolovitch.

Laura Stamper Designs

Art jewelry by Laura Stamper Designs is described as the antidote for ordinary. Laura has been creating one-of-a-kind pieces for 29 years. You can find her jewelry on her website or Etsy.

SHExclusive by Susan Horowitz

Find Minnesota jewelry designer Susan Horowitz’s designs at one of her Etsy sites, SHExclusive or Minnesota Stoned.

Monique Maxwell

Inspirational clothing with a deeper purpose embodies what the woman in your life believes. Find motivational t-shirts, tank tops, sweatshirts, flannels, and more by Monique Maxwell.

ModernWell

ModernWell is a women-centered collaborative workspace that balances independent spirit with holistic well-being, championing a one-of-a-kind, work-like community. Membership in a well-being-focused women’s co-working space in your community is a great gift.

Lip Esteem

Tameka Jones helps women feel good one tube at a time—lipstick. Lip Esteem is a new cosmetic brand born out of pure ambition and passion. With more than 25 shades, the Lip Esteem look is plant-based, gluten-free, cruelty-free, and full of life and vibrancy!

Rumblngs Gift Cards

Still stumped on what to get for the woman in your life? Consider a Rumblings Gift Card to be used on an upcoming 2023 event, Reignite course or a trip to Vietnam.

Women-owned businesses represent a critical part of economic and business growth. And studies show that women reinvest up to ninety percent of their income in their families and communities. We hope you’ll join us this holiday season and throughout the year in supporting and lifting up amazing and inspiring entrepreneurs, makers, and small businesses by shopping female-owned whenever possible!

Are you inspired to start a new hobby, volunteer position, or career? Check out our most-read 2021 blog post-Discover How to Make Work and Life Transitions After 50.

10 Ways to Empower Women Right Now

Saeteesh from @saeteeshunleashed and Jennifer Cermak from @naninalubeachwear shared personal advice and stories to empower other women at our Fashion After 50 Fashion Week MN Event. Photo credit: G. Marie Images

Have you ever asked yourself, “What is one small thing I can do to start a revolution?” Jane Finette did just that during the pandemic. She felt down and overwhelmed, so she started connecting with other strong women in her network to find out how they were coping and what they were doing. Although the media headlines were dismal, she discovered empowered women doing fantastic work to support the advancement of women and girls, and their efforts did not stop during these stressful and unprecedented times. 

Talking to other women, she also found their impact did not start with a huge business plan. It began with simple, quiet, and repeatable things that they did in sisterhood. She felt these empowering stories needed to be told, so Jane summarized the lessons into her new book, Unlocked: How Empowered Women Empower Women. 

Our Rumblings community had an opportunity to have a virtual conversation with Jane to discuss our ability to influence societal change, especially when systemic and policy changes necessary to address fundamental issues of gender, age, and racial biases seem so impossible. 

She emphasized that change starts by taking one action with another person in our world. The opportunity is great, and we need to understand that we lift up all women when we help one woman. When we collectively do that as a regular practice, enough women will be standing in their full power, and systems and policy changes will follow. 

Our conversation was so rich and empowering that we wanted to share the key takeaways for women who missed it.  

How do you begin? 

Start by seeing yourself as a female activist. If you think of your actions as feminist actions, you will realize the impact goes beyond helping one dear friend or work colleague, and instead, you will recognize your simple steps are for the sake of all women. When you embrace female activism as a part of your personality and identity, you will seek ways every day to fulfill your way of being that type of person in the world.  

We’ve all had our own lived experiences as we’ve climbed the corporate ladder, raised children, taken care of aging parents, and made our way in the world. We know it hasn’t been easy, and we’re not here to claim that carving out even more time to help more women is easy either. 

However, we hope we all agree that we want a smoother path for the women—our daughters, nieces, neighbors, colleagues, etc.— coming behind us. This starts with being vulnerable, sharing your experiences—good and not so good—and asking for help when needed. 

You’re the most important person in your life. The first act of being a feminist is committing to take care of yourself first. When you make yourself a priority, you have the capacity to help other women. 

10 Keys to Unlock the Potential of All Women

1. Say yes to help another woman. Make an introduction. Have a call. Give advice when asked. 

2. Tell her she is ready! Be her cheerleader. Sometimes she just needs a gentle reminder to own her truth and claim her destiny.

3. Stand behind her. Back her up. Support her through struggles. Let her know you’re there for her. 

4. Help her help herself. Help her see everything available for her to clearly make her own choice or decision. 

5. Talk about money. Women earn less, invest less, and two-thirds of women have the potential to retire into poverty. You must get comfortable talking about money, encouraging women to ask for what they’re worth, and sharing how to invest money. 

6. Stand up for her. Support fairness, equity, and truth, especially when those principles are violated.

7. Be the example. Share your stories and personal experiences. Role model helping yourself and other women. Having empowered women as examples empowers other women. 

8. Give her confidence. Help her see her strengths, showcase her previous successes, and move past her fear. 

9. Send the elevator down. Make the journey easier for her by giving her a hand, hiring her, promoting her, or showcasing her talents.

10. Be a sister. Show up as a sister. Offer a kind word. Listen. Smile. Share a hug. 

“To empower another woman is a selfless act with untold possibilities.”

- Jane Finette

Now is the time. Get started today!

It’s all about this moment. You are ready. All that you have done before now has prepared you for this moment. You know how to put the keys to work to unlock the potential of women around you. Just begin. Start today.

Jane summed up our conversation brilliantly. “We all have everything inside us to live our fullest, and most exciting, and wild lives. We have all the wisdom from the women who came before us, and we have an incredible community of women supports. Ask for help from each other and give, receive, and keep showing up to moments like this because it’s a village; we need a village.”

If this summary has inspired you, we encourage you to buy and gift the book to all the women in your life. The proceeds from your purchases go to The Coaching Fellowship, a nonprofit organization dedicated to developing young women leaders working in the social impact space, founded by Jane and described as her life’s work. 

A foundational principle, or Rock, at Rumblings is to advocate for and inspire women around us. Read more about our Four Rocks to Flourish After 50

Together We Live Well and Flourish After 50

Thank you, friends! We are deeply grateful for you, our Rumblings' community, and we wish you a very happy, joyful, and reflective Thanksgiving day and long weekend, however you celebrate.

We’ll both be celebrating locally, but If you’re traveling this weekend, check out our Top Seven Tips for Successful Multigenerational Travel. Sometimes the biggest holiday stresses come from the expectations of family members and friends from different generations coming around the table together. Plan ahead, prepare yourself, and relish your time together. If we’ve learned anything over the last 20 months is that time together is valuable and something we won’t take for granted again.

We also plan to get out and enjoy the long weekend by doing a little shopping, decorating, and consuming lots of leftovers! Small business Saturday (November 27) is a great chance to support small local retailers in your area. We encourage you to seek out and support small women-owned businesses this holiday season. If you haven’t checked out our 2021 Holiday Gift Guide for Women which highlights gift ideas from small women-owned businesses, now is the time!

This is the time of year we prioritize time to pause, reflect, and celebrate our annual accomplishments, as well as strategize and plan for the next year. One annual ritual we’ve done individually and now as a business is setting one to three-word intention(s) for the year. Our Rumblings words for 2021 were learn, connect, and inspire. If you’ve never set your word(s) for the year, check out the process we use to choose our words. We’ll be going through this process in December to set our 2022 intentions.

We love hearing from you. One thing we’ve learned since we launched Rumblings is that many midlife women are looking for alignment between their professional or volunteer work, and their personal values. Two years ago, we were there too.

This rumbling often takes the form of wanting to start a new hobby, transition to a new job role, or jump into an entirely new career. We’ve been inspired by the midlife women we’ve met who have literally reinvented their career paths and are happier as a result. Whether you are just starting to feel a new rumbling that something needs to change or you’re ready to leap headfirst into a new career, read our most popular blog post of 2021—Discover How to Successfully Make Work and Life Transitions After 50.

Living well and flourishing after 50 is achievable! Together we thrive. Take a few moments this holiday season for you. Reflect, realign, and get ready to RUMBLE into 2022.

We look forward to RUMBLING right alongside you.

2021 Holiday Gift Guide for the Women in Your Life

After celebrating quietly amongst our immediate families in 2020, we are in the holiday spirit earlier this year, ready to shop and pick out the perfect gift for family, friends, and neighbors. 

The pandemic has been a time of deep reflection and transformation for so many women. We’re inspired by their stories and are excited to support women-owned businesses with our first annual Rumblings Women's Gift Guide featuring unique items for any woman in your life. This list was curated from recommendations from our Rumblings community, as well as from our personal experiences.

There has never been a better time to shop and support women-owned small businesses with worldwide shipping delays and sparse inventory at national retailers.

Isadore Nut Company

Isadore Nut Company makes award-winning snacks and gifts that are more than just delicious and good for your body. They also ensure half their staff is people with disabilities. The others are women, people of color, and immigrants. They give people the chance to learn new skills and accomplish their goals by giving them a job.

Bolton Bees

Give a gift of good health and sustainability—honey. Bees are responsible for pollinating ⅓ of the world’s food supply, including many fruits and vegetables that are important to a healthy diet. Honey is a natural sweetener with nutritional benefits, but it’s also critical to the existence of honey bees, which are in turn essential to our health. Gift natural honey straight from Bolton Bees Beekeeper, Chiara Bolton.  Shop location-specific, solar-produced, or custom-label honey. 

Their gift to you is free shipping on orders over $14. Code: RUMBLINGS

Gaderian Wines

Gaderian Wines is a women-owned winery and wine you can drink with your friends and family around the table, firepit, picnic blanket, or living room. Celebrate these women with the woman in your life by sharing a bottle of Gaderian wine.

Chef Robin Asbell

Robin Asbell is an author, educator, and natural foods chef who creates luscious, feel-good food. Treat the food lover in your life to a new cookbook for inspiration or a virtual cooking class for fun times with friends.

Ear Things by Laura Wolovitch

Handcrafted jewelry utilizing new, recycled, and vintage materials. Shop Ear Things By Laura Wolovitch.

Laura Stamper Designs

Art jewelry by Laura Stamper Designs is described as the antidote for ordinary. Laura has been creating one-of-a-kind pieces for 29 years. You can find her jewelry on her website or Etsy.

SHExclusive by Susan Horowitz

Find Minnesota jewelry designer Susan Horowitz’s designs at one of her Etsy sites, SHExclusive or Minnesota Stoned.

LaurenErickaDesigns

We confess these handcrafted clutches are one of our favorite gifts to give and receive. They are perfect for a casual lunch or date night, but we also use them for cords, make-up, and other miscellaneous items. They are a must-have go-to accessory! You can shop designs here and here.

Nani Nalu Beachwear Botique

Trying on swimsuits has never been a positive experience for either of us until we found Nani Nalu Beachwear Boutique. Rumblings women have described the unique in-store or virtual shopping experiences as "life-changing.” 

Give the gift of a unique shopping experience to your friend, sister, daughter, wife, or mother by making an in-person appointment and purchasing a gift card for a new suit or other pieces of resort wear or a gift card to the online experience called SUITCASE. Get started here.

Kirtonized

Founded by Pam Kirton, an award-winning artist and illustrator, and Saeteesh, a model and entrepreneur, Kirtonized is a unique one-of-a-kind clothing gift. Contact Pam and Saeteesch by DMing them on Instagram at @kirtonized to co-design a custom gift. 

ATELIER957

ATELIER957 is a women's fashion boutique offering hand-picked clothing and accessories from small design houses worldwide. They believe in being chic, flattering, and unique at every age, size, & shape.

Monique Maxwell

Inspirational clothing with a deeper purpose embodies what the woman in your life believes. Find motivational t-shirts, tank tops, sweatshirts, flannels, and more by Monique Maxwell.

Grethen House

Grethen House has been at the forefront of introducing cutting-edge fashion to Minneapolis since 1990. They showcase a thoughtfully curated collection of designers available locally and online that any woman would love.

ModernWell

ModernWell is a women-centered collaborative workspace that balances independent spirit with holistic well-being, championing a one-of-a-kind, work-like community. Membership in a well-being-focused women’s co-working space in your community is a great gift.

Kula Yoga

Kula Yoga is an all-inclusive, woman-run, boutique yoga studio providing in-person, streaming, and 24-hour playback yoga classes, workshops, private lessons, and retreats for all fitness levels. Classes range from high-intensity conditioning classes or open flow vinyasa classes to restorative classes to help you gain flexibility and relax. Kula Yoga specializes in safe, results-oriented instruction with a keen focus on physical alignment and spirituality. Give the gift of movement in an enviroment that allows women to explore and deepen a yoga practice in fresh and exciting ways.

Rhythm For Living Life Coaching

Help someone you love transform fears into compassion for being good enough as she is and find support for her to dare to become what she desires with life coaching sessions from Shelly Melrose from Rhythm For Living.

The Scout Guide

Do your female friends or family members have an upcoming trip or simply enjoy seeking new and exciting local hot spots? The Scout Guide connects people with local businesses, entrepreneurs, and others in more than 60 U.S. cities that both locals and travelers should know about.

Lip Esteem

Tameka Jones helps women feel good one tube at a time—lipstick, that is. Lip Esteem is a new cosmetic brand born out of pure ambition and passion. With more than 25 shades, the Lip Esteem look is plant-based, gluten-free, and cruelty-free, and full of life and vibrancy!

House of Colour

Personal stylists help any woman look fabulous and radiate confidence in the colors and shapes that suit her best. Check out the consultant directory to find a House of Colour stylist in your area.

Empowering Books

Between Grit and Grace: The Art of Being Feminine and Formidable by Sasha Shillcutt, MD

Her Path Forward: 21 Stories of Transformation and Inspiration Edited by Julie Burton and Chris Olsen

Notes from the Rocket by Christine Mason Miller

Unlocked: How Empowered Women Empower Women by Jane Finette

Women-owned businesses represent a critical part of economic and business growth. And, studies show that women reinvest up to ninety percent of their income in their families and communities. We hope you’ll join us this holiday season and throughout the year in supporting and lifting up amazing and inspiring entrepreneurs, makers, and small businesses by shopping female-owned whenever possible!

Are you inspired to start a new hobby, volunteer position, or career? Check out our most-read 2021 blog post-Discover How to Make Work and Life Transitions After 50.

Top 7 Tips for Successful Multigenerational Travel

I recently returned from a daughter, mother, grandmother trip to visit my son at Michigan State University (MSU). For almost 20 years, the three of us have intentionally planned trips to learn, connect, and seek adventure together. 

The trips have ranged from visiting the American Girl store in Chicago, a long weekend in Door County, week-long getaways in Michigan to two weeks in Italy and France during my daughter’s time studying abroad.  

We’ve had great times and created wonderful memories, but we've also learned how to travel well together. It’s not always easy when there is a 57 year age difference. 

Over time, and through trial-and-error, we’ve discovered seven strategies that work for us for successful multigenerational travel. 

1. Choose a Destination with a Personal Connection

My mom (grandma) grew up in Michigan. I was born in Michigan, lived there until I was two years old, and spent summers in my youth traveling back to Michigan to visit my grandparents. It’s been fun to intentionally plan trips back to Michigan to stir up memories and reminisce. Our trip to MSU was to visit my son at college, but also for my mom to share her stories of being a student there too. 

As you plan your trip, think about the purpose of traveling together. Is there a destination that would be fun for everyone, but also have a special connection for one or more of your family members? Do you want to create memories for your children? Do you want your children to get to know your parents and their life stories better? Craft an itinerary that fulfills the purpose for everyone.

2. Plan Activities You All Can Enjoy 

Given our age differences, choosing activities that we all enjoy can be challenging. Adventure sports, long strenuous hikes, or even hours spent in a museum don’t bring the same joy for all of us. However, there are two things we can all agree on—our love for local culture and food. We seek out innovative restaurants, local markets, or unique local boutiques while also stopping by meaningful locations during our trips. 

During our recent weekend away, we drove by the house my parents built (my first home) and the hospital where I was born. My mom enjoyed seeing the changes in these places over time, and my daughter and I enjoyed hearing her relive her memories from her time in Lansing. 

Planning activities with a mixture of new and old experiences creates excellent conversation and rich new memories together.

Have a conversation before your trip and identify what type of activities each person would enjoy. Consider each traveler's passions. Can you include that type of activity into your itinerary for everyone to enjoy? 

Do your research. We’ve found unique activities via travel books, blogs, and most recently, Tik Tok and Instagram influencers. Keep your mind open! Some of our most memorable experiences lately have come from ideas discovered by my daughter through social media. 

3. Let the Young Navigate

One of the biggest roadblocks we have tackled is how to get from A to Z. I have frequently felt stuck in the middle of a map reader (my mom) and an online Google Maps expert (my daughter). It came to a head on our trip to Europe four years ago. After living in France for six months, my daughter had Google Maps iPhone navigation down to a science. She could map us on any type of public transportation — trains, buses, and subways —in no time flat. Growing up using paper maps, my mom felt lost without seeing the big picture of where we were going to ensure we were going in the right direction. She would get anxious and frustrated with my daughter and me for not slowing down so she could review the map before deciding which direction we should go. Within a few hours, I realized I had to help my mom let go of control, trust her granddaughter's navigation skills, and be ok with following her lead so we could travel together without angst. 

In our experience, letting the young navigate creates less friction and gets us where we are going more quickly. This is not always easy for the older adults in the group who have been reliant on paper maps for travel. Our advice is to discuss this before your trip, review a paper map before your day begins, and encourage older travelers to trust, relax, and let go of the need to navigate during the day. 

4. Pack Light

A travel mantra I heard over and over growing up was never to pack more than you can carry. This has been critically important to remember during our multigenerational trips. We pack light and do not worry about wearing the same outfit multiple times. It keeps us mobile and allows us to quickly help one another when needed. 

We recommend traveling with a lightweight roller bag with 360-degree wheels and a backpack that can easily fit under the airplane seat and be light enough to carry while exploring new areas. Traveling light helps everyone in your group feel in control of their belongings, move more efficiently, and stay together during your trip. 

5. Listen

While walking the MSU campus, my mom started reminiscing about her time there from 1958 to 1962. Hearing her stories about being required to wear heels and suits to the football games, wear skirts to classes (women were not allowed to wear pants), and be in her room by curfew made Ella and I realize how far women have come in two generations. It made us appreciate the challenges women have fought to overcome so that our lives are better. 

Listening to stories from the generations ahead of you can help you better appreciate your life and opportunities while gaining new respect and appreciation for their past. This experience can create new connections between all travelers. 

Ask questions and listen. There is nothing like learning about someone in the place they lived or through an experience they had as a child as they relive it as an adult with you. It’s also fun for the adults to see a place through the eyes of younger generations for a fresh take on a familiar place.

6. Slow down

Let’s face it, our travel speed changes as we age. As my daughter, mother, and I have traveled together, we have had to adjust our expectations, pace, and patience as we have gotten older. We don't move at the same speed or schedule as many activities into a day as we once did.

Technology has added travel challenges. Mobile tickets, online check-ins, and QR codes can feel overwhelming when a person in your group is less comfortable with these new processes. Navigating technology-enhanced travel naturally takes more time for anyone not as familiar with digital changes. 

Yet, slowing down has benefits. There is more time to enjoy the scenery, take in the sounds around you, and appreciate the moment you're in instead of anticipating the next activity or sight to see.

It’s unrealistic to expect your multigenerational travel companions to all move at the same speed. Be realistic. Modify your expectations before you travel. Take the time to help others in your group who move more slowly. Walk with them. Help them with their luggage and work with them to navigate new technology. You’ll build new bonds and nurture a new relationship.

7. Be Grateful

My daughter, mother, and I are grateful for our time together traveling and the memories we’ve created. We understand that we’re lucky to have these opportunities. We have years of travel memories together. This past weekend, we added to those as we ate gelato for breakfast, wandered local boutiques, introduced my mom to Lululemon leggings and kombucha, shared memories over coffee and wine, and walked miles and miles around campus.  

Whether you are planning multigenerational trips with family or friends, consider these seven strategies for success.

What did we miss? What has worked for you and your family? Let us know. 

Are you wondering what to pack when you travel? Check out our favorite tips and items in our Jetsetter's Guide: Master the Art of Savvy Packing.

13 Ways to Transition to Autumn Using a Chinese Medicine Approach

Jalashree working with a guest.

Guest Blog: Written By Jalashree Pradhan, Licensed Acupuncturist and Reiki practitioner.

“There is a necessary wisdom in the give-and-take of nature, its quiet agreements and search for balance. There is an extraordinary generosity”- Suzanne Simard.

As the last warm days of our late summer wind down and the busy Yang energy of summer recedes, the transition to autumn begins. The days are shorter, the sun sets earlier, and the mornings are cool and crisp. Observing nature in transition during the autumn season, we begin to prepare for more dormant days ahead. Leaves turn and begin their journey back to the earth. Fruits fall, seeds dry, and tree sap returns to the roots. The natural world is preparing for the cold, dark, and challenging months ahead. We, too, must make our preparations at this time. We stock up on colorful and still abundant fruits and vegetables, dry, preserve, and store foods, and rediscover our forgotten sweaters and wool socks—the summer Yang energy transitions to the slower, quiet, and introspective Yin energy during this time.

Welcome to autumn.

The philosophy of Chinese medicine teaches us to live in reciprocal harmony with the natural world’s cycles so that we can maximize our health and wellbeing.

The Five Elements:

According to Chinese medicine, the Five Elements, or 5 phases, are a method by which we can explain the manifestations of this world. Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water help us define our relationship to the physical world, the spiritual world, and bodies.

In Chinese medicine, autumn is represented by the Metal element and is related to the Lungs and Large intestine organ systems. The Metal element governs mind, organization, order, stability, an eye for beauty/refinement, and its ability to come together and let go. It relates to the color white. The body tissue it connects to is the skin and body hair. The sensory organ is the nose. We experience this element through a yearning for spicy, pungent, and somewhat sour foods.

When the Metal element is not balanced, we may experience excessive grief and sadness or have difficulty letting go and need control. When in balance, we experience a natural sense of acceptance of the transition of this world. We can let go with grace and grieve appropriately, recognizing change as a natural transformative process.

The Lungs and Large intestine organ systems include the nose, throat, skin, and digestive systems, designed to protect us from harmful external factors. The Qi that circulates on the surface is called Defensive Qi, “Wei Qi.” This encompasses the Western concept of superficial immunity and protects us from seasonal illnesses like colds, flu, and allergies. The Lungs are most susceptible to wind, cold, and dryness at this time of year. If Wei Qi is strong and in balance, we can generally maintain health and avoid illness. If our Lungs are out of balance due to overwork, lack of sleep, or improper diet, we are more likely to suffer from “lung conditions.”  

Common symptoms associated with Lung and Large intestine system imbalances are allergies, asthma, breathing problems, constipation/diarrhea, cough, excessive grief, indifference, sadness, sinus infections, sinus headaches, shortness of breath, susceptibility for colds/flu, skin issues, pain in shoulders, elbows, and lower limbs.

Autumn is an opportune time to nourish these vulnerable systems and balance your overall energy and immune system.

There are many things you can do to transition between seasons and embrace autumn:

Stay Warm - Weather changes quickly during this dry season, so wear extra layers. Keeping a scarf around the neck and chest offers additional protection and makes a bold fashion statement. According to Chinese medicine, wind penetrates through the back of the neck and brings environmental pathogens that can lead to vulnerability to catching an illness. Cover up and protect your skin.

Practice Slowing Down - Exercise is essential at this time, but as the world around us slows down, we should reflect on the pace and not run from it. Try calmer forms of exercise – yoga, Qi Gong, nature walks, taking in the beauty of color changes of the trees, or watching a sunrise/sunset. Seek inspiration and beauty all around you. Embrace the transition.

Share activities with family and friends like raking leaves, foraging mushrooms, apple picking, and bringing the garden to a temporary lull. Take time to watch the beauty and changes as they happen all around you. These are relaxing, connected forms of mental and emotional exercise as we say goodbye to one season and welcome another.

Protect Your Sleep - Days are shorter, and nights are longer. More hours of the day are Yin (dark, quiet, cool, and inactive). Try following nature’s lead by going to bed a little earlier. Make sure to turn off screens and keep the bedroom cool and dark. Going to bed and waking up at regular hours will help restore and repair your body and mind.

Incorporate The Bounty Of The Harvest - Move away from summer’s cold, raw foods to more warm and heartier foods such as soups, stews, sautés, stir-fry, and roasts. Rich and dense foods such as winter squashes, winter peas, broccoli, beets, carrots, cauliflower, red cabbage, sweet potatoes, yams, and dark leafy greens support and help keep the digestive system strong to keep the lung system protected. Seasonal fruits such as cranberries, figs, pears, apples, persimmons, and chestnuts support the Lung and Large intestine organ systems. The season provides us much to be grateful for and acknowledge.

It’s best to avoid rich and fatty foods in autumn. They are difficult to digest and can produce phlegm that blocks the Lung Qi. Also, in Chinese medicine, excessive intake of fruits, juices, and dairy can produce mucus, causing coughs and phlegm, so best to limit these to protect the lungs.

Say Yes To Sour/Pungent Flavors - Add sour foods into your diet (olives, pickles, sauerkraut, lemons, leeks, tart apples, etc.) to help hold the Qi within us. It is wise to add pungent aromatic seasonings such as garlic, ginger, coriander, chili, mustard seed, cinnamon, sage, thyme, and rosemary. They improve Qi and blood circulation and support fluid balance to release mucus. Do use all these sour and pungent spices in moderation to not deplete the Qi and Yin. To support the Lung and Large intestine membranes and get rid of mucous, add fenugreek, marshmallow root, flaxseeds, and kombu seaweed.

Add White - The color white corresponds to the Metal energy. Incorporating white foods such as onions, garlic, ginger, cauliflower, cabbage, bamboo shoots, radishes, turnips, daikon, horseradish, parsnips, mushrooms, apples, pears, almonds, cashews, egg whites all help support the Large intestine to eliminate properly. Also, add fiber-rich whole grains and legumes such as rice, oats, amaranth, white beans, soybeans, and white lima beans.  Do avoid white refined flours and sugars. Wearing white may also bring a sense of lightness.

Cultivate Simplicity - It is time to bring the energy more inward and shed things and activities to help simplify daily life. Consider how to live simply, consciously. Try the Marie Kondo approach to organizing closets and drawers and get rid of things you no longer need; it may help you feel a sense of lightness. Autumn is an excellent time to let go of emotional baggage as well. Clear old resentments, foster compassion and forgiveness, and shed the baggage of unprocessed emotions—all with loving attention and care.

Pause to Breathe - The Lung is the Yin organ of the Metal element and brings Qi, a breath of life, to mind, body, and spirit. Shallow and rapid breaths can reduce oxygen and increase stress/tension and deplete the immune function. Remember to pause and take a mindful breath in from your nose, and exhale slowly from your mouth throughout your day. This will help calm the mind and nourish the Lung system to stay healthy.

Observe and Reflect - This time of the year provides a perfect time to watch the Yang energy transition to Yin energy. It is time to slow down. As the days grow shorter, we may feel anxious or melancholic, saying goodbye to the warmer weather. As beautiful as the changing season can be, the closing days of the year can remind us of our cycles and mortality and helps us to live in alignment with what is greater than ourselves.

If we can be persuaded to put aside our fears and accept all that is happening around us and become a part of the larger life cycle, grief can be experienced as a cleansing emotion.

It is essential to make time to cry and grieve. The sound of the Metal element is weeping. The process of letting go, releasing old patterns and unresolved grief will allow us to move with courage and integrity to clarity, recovery, and finally, acceptance.

Incorporate Essential Oils - The Lungs are related to the nose and our sense of smell. When the Lung system is balanced, we can smell all five smells. Deeply inhale essential oils like rosemary, niaouli, eucalyptus, fir, or peppermint to open and clear the nasal passages, and cinnamon, clove, and lemon, in addition, can help boost immunity. Essential oils of lavender, orange, neroli, ylang-ylang, chamomile, and blue tansy help calm mild anxiety, worry, and stress.

My favorite essential oil blends that I carry at my clinic are from Snow Lotus: Vir-Away, Sinus Clear, Sweet Dreams, Stress Release, and Worry-Free.

Add Chinese Herbal Remedies - Chinese herbal remedies are a time-tested and effective support for the immune system and treating cold and flu. They can also be used to support recovery from various long-haul symptoms of COVID-19. It is best to consult with your East Asian Medicine practitioner or me for the appropriate formula for you.

These are a few formulas that can be safely added to your daily regimen as prevention and maintain health through the autumn and winter seasons:

• Host Defense Immunity Comprehensive/ Stamets 7: a powerful blend of medicinal mushrooms for supporting general immunity

• Griffo Base Camp: classical Chinese herbal formula with medicinal mushrooms in teas and tinctures support seasonal immunity

• Dao Labs (Mpls) Immunity Support: classical herbal blend can be added to your daily autumn regimen

Balance with Acupressure Points - Acupoints can be massaged rotating clockwise for 30 seconds to balance the immune system and support the digestive function.

• CV 17-Sea of Tranquility is on the center of the chest at the 4th rib space and in front of the thymus gland, opens the chest, relaxes the diaphragm, supports the immune system, and brings a sense of calm and ease to the whole body, mind, and heart.

• LU2-Cloud Gate is on the upper chest, below the front of the shoulder and end of the collar bone. This point will help with cough, asthma, and pain in the shoulders, lift the cloud of sadness and grief, and allow brightness and warmth to enter by supporting the Metal element.

• TB5-Outer Gate is on the backside of the arm, about three fingers above your wrist crease between the two tendons. This point powerfully reduces inflammation and balances the fluids of the whole body. Also, the Outer gate allows for a feeling of warmth and connection from others.

Restore with Preventative Care - It is more important than ever to stay healthy and balanced, as well as protect and strengthen your immune system. It is beneficial to schedule a seasonal tune-up with acupuncture, cupping, and Chinese herbs to address allergies, digestive issues, long haul COVD-19 symptoms, sadness and grieving that need compassionate attention, and so much more. A holistic, individualized plan can be developed to support and meet your unique needs. Schedule your next visit by booking an appointment here. 

You can schedule in-person and telehealth appointments with Jalashree using the link above.

Check out our upcoming facial roller event with Jalashree on November 8, in Minneapolis.

5 Lessons from A Fashion After 50 Event to Inspire Midlife Women

The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman is seen in her eyes because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides...the beauty of a woman only grows with passing years. 

~Audrey Hepburn

Over 200 midlife women attended a Rumblings’ Fashion Week MN event. It was an enormous undertaking and a departure from our previous events and outside our self-defined expertise.

It is an understatement to say that we felt out of our comfort zones. Creating an event was familiar; however, the idea of creating a fashion event was very new. We’re not fashionistas and we have the same questions about style and dressing during midlife as many other women. 

We, too, have fashion biases like believing we’re too old to wear something or our clothing choices must hide certain parts of our body we’re uncomfortable with. Yet, we believe how we dress embodies how we feel about ourselves, and living inside out is a part of living authentically. 

Our mission at Rumblings is to create a community of women who come together to learn, connect, and inspire one another to flourish after 50. A Fashion After 50 event was a perfect way to create a new opportunity to personally step outside of our comfort zone and bring midlife women together. 

Planning the event and meeting amazing new women was fun and exciting. The immediate excitement of the event has ebbed. What hasn’t faded is the energy and new way of thinking and self-discovery from doing something different, a bit scary, but a lot of fun!

Aside from the new friends we met and all we learned about fashion, business, and ourselves, several takeaways will inspire us as we plan future events. We hope it will inspire you to continue to learn, connect, and empower other women so that we can all flourish in midlife.

Women empower women when they come together and share their personal stories—especially midlife women. Over twenty-one, female entrepreneurs and small business owners came together to create this event. Most have reimagined their lives during midlife, taken a giant leap to jump into something new, and created the life they want. 

By far, the most inspiring part of the evening was hearing stories of midlife women reinventing themselves, starting new businesses, and creating a life where they flourish. It's not too late to chase your passions. We LOVED hearing their stories and all of them inspired us. 

What is your story that you can share with others? Who do you know who has reinvented themselves in midlife by changing careers, starting a business, or taking up a new hobby? Let’s start sharing our stories. Empowered women, empower women. 

Community is important. Moving into midlife can create feelings of isolation and loneliness for many women. Coming together in a community with other midlife women can help by knowing other women experience similar challenges, stresses, and transitions.

Whether we’re rethinking our careers or our personal lives, midlife women especially need deeper connections with other women in the same life stage. Midlife transitions are messy. There is something deeply personal about acknowledging our collective experiences with one another. 

That’s why we created Rumblings-a community of women who come together to learn, connect, and inspire one another. You can get involved by signing up for our email, attending events, or simply engaging on social media. Together we can support and encourage one another to thrive after 50. 

Together we create energy. When midlife women come together, we can energize a room. The past two years have been difficult. We’ve been managing careers, midlife transitions, balancing caring for family, neighbors, and older parents while navigating a pandemic and constant uncertainty. At the event, we witnessed the collective energy of women coming together, and it was magical! 

We can help one another think about how we want to shape the remainder of the second part of our lives. We are in unchartered territory in more significant numbers than women that came before us. Our mothers collectively may not have had the same options, life experiences, or financial independence as a norm that we have available to us. Sharing inspires. And, inspired women create energy. We must continually lift up one another to navigate midlife together, reimage what it means to thrive in our primetime, and have tons of fun while doing it!

Find your women. Share, support, and let go. Enjoy this fantastic time in your life.

Attendees engage with a few of the pop-up market vendors. All female-owned small businesses.

Support midlife women-owned businesses.  There will be 1.1 billion postmenopausal women by 2025. Yet, few companies market or create things specifically for our demographic beyond societal norms created by others to pressure us to be ageless, beautiful, or thin. We’ve all felt at one time or another to be less relevant because of aging. After years of working, many of us are either financially independent or have significant buying power. There is no reason we have to accept marketing and advertising that caters to younger demographics or males while diminishing our value by either ignoring us entirely or trying to limit our worth based on our appearance or age. We deserve better, and together we can advocate for it. 

There are amazing, diverse, and phenomenal midlife women running businesses. Seek them out. Support them by purchasing from them. Let’s create a social movement for change and show the world what it means to be a midlife woman. 

Fashion is from the inside out. Fashion is a reflection of who we are from the inside out. It should make us feel good about ourselves, which means wearing what makes us happy and confident. 

Download our phenomenal Fashion After 50 Tips curated by the expert panelists at our event. Learn how to edit your closet, build a capsule wardrobe, select swimwear, and more!

Fashion After 50 Tips

Get a PDF delivered to your email address.

Send it my way!

Built with ConvertKit

Missed the event? You can watch the entire evening, experience the energy and excitement, hear expert advice from our panelists, and see looks from local boutiques on real-life (non-professional models) midlife women here. 

Sign-up today to get more information on how to Flourish After 50! 

Together We Rumble!

Website: rumblingsmedia.com

Instagram: @rumblingsmedia

Facebook: @rumblingsmedia

Pinterest: @RumblingsMedia

Embed Block

Add an embed URL or code. Learn more

Can understanding your Enneagram type help you age well?

Kate Ostrem created her business, 9 Open Doors, to share the wisdom of the Enneagram in a practical, down-to-earth way. She loves helping women better understand themselves and others. We wanted to know if learning more about our Enneagram types could help us on our journey to aging well, so we sat down with her for an interview.

We’ve done a lot of personality tests, from Strength Finders to Myers-Brigg during our careers. Each one teaches us a little more about ourselves and gives us a way to think about who we are and why we do what we do. We both are learners, so we find the insights fascinating.

Over the last few years, we’ve noticed more and more people referring to themselves as numbers—one through nine. It definitely sparked our curiosity enough that we both took a free online Enneagram assessment. However, knowing our number, or personality, hasn’t been enough. We wanted a deeper dive into interpreting what our number reveals about our personality and how to use this knowledge to live better. 

We sought out Enneagram Expert and Educator, Kate Ostrem, for an interview. Kate is certified with Anne Mureé and has studied with some of the most prominent thought leaders in the Enneagram community, including Ginger Lapid-Bogda, Russ Hudson, Helen Palmer, Jerry Wagner, and Beatrice Chestnut. She has been an Associate Member of the Enneagram in Business Network and is a former board member of the Minnesota Chapter of the International Enneagram Association.

Kate created her business, 9 Open Doors, to share the wisdom of the Enneagram in a practical, down-to-earth way. She loves helping her clients better understand themselves and others. From a conference in New Zealand to teams in corporate environments to a few close friends in a backyard and everything in between, she teaches the Enneagram in a meaningful way for every audience.

What is the Enneagram? 

The Enneagram is a fascinating, centuries-old personality tool that depicts nine different types to explain the motivation behind how we think, feel, and act. 

Why is knowing your type important? 

Our type has many advantages, but it can also limit us. Once we identify our type, we begin to recognize our patterns and can cultivate the ability to make intentional, conscious choices instead of acting from a place of immediate habit. 

How does knowing your Enneagram type help you better understand your personality tendencies? 

Understanding your type allows you to access a deeper part of who you are. Our type is the result of deeply ingrained patterns which go back decades - recognizing it can lead to the realization that we have other options accessible to us. But first, we need to understand our automatic tendencies and what's behind them. 

How can we use this knowledge to be more intentional about our lives as we age? 

I believe that self-awareness is the key to aging well. The Enneagram frees you from a rigid definition of who you are and what you are capable of and opens your eyes to living fully from a place of wholeness.

Can knowing our Enneagram type help us get along with others better? 

Yes, understanding that we are all operating through our type can help us take things less personally. It can also allow us to make adjustments to our own reactions and responses, which can positively impact our interactions with the people around us.

Can I change my type? 

While our type remains the same all of our lives, what we can do is loosen how tight a hold it has on us.

What can we expect to learn at the Enneagram workshop on October 4? 

For many people, discovering your type is a process that can take a long time. My hope is that our time together on October 4th will spark your curiosity, give you some insight into who you are, and point you in the right direction of learning how your type impacts you on a daily basis. I'm looking forward to it!

Do you want to learn more about your type and how to use it to your advantage? Register for Rumblings’ Enneagram workshop here. 

Best Ways to Support Friends and Family During a Crisis

During a crisis, you can show support in multiple ways to someone you care about. It’s not what you do, it’s that you step forward and reach out.

August 19, 2020, changed our family forever. My (Rebecca) husband had a massive stroke. I shared the details in a previous post, so I won’t go into the story again here, but as my four kids and I moved through the first anniversary, we reflected on what helped us feel supported during the last year. 

The reality is after 50, we’re at an age when sickness, health events, accidents, or death happen to people we care about and love. As I’ve gotten older, seeing people I care about in crisis has happened to too many people, too often. It has felt a bit overwhelming at times. 

Our family was lucky. My husband recovered well. And, we’ve felt tremendous amounts of love during a very challenging year. 

I have to admit before I went through this experience, I often wondered if I was saying or doing the “right” thing for someone going through a trying time. In hindsight, I often let this discomfort prevent me from doing enough to show I cared.  

Experience is our teacher. 

After reflection, I thought these ideas could be helpful if you’re wondering what to do when someone you care about needs similar support. 

Send a text or email without an expectation for a response. As I was sitting in the hospital for three weeks with my husband, I loved getting little notes of support from colleagues, friends, and family, just to say ‘I heard. I am thinking about you. Don’t feel obligated to respond.’ I was often happy to respond, but knowing there was no expectation to helped, a lot. 

Drop off a plant or flowers.  After eight to 10 hours at the hospital, I loved coming home to a house full of flowers and plants. It felt like a big hug after a long stressful day. Even a year later, I see the plants around our house and feel the support from our friends and family. 

Prepare a meal. Knowing my kids were well fed was a huge relief. The love radiated from the meals and food dropped at our home. It was especially helpful to have healthful foods that could be frozen and were easy to reheat. My neighbor organized a meal train for a month. At the time, I didn’t realize we’d need it that long, but we did, and we appreciated every meal. 

Gift a meal. Gift cards may feel impersonal, but I can’t express how thankful we were to receive them at this time. My son’s friend group dropped off a stack from various local restaurants that the kids frequented together. When I was stuck at the hospital longer than expected, these gifts allowed my kids to fend for themselves. My out-of-town relatives found a local meal delivery service, and when I had time to cook again (I love to cook), it was nice to jump online, place an order, and have all the ingredients delivered to our door. 

Ask first before sharing ‘your’ story. I think it’s easy to want to connect with what someone else is going through by sharing your story. It says you understand and have been through something similar. However, I realized quickly that when you’re in a crisis, you can’t appreciate the connection, and it feels like you’re diminishing what the person is going through. Instead, what helped my kids and me was hearing, ‘I went through something similar with X. If it would help to talk about it, I am happy to share my experience when the time is right for you.

Recognize the caregiver(s). It’s essential to think about the person going through the event, but it made a huge impact to have someone ask, “How are you?” I am fortunate to be involved in a caregivers’ support group. I recognize I am one of the lucky spouses. My husband is doing well. However, many caregivers are struggling. The life they knew does not exist. They’re feeling profoundly disconnected. They feel alone and unrecognized. Reach out. 

Stay connected. Health events can change people. As a result, relationships may change.  The ways you interacted with the person previously may need to evolve based on the health of your friend or family member. It’s often easier to avoid or pull away than adjust. Change is hard. Our family appreciates our friends who have stayed and included us in dinners, gatherings, golf outings, and walks through a tough year.

Offer to do a simple task. Everyday tasks that friends offered to do (or just did) like walking the dogs, hiring out yard work, making a Target run, grocery shopping, or covering mandatory school volunteer requirements were very helpful. We didn’t always say yes and take advantage of the offer, but we felt supported by the thought during a stressful time. 

Don’t hesitate, just ask. I know people are often uncomfortable approaching someone going through a crisis. My advice is to reach out. I appreciated anyone and everyone talking to us and asking how we were doing. It felt more awkward when people turned away because they didn’t know what to say, didn’t feel comfortable approaching us, or thought we didn’t want to discuss the challenges we were facing. 

What feels supportive differs for all of us, but the point here is to do something. Whatever it is will be appreciated. 

You can make a difference to someone you care about. It’s not what you do, it’s that you step forward and reach out. 

Surround people with support during challenging times.

Together we Rumble in good times and bad!  

Seven Great Tips for Finding the Courage to Change During Midlife

‘Courage and daring are coursing through your veins. You were made to live and love with your whole heart. It’s time to show up and be seen. That’s midlife.’ Brene’ Brown

Midlife is full of change. We experience transitions ranging from kids graduating and starting on their own, caring for aging parents, health issues of our own, becoming grandparents, changing marital status, household moves, and career moves. Not to mention the changes that are happening with our bodies! Some of the changes are wonderful. Others are very messy and complicated. The only constant is the change itself. 

One of the many things the two of us have in common is our strong desire to embrace change. You might even say we intentionally seek it out. As we prepare for a significant announcement for Rumblings representing a giant leap outside our comfort zone, even for us (check our social media and website for more information coming soon), we started thinking about how we approach change. 

The focus of our careers has been helping people navigate through behavior change. We’ve helped individuals change their health behaviors, assisted populations create a culture of wellness, and worked with large companies to transform their approach to improving the health of the people they serve. 

Personally, each of us has always embraced change. Sometimes, we’ve purposefully sought out change, even when life events weren’t requiring it of us. 

How do you move through change in a way that is healthy and develops resiliency? These are a few of the guideposts that we’ve used to help ourselves and others navigate change. 

• Learning to navigate through change is a skill. One of the best ways to build skills is through experience. You’ve been through change before and survived every single time. These skills you’ve developed help you become resilient in the face of change.

• Try to let go of what people think and realize perfectionism is not healthy striving. When you slip, make mistakes, and even fail, give yourself grace. Be mindful of your self-talk by respecting yourself as you would speak to others about making mistakes. It is hard for everyone to show this level of self-love. We tend to live in a world framed by the words “I’m supposed to do this” or “I need to do that” before everything is good in life.

• Spend time reflecting on what is truly important to you. The place to start is for each of us to spend time with ourselves in stillness, whether in nature, walking, reading, yoga, or meditation, to let our inner awareness reveal the things that no longer serve us. Being still, or time relaxing, helps cultivate creativity, reduces stress, and prevents burnout during times of change. 

• Cultivate a learning mindset. A learning mindset might include resetting your mindset to focus on the pleasure you experience from new things you are learning versus what you cannot do right now. It can be challenging to do this while in the middle of change, but it will help you discover the joy of so many new experiences in your life. It could be as simple as identifying what you are grateful for in the new day before your feet touch the floor in the morning. 

• Develop a support system. These are the connections and your community that will stand by you in times of need. They won’t try to fix your problems, try to change you, or minimize what you are going through. Instead, they are the ones in your life that will listen, provide a word of encouragement, a hug, and a reality check that you are not alone. Then, reach out to these people when you’re in need!

• Minimize mindless and numbing behaviors. During times of significant change, we need a temporary respite. Are the activities you’re choosing while taking a break an escape or numbing behaviors? What actions can you select to contribute to your ability to manage through change? Be mindful to choose the activities enhancing your creativity rather than diminishing your mental and physical health. It’s challenging to think about flourishing during times of change, but you can focus on replenishing your spirit. 

• Remember to breathe. Change can be overwhelming, even for those of us who intentionally seek it out. When you start to border on panic, fear, stress, or paralysis, take a few deep breaths and remind yourself that you’ve experienced massive change before and made it through in one piece - although perhaps altered mentally or physically. You have what it takes to survive, and you are not alone. 

The reset mindset that change is something to embrace rather than dread may be one of the most important learnings of midlife. The challenges we experience in midlife don’t go away. It’s part of life. The difference comes from understanding that we can no longer carry both the pretend facade we’ve built for the outside world and embrace showing up and giving our true gifts. 

Time is growing short. We have unfulfilled dreams to live and things about ourselves to explore still. Resisting inevitable change prevents us from growing into a life that may be messy and inconvenient but also full of adventure and whole-hearted living. 

Sign-up today to get more information on how to flourish after 50!

Together we Rumble!

Karyn and Rebecca

Website: rumblingsmedia.com

Instagram: @rumblingsmedia

Facebook: @rumblingsmedia

Pinterest: @RumblingsMedia

Reduce Stress and Improve Happiness: 14 Great Books to Read This Summer

One of the most inspiring perks of being partners in Rumblings is sharing what we’re reading with each other. Our text message chain is a volley of must-read recommendations. Often our business meeting conversations get distracted by sharing inspiration we’re having based on a book we’ve read. 

There is still something magical and simple about a book. The power to evoke an emotion, inspire action, ignite creativity, showcase diverse views, motivate change, and transport us to a different place and time through written language is a great gift. 

As lifelong learners, we both have been avid readers. Still, this past year has brought diversity in our reading and added fiction back into a routine that has previously prioritized nonfiction, professional books. What’s interesting — and maybe a little counterintuitive — is that reading fiction can contribute to overall well-being. 

Reading fiction is uniquely powerful in helping us imagine stories that activate regions of our brains responsible for better understanding others and seeing the world from a new perspective. Studies have shown that reading fiction can help us:

• Develop our imagination

• Build skills to be alone

• Be more empathetic

• Reduce stress (reading puts our brains in a similar state to meditation, eliciting the benefits of deep relaxation and inner calm)

• Experience slower memory loss and mental decline

• Develop a broader vocabulary

• Makes us happier

Although we've expanded our library to include digital and even audiobooks, evidence suggests that reading on paper increases comprehension and helps induce sleep due to being visually less demanding and less distracting, and lacking light-emitting screens. 

Health benefits aside, our biggest challenge is getting through our extensive list of “to-read” books. 

Whichever preference you have for reading, we thought we’d share what’s on our summer reading list. 

90 Seconds to a Life You Love: How to Master Your Difficult Feelings to Cultivate Lasting Confidence, Resilience, and Authenticity by Joan I. Rosenberg

All the Devils are Here by Lisa Penny 

Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate 

Cleaning Up Your Mental Mess: 5 Simple, Scientifically Proven Steps to Reduce Anxiety, Stress, and Toxic Thinking by Dr. Caroline Leaf

Finding Freedom: A Cook’s Story Remaking A Life From Scratch by Erin French

How the Word is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America by Clint Smith 

Somebody’s Daughter by Ashley C. Ford 

Ten Poems series by Roger Housden 

The Monkeewrench series by P.J. Tracy

The Alice Network by Kate Quinn

The Gift: 12 Lessons to Save Your Life by Edith Eger

Think Again by Adam Grant

Universal Human by Gary Zukav

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

What’s on your summer reading list? We’d love to hear what books are inspiring you and what you’re learning. Please share with us at  Rumblings Media or via social media with the hashtag #flourishafter50. 

Please support your local library or small independent bookstores whenever possible. 

Sign-up today to get more information on how to flourish after 50!

Together we Rumble!

Karyn and Rebecca

25 Ways to Build Strong Loyal Friendships After 50

Social connections matter throughout our lives, but especially in our 50s. Research has shown that strong relationships and personal connections help us live longer and bring joy to our lives.  

Too often, women in this life stage have told us they feel anxious, lonely, and socially isolated. But this year, more than ever, people are feeling disconnected and alone. Many women are languishing—living between feeling great and feeling down. It’s as if the effort of holding everything together to get through the pandemic has taken a toll. Now that things are opening up again, it may feel difficult to jump right back into a pre-pandemic routine and social life. And, you may not even feel like it. 

These feelings are common after difficult times, disasters, emergencies, and health crises.

In addition, midlife is a time of life transition — kids leave home, marriages may end, careers peak, homes get downsized, and aging family members need care and support. Social connections built while raising kids or building careers often disappear due to these midlife challenges and can result in a lack of deep and loyal friendships at a time when we need them most. 

Many women find themselves hungry for strong loyal friendships again but may struggle knowing how to develop new relationships with other women. 

Maybe this isn’t you. You have a robust and abundant network of female friends you can share and confide in. You feel socially connected. Your friendships bring you joy. Great news, this puts you in a perfect position to help other women. 

Whether you feel lonely, socially isolated, or deeply connected, these 25 ideas will help you build strong, loyal friendships and foster a strong social network after 50.

Connecting with other women matters. It’s up to us to ensure all women feel connected, supported, visible, and valued. We must lift each other up and ensure all women thrive through meaningful connections with one another. We need each other now, especially. 

Make a goal to reach out to one woman this week who you haven’t connected with recently, or at all. 

Imagine the difference you can make in your own life and the lives of others by taking the first step to connect, build deeper relationships, and create safe spaces for women to talk about what they’re emotionally experiencing. 

To get started, invite a girlfriend, neighbor, acquaintance, or complete stranger to try one or more of the following ideas with you. 

1. Share a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) share and make a date to meet and divide the share each week

2. Explore a new local trail on foot or on bikes 

3. Check out a local pizza farm 

4. Try a new restaurant with a great patio 

5. Go berry picking

6. Have a picnic

7. Get coffee at a different shop each week

8. Go for a walk

9. Check out the fresh produce at a farmer’s market

10. Sign up for a community education class

11. Learn a new sport like pickleball

12. Take an exercise class together

13. Meet at an outdoor yoga class

14. Take a cooking class

15. Go to a free summer concert

16. Make s'mores around a bonfire

17. Attend a neighborhood association meeting

18. Cook a meal together and try a new recipe

19. Host a potluck or book club

20. Go to a festival

21. Walkthrough a zoo

22. Explore a museum

23. Take a dance class

24. Buy tickets to a sporting event

25. Go bowling

Don’t stop with just one invitation. Deep, meaningful relationships take time. Reach out. Be inclusive and supportive. Reap the personal benefits of connection and give the gift of social connection to others! 

Do you need more evidence supporting the value of social connection? Check out our four discoveries from Rumblings’ 31-day Commit to Connect Challenge last October.

Together we can make a difference! 

Rumble on!