Midlife Women: The Caretakers, the Givers, and the Keepers of the Universe

I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it.  ~ Maya Angelou

There’s something undeniably powerful about midlife women. We often hold things together, whether it’s family, community, or the spirit of those around us. We take care of those we love, give our time and energy freely, and quietly carry the world's weight on our shoulders. But in the midst of this, there’s a beautiful, untapped opportunity: a chance for us to step into a new vision of what life can be—one that brings us growth, reflection, and a renewed sense of purpose.

This chapter isn’t just about what we do for others; it’s also about what we’re ready to do for ourselves.

Shaping a New Vision for Ourselves—and for the World

As midlife women, we’re in a unique position. With experience, wisdom, and a clear understanding of what matters most, we have the power to help shape the world around us. But shaping a better world isn’t only about grand gestures. It can be as simple as taking small, intentional steps that reflect our values and the wisdom we’ve gathered. It’s also about recognizing that we are influencing the world each time we create something meaningful—whether it’s a community, a family tradition, or a personal project.

But in order to give our best, we need to nurture ourselves. This time of life offers us the chance to rediscover who we are, what brings us joy, and where we want to go. In doing so, we find ourselves renewed and capable of being the grounded, unstoppable force that others look to for strength and inspiration.

Tips for Rediscovering Your Essence and Embracing Your Goals

• Take Intentional Pauses
  Being unstoppable doesn’t mean pushing through exhaustion. It means knowing when to stop, breathe, and regroup. Give yourself permission to pause—without guilt. Use these pauses to listen to your inner voice, to reflect, and to re-align with your purpose.

• Reflect on Your Journey
  Look back on what you’ve done, both the achievements and the lessons learned. Reflecting on your journey helps you see the threads of strength, resilience, and courage woven through your life. This self-awareness is key to understanding your unique gifts and the impact you want to make.

• Reframe Your Goals
  Midlife offers the chance to reshape your goals. What do you want to create, pursue, or let go of? Redefine what success means to you now. Whether exploring a new career, diving into a creative project, or finding more time for loved ones, remember that this is your time to design a vision that excites and fulfills you.

• Be Gentle with Yourself
  Strength doesn’t mean you have to be a Superwoman. It means standing back up after being knocked down, assessing your needs, and patiently moving forward. Allow yourself the grace to feel, rest, and find joy in simple and grand moments.

• Connect and Collaborate
  Embrace your community of other strong, inspiring women. Sharing experiences, wisdom, and support creates a powerful network. These connections can provide insight, encouragement, and a reminder that we’re not alone in our journeys.

• Celebrate Your Evolution
  Embrace the journey of becoming. This stage is a time to honor the fullness of who you are—strong and tender, wise and still curious, giving yet ready to receive. Celebrate your evolution, newfound wisdom, and the opportunities waiting to be discovered.

Carrying On, Not as Superwoman, But as Unstoppable

Being unstoppable doesn’t mean doing it all or doing it perfectly. It means carrying on, even when tired or discouraged. It means knowing that the journey itself—filled with ups and downs—is what shapes us and makes us who we are. Being unstoppable is about resilience, but it’s also about honoring our humanity. It’s about standing back up when we’re deflated, finding a new way to move forward, and realizing that each step matters. 

So, let’s take this moment in midlife to honor our role as the caretakers, givers, and keepers of the universe. Let’s also seize the opportunity to shape a new vision for ourselves and the world—one that allows us to thrive, grow, and rediscover the beautiful strength within.

We are not here to be Superwoman; we’re here to carry on, rise, create, and live a life that is deeply our own.

Lasting Change Unleashed: Discover Essential Techniques to Overcome Challenges and Create a Supportive Environment

Are you ready to shake things up and live midlife to the fullest but feel stuck and confused about where to start? 

We understand that feeling. It can be frustrating, especially when you may not recognize your midlife body, feel your career needs an overhaul, desire to live more vibrantly than your current friend group or feel like you’re living day-to-day without a plan. 

But here’s the good news: you’re different from many other women because you’re ready to make lasting changes.                     

And guess what? It’s possible to change your behaviors and sustain those changes. 

Renewed Vision: Setting the Foundation for Behavior Change

Let’s talk about the key to long-term change—shifting your identity. In case you missed it, we’ve shared the importance of creating a renewed vision for yourself in midlife. Now, that might sound daunting, but before you jump into action—new diets, exercise programs, wellness routines, or sleep protocols—only to slip back into old patterns again, here’s the secret: you need to see yourself as the person who eats well, moves daily, makes healthier choices, and prioritizes sleep BEFORE you take any action. Establishing a renewed vision for yourself is crucial because that’s where many women fail to sustain their desired behaviors for the long term. 

Reduce Friction: Assess and Modify Your Surroundings

Next, you must alleviate the friction to change before you take action. This involves assessing your work, home, school, social, and community environments and asking yourself if they support the desired changes. 

The goal is to make healthier choices easier choices. Too often, we face obstacles like tempting television programs, social media distractions, processed foods that are readily available, and a lack of time that hinders us from making choices that make us feel better, boost our energy, and help us flourish. 

To assess your surroundings, focus on the following:

1. People you spend the most time with

2. The places you frequent, such as work, home, school, church, and community

3. Your systems, like your routines and time management

4. The policies at work or in other organizations you’re involved with

Now, take a moment to reflect: do these people, places, systems, and policies support your values and goals? Do they create friction or resistance when you try to change? For example, does your workspace encourage standing instead of sitting all day? Do your workplace policies allow walking meetings and working out during lunch? Are your friends cheering you on or scoffing at the changes you want to make? Do your routines and habits align with your renewed vision?

Our environment often doesn’t naturally support how we want to live as we age. To ensure success, we must address the potential friction and resistance before taking action toward our goals. 

Observing Successful Example: Prioritizing Health and Well-being

By observing our surroundings, we can get a glimpse of what’s prioritized. Take our recent trip to Vietnam, for instance. During our visit, we noticed that health and well-being were community priorities: 

1. Parks were equipped with adult exercise equipment.

2. People were doing tai chi and stretching in green space.

3. Fruit was served after every meal instead of dessert. 

4. Restaurants served fresh, local food in a family-style manner. 

We found it easier to make healthier choices while traveling in Vietnam than it can be when traveling in the United States.

Modifying Your Surroundings: Making Healthier Choices Easier

Now consider some questions to help you modify your surroundings and better support your goals: 

1. What are one or two things you change in your environment that will help make healthier choices more available and easier to access? For example, can you keep healthier food choices more accessible at home so you can grab them on the go? 

2. What adjustments can you make to your routines to align them with your goals? For example, can you keep sneakers in the car so that you can walk while waiting during pick-up times or in between errands?

3. Can you spend more time with people who support your desire to change rather than resist it? For example, instead of connecting with friends over drinks and a meal, can you meet them for a walk or a yoga class?

4. Can you advocate for changes in work, school, or church policies to make healthier choices easier for you and those around you? For example, can you advocate ending meetings a few minutes early to allow for time to take a walking break or grab a healthy snack?

Embracing Sustainable Behavior Change: The Journey to Midlife Transformation

Starting a new behavior is often easier than sustaining it over time. Why? Our surroundings create resistance that pulls us back into old habits. Before taking action toward your goals, start by assessing your environment.

It’s time to get off the roller coaster and finally live your midlife vision! Creating a supportive environment will make your goals easier to achieve and sustain! 

Looking for more ways to build skills to help you successfully change behaviors? Read our suggestions for building resiliency in midlife.

Women are Underrepresented in Research. Why Should You Care?

As a woman, you have unique health needs and experiences that can differ from those of men. If women are underrepresented in research studies, the results may not accurately reflect their health outcomes or address their health concerns. This could lead to inaccurate diagnoses, ineffective treatments, and missed opportunities for preventative care.

Women comprise half of the population, and their voices and experiences should be equally represented in research studies. It is a matter of fairness and equity that women have the same opportunities as men to participate in research that impacts their health and well-being.

Research is critical for advancing our understanding of diseases, treatments, and health outcomes. Our knowledge in these areas may be limited if women are underrepresented in research studies. This can slow down progress in medical advancements and result in missed opportunities for discoveries and breakthroughs that could benefit everyone.

It’s our mission at Rumblings to ensure you have the science-based facts and education you need to understand what can impact your health so that you can take informed actions. We feel it is crucial for all women to care about underrepresentation in research because it can directly impact our health and well-being.

So this month, we interviewed women’s health expert and assistant professor at the University of Minnesota, Manda Keller Ross, Ph.D., DPT. Dr. Keller Ross shares her research background and interest in women's health in this interview. She discusses the gender gap in research, particularly in heart disease risk in women, which has been historically studied more in men. She focuses on studying the influence of menopause symptoms on blood pressure regulation and heart disease risk in women. Additionally, she highlights the barriers women face when participating in research and the importance of addressing the diversity in experiences and physiology among women. Lastly, she emphasizes the need for more women to participate in research to improve preventative strategies and treatments for women.

Rumblings Interview with Dr. Keller Ross.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself, your background, and how you became interested in the research that you’re currently doing?

I am a mother of three young girls (8, 7, and 5 yrs), a scientist, and an educator. I have been studying blood pressure regulation and heart disease risk for about 10 years. In the last seven years, our laboratory has transitioned to studying primarily women’s health due to the dearth of information regarding heart disease risk in women and, in particular, how age and menopause influence this risk. The majority of the research in the area of heart disease has primarily been on men, and women have been traditionally underrepresented in medicine and science, particularly women with a non-white racial and ethnic background. This also means we have less available information regarding safe and effective therapies for women who are at risk for or have already developed heart disease. Our laboratory hopes to close this knowledge gap and be able to better understand some of the early risk factors of heart disease for women to identify effective preventative and therapeutic strategies to reduce heart disease risk for women.

We know that there are many age-related changes that women go through that increase their health risk, but is there a particular reason why you decided to focus on research related to menopause?

From what the literature suggests, prior to menopause, men have a greater prevalence of high blood pressure and increased heart disease risk compared with women. After the typical age of menopause, around 50-51 years, this risk increases substantially in women and surpasses that of men. This means that there is something in particular about the loss of sex hormones (estrogens and progesterone) in women that contributes to this greater risk. There is also evidence that menopause symptoms can be associated with heart disease, particularly hot flashes, night sweats, and difficulty sleeping. Our lab focuses on the influence of these symptoms and how the age of menopause influences blood pressure regulation to contribute to these greater risks.

Why is research on women’s health so important?

Women are important and have traditionally been ignored in research and science. For example, women participate in clinical trials much less than men for many reasons; however, this means that many drug trials are conducted only in men, but these same medications are given to women. Much of what we know about physiology was determined in men. Now we are playing catch-up to understand women’s physiology. It’s frustrating, but we are trying to be part of the solution.

What are the barriers for women to participate in research?

Women often carry several responsibilities simultaneously, and participating in research is not often at the top of their priority list. Women are working; they may be primary caretakers and are often not able to get the time off, cannot afford to take the time off, or need to be with their children. We have opened up our laboratory on the weekends for studies to help reduce this barrier, but often childcare is an issue. We have tried to set up childcare at the University for parents, but we have not been successful as there are some liabilities with this process. In addition, there is a lack of information provided to people in general about research and clinical trials, and information about menopause is often not shared with women unless women inquire directly with their physicians. There are often additional barriers for people of color, particularly the African American community, who have been traditionally exploited in research, and as scientists, we need to do a better job of connecting with their communities and building strong relationships and trust before engaging them in research.

Are there certain subsegments of women where we particularly need more research information, and why is that necessary? Can’t we generalize women’s research to all women?

Yes, there are definitely subsegments of women that we particularly need additional knowledge on regarding their health and strategies for disease prevention and treatment. We cannot generalize across subpopulations of women because life experiences have a strong impact on our physiology. One of the strongest examples that I can provide is racial stress. Non-white communities have experienced macro- and micro-aggressions for centuries, and we haven’t even really begun to understand how that has impacted their physiology. We know diverse communities are often at a greater risk for high blood pressure, heart disease, and kidney disease, just to mention a few, but we don’t have a clear understanding of why. These factors are often erroneously discussed in the literature as being connected to genetic or physiological differences, but we, as scientists, need to incorporate how life experiences, such as the trauma and stress surrounding racial discrimination, influence risk factors for these diseases.

Why is it important for women to participate in research studies from a researcher's perspective? What benefits can women experience by participating in research?

The majority of the knowledge we have obtained from the research, including clinical trials, drug trials, etc., has come from studies conducted in mostly men, in particular white men. This knowledge gets generalized to the community when it doesn’t always apply to women. Over the last 20 years, we have identified many breakthroughs in how the physiology of men and women are different. Sex hormones, including estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone, influence our muscles, heart, lungs, and blood vessels differently, and men and women have varying levels of these hormones. Thus, it is important for women to participate in research so that we can delineate differences in physiology between men and women, which will lead to improved preventative strategies and treatments for women.

Another important benefit of women participating in research is that they would contribute their experiences to the depth and breadth of knowledge on women. This knowledge will lead to better treatments for them, their daughters, and generations to come. If women do not participate in research, we can’t make strides in understanding risk factors that are specific to women and develop tailored treatments to prevent/reduce heart disease risk in women.

How can women learn about research studies they may be eligible to participate in?

• There are national websites that women can browse for research studies, such as clinicaltrials.gov

• Women can learn about studies at the University of Minnesota’s StudyFinder website: studyfinder.umn.edu

• Women can learn more about our lab and studies occurring in our lab by visiting: https://med.umn.edu/rehabmedicine/research/labs/cardiovascular-rehabilitation-lab.

What questions should women ask before participating in a study?

• What is the purpose of the study?

• What procedures are involved in the study?

• What are the risks of the study?

• How long does the study last, how many visits are there, and how long is each visit?

• Is there compensation for being a part of the study?

What should we do to advocate for getting more women involved in research?

We should educate women on what we know and do not know about women’s health and the consequences of that lack of knowledge. In addition, we should build relationships with the community and discuss the importance of their participation in research.

What is your hope for the future if we could close the gap in women’s health research?

My hope for the future is that we significantly reduce the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and mortality in women; that women know their risks and how to reduce their modifiable risk factors for these diseases; that women feel there is a space and place for them in research and clinical trials; and that women feel comfortable enough to talk to their family, friends and health care providers about menopause and advocate for themselves.

Thank you to Dr. Keller-Ross for taking the time to highlight the progress made in recent years to include more women in medical research and acknowledging that there is still a way to go to ensure equal representation in research. As moms, daughters, sisters, and friends, we need to spread the word and advocate for women to be included in research studies and to raise awareness of the importance of why our representation matters to our health and health care.

Learn more about Dr. Keller-Ross, The Cardiovascular and Rehabilitation Lab, and The effects of menopause on cardiovascular health in women study by clicking the links.

5 Ways to Reinvent Your Career

​And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom - Anais Nin

Today’s midlife women came of age during an era where women were told they could have it all; family, career, and fulfilling life where they could shape their destiny and choose their path. 

Many women chose to work. Others worked out of necessity, decided to work at home, or returned to work when children were school-aged. For decades women balanced work and life, leaned in, advanced in careers, and entered their 50s thinking it would be their time. 

Midlife is a time of transition. Children are leaving the nest, careers are peaking, and there is more time to focus on what is essential. It is a life stage when men are at the peak of their careers and earning potential. However, what women encounter is a society that expects us to remain ageless. We experience gender ageism in the workplace. Regardless of our prior accomplishments, we face a society that finds countless subtle ways to tell us we’re not as relevant, not as attractive, and less deserving.

It’s natural and normal to feel unsettled with a desire to explore what’s next. These internal rumblings can also come with inner self-doubt and negative self-talk — “I’m too old,” “I don’t look like I should,” “I’m not seen or heard.” Many midlife women feel stuck even though we have decades left to work, live well,  and flourish. 

Women also describe lacking authentic and deep connection with other women, feeling burned out, exhausted, and disappointed at a time that is supposed to be the pinnacle of their lives.

Women have been trying to live up to an unrealistic standard for too long, and as a result, they feel they’re climbing a mountain but never reaching the top. Sound familiar? The good news is that you can define what will come next. You don’t have to succumb to societal norms of acceptable and how we should age. If the original path no longer contributes to how you want to live your lives, it’s time to find a new one. 

We’ve spent the last year speaking with amazing midlife women who felt that same rumbling and have reimagined their lives and reinvented themselves to design a path for themselves that is more aligned with their values. They’ve reinvigorated their careers, built businesses, or taken risks to create a life to live well and flourish. 

Read their advice and listen to your inner RUMBLING. You can take steps to align your career with your values to flourish through midlife.

Define your universal skills. You have learned many things from your prior roles as mother, sister, daughter, aunt, caretaker, homemaker, and career woman that you bring to the table. You’ve balanced many demanding tasks and been successful at them. For example, women have a unique ability to context switch. It means you can switch between multiple unrelated tasks and improvise as you do it. 

You have superb negotiation skills from your personal, volunteer, and professional lives that you can use in any situation. You have negotiated salaries, employee engagement, bedtimes for a 3-year-old, rules for teenagers, daily living capabilities with aging parents, and everything in between.

You are resilient. You’ve successfully navigated every challenge that has come your way. You know your strengths, and you’ve learned how to either overcome, mitigate, or ask for assistance in areas of weakness. 

Write down the skills you possess that are universal to any situation and how you can use them. Ask friends and family what they think your strengths are and add them to your list.

Choose your core values and purpose over societal pressure. Consider what is most important to you. What are your core beliefs? What are your values? What is most important to you in the future? 

Have those values and beliefs been aligned with your decision-making? For example, have you made career or life choices that are in line with your values and best interests, or have you made sacrifices to put the interests of others first? 

Answering these questions provides an opportunity to be thoughtful and intentional about your importance. For many women, it can be about supporting and empowering others. It can be about giving back to the community and making a difference in the lives of others. 

It’s difficult for many women to focus on putting themselves first and discount any societal norms, but it’s crucial for finding meaningful work. If this is a challenge, ask yourself what matters more than money. Those are your values. 

Dream and design your path. Consider the course that keeps you closest to your integrity, values, and goals for your life and the future. 

What are the ways you can start to move towards that? It could be making changes to your current role, seeking new employment or career, taking on a side job, or volunteering. Where can you find other like-minded people with similar interests or who you can learn from? 

Networking and establishing connections with people you don’t know well is another universal skill that women possess. It is a great place to use those skills to meet new people and hone what unique gifts you have to offer. 

We have been amazed at how willingly other women have been to spend time with other women to share ideas, knowledge and magnify the voices of other women as they endeavor to design a new path.

Living from the inside out creates a foundation of health. It takes a foundation of good health to flourish after 50. Make your health a priority. It will support your self-confidence and help you feel connected while living genuinely from the inside out. 

It’s never too late to pivot. The science around aging and lifespan is evolving. We have been amazed and inspired by all of the remarkable women we’ve met who are continually learning, growing, and changing. 

Today, women who accomplish great things are more frequently in midlife and beyond. Fear is part of the equation, but courage is the calling to find clarity and purpose, and that belief is vital in the women we’ve worked with. 

You are not alone in what you’re feeling or experiencing. 

Women want to support other women in achieving their dreams. If the women in your life don’t support your dreams, seek out those who do. 

Striving to discover your remarkable and fulfilling midlife journey ensures your process will foster purpose, belonging, joy, and gratitude. It feels good!

Embracing and stepping in the beauty, liberation, and wisdom as you move into and beyond midlife empowers other women, young and older, to do the same. By tapping into your knowledge, experience, and wisdom, you engage with others differently and bring value to the people around you. 

Together we can change the way our culture views midlife and older women. We’re excited about midlife, the new things we’ll do, the risks we’ll take, and the women we’ll meet! 

Let’s reinvent, reignite, and RUMBLE through midlife together!

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

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

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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!

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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!