Welcome to an exciting adventure - the next stage of your life.
Below you will discover what other women did when they entered their Empress Era. Wow!!
On the next page - About Us - find out how Helen, the Midlife Motivator, can help you make the most of your Empress Era.
WHAT IS THE EMPRESS ERA?
For years you nurtured your children/career/home. You did a good job but you no longer need to give so much time and effort to them.
Your nurturing, motherhood era is passing.
What are you going to do now?
Decline into old age?
Not you!
You're still too young to be an old woman, wise or otherwise!
You're still full of enthusiasm, energy and experience.
You still want to fulfil those deferred dreams, create and achieve new ambitions, do all those things you never had the time, money or energy to do years ago - or were too worried about what people might think.
Empresses don't worry about that any more. They've been through so many experiences and come out stronger that now they can rule the world - well, their own world anyway.
SO - WHERE DO YOU WANT TO START?
You can:
- Read below what other Empresses have done.
- Think about what you would like to do.
- Go to the next page to find out how you can become the Empress you want to be.
PS If you you have an inspirational story or want to acknowledge women who have inspired you (they don't have to be famous), then please email helen@midlifemotivation.vpweb.co.uk and I will add your contribution.
IN MY EMPRESS ERA...........
In my fifties I retired from my work as a telephonist due to ill health. Later I worked for a time as a house guide in a Cumbrian tourist attraction.
When we moved to Merseyside I started going to Tai Chi classes and one day I overheard two ladies talking about a bellydance class that they had seen advertised. I'd always wanted to learn that so I went to classes and found it really interesting and absorbing. After going to classes, workshops, and residential weekends I started to teach. I perform at various belly dance events and in the odd stage show. A year ago, I also started to learn to play a doumbek, which is an Arabic drum.
I joined our local U3A and became a member of their concert party which performed sketches and songs from the shows in nursing homes, church halls and for over 60s gatherings. I was with them for 12 years, but it has now been disbanded.
In the last two years I have joined two choirs, both of which give several concerts a year to raise funds for various charities, the main one being our local hospice.
My husband has recently retired, so now we are able to do a lot more things together. It brings home the fact that if you're in your fifties now, you may have another 50 years to live, so it pays to have some interests! I'm really content with my life at this stage.
B.M.
*************************
As you age, so do those around you, and the loss of family and friends can leave a large hole and sometimes dealing with the circumstances surrounding them e.g. cancer, dementia, can feel overwhelming. You may feel 21 in your mind, but your mind is making promises your body can't keep. However, this is life EVERCHANGING.
Each year/decade of age brings something new to explore, enjoy, and sometimes overcome. Children grow up and leave home, but they do return at times of re-assessment or re-newel of aspects of their lives, usually when they have children of their own. Grand-parents no longer sit rocking in the corner, handing out toffee and reminiscing: these days they are babysitters, school runners, taxis, and A.T.M.s.
By 40 I was a Grandmother, by 50 a Belly-dance Instructor, and at 60 about to become a Great- grandmother. In between the decades I have acquired a City & Guilds in Teaching, taught/teaching in Adult Education, N.H.S., W.E.A., Community Education. I travelled Britain attending workshops to further my dance and teaching skills, performed at numerous charity events, appeared on local radio and on stage and television albeit for a short time, but mainly, and hopefully for the better, touched the lives of a lot of dance students over the years.
In life you touch people, they touch you, like ripples in a pond. Sometimes a pebble drops in, sometimes a rock, but ultimately the water calms and the pond is clear. ENJOY THE CALM.
C. Hall . Liverpool
*********************
For me, life began at 40 - loved every single minute. The boys had their own friends and hobbies. I got on my pushbike, joined a cycling club and rode at least 100 miles a week. At 42 I cycled from Lands End to John O'Groats. I learned to ski. I learned to swim and nagged my husband to have swimming lessons too. At 50 yrs of age I cycled my first 100 miles all in one day. I began Scottish Country Dance lessons in 1990. During this period I helped to teach adults to swim. I had always wanted to swim on the Barrier Reef in Australia so started learning to snorkel and dive by taking a course with Bolton Sub-Aqua Club. I next joined the British Sub Aqua Club and booked a diving holiday in Cyprus this was followed by a diving holiday in Lanzarotte. Disaster struck economically my husband became redundant so no more diving holidays as they are expensive. However, we managed to continue with ski-ing holidays.
At 54 years of age I started to learn to play a keyboard. When this was stolen I transferred to learning to play an electric organ for which I paid a friend to teach me. At 56 I became redundant from work - which was early retirement. Whoopee, now I could really get to grips with doing my own thing. I had bunions removed, believed at that stage I wouldn't be able to Scottish Dance again so started learning to Belly Dance - less impact on my feet. Minding Mum took a lot of time up so housework took a back seat. I made gardening my priority. I was not able to continue cycling during this period as I had to ferry mum everywhere and she refused to ride tandem!
I was able to continue Scottish Country Dancing after convalescence which I did and had some SCD holidays in Scotland.
We bought a caravan and took a caravan-manoeuvring course to enjoy lots of British holidays involving a lot of walking. I was still skiing in winter but had to go to a gymnasium to keep fit. At 60 yrs mum was becoming more and more reliant on myself and sister so we took turns about looking after her by only going on holiday in turn so there was always one of us around. My husband did my pushbike up so I could ride it locally. I was still enjoying belly dancing and SC Dancing.
Carpal tunnel syndrome started to prevent me cycling even locally as I was unable to grip the handlebars for long and putting the brakes on was nigh impossible. Mum died when I was 65 years of age, so I had the free time I had always wanted and with the proceeds of sale of her house we booked to tour New Zealand. The following year we went to Australia where I finally was able to achieve my dream of diving on the Barrier Reef. Unfortunately, due to now suffering from high blood pressure, I was declared unfit to dive but could scuba dive on the reef instead which I did. This was the most incredible experience of my life and I loved every single minute of it. We returned to New Zealand where we ski-ed with friends. Last year we went to the Dolomites - Ken to climb, me to walk for two weeks. Fantastic time.
I had feet problems in 2010 and subsequent operation for corrective surgery. Job done, now fit to get on my bike again and loving every minute. I joined a local U3A group where I taught members belly dancing. I am hoping to start a cycling group. I’m a member of two gardening groups, joined a creative writing group and a walking group. My keyboard skills have come in handy as I have been able to accompany our Singing for Pleasure Group.
Currently I go to SCD Monday and Tuesday, Belly Dancing Wednesday lunch (Michelle's Active Living Group), joined Sue's Belly Dancing Group Wednesday evening and started attending a Zumba class recently.
JB
***************************
I gave up a full-time job as a school teacher and became a teacher of bellydance. It wasn't quite my childhood ambition to be a ballerina but it was (still is) very satisfying and I do occasionally get the chance to perform.
HR, Gloucestershire.
****************************
I ADMIRE.........
A lady called Norrie Woodhall who I saw on the Countrywise programme this week. She is 105 years old, and she has just formed a theatre group to perform a stage version of Tess Of The D'Urbervilles. She is said to be the last person alive who knew Thomas Hardy and wanted this to be a tribute to his work.
B.M.
Margot Fonteyn because she continued dancing and performing until she was sixty.
Julie Felix who celebrated her seventieth birthday by releasing a new CD and going on tour to promote it.
HR, Gloucestershire
