the secret weapon of later-life creativity. Decades of research, including studies from the Max Planck Institute and Stanford’s Center on Longevity, confirm that creative engagement (e.g., painting, writing, music) strengthens neural plasticity in older adults. These activities stimulate gray matter growth in brain regions tied to problem-solving and emotional resilience, countering age- related decline. But this isn’t just about neurons. It’s about narrative. Women over 60 are uniquely primed for reinvention because they’ve spent decades navigating societal shifts, caregiving whiplash, and the quiet rebellions of self-reinvention. “The best advice I can give to a woman who is hesitating to start anew later in life – and this may be counterintuitive—is to assume that whatever you try next isn’t going to work out,” says Hastings. “Not as you think it will, anyway. It will be a valuable use of your time, but no matter how much planning you do, you are very unlikely to jump right into ‘The Thing’ because you won’t actually know what you’re doing! So take pressure off of yourself. Take small steps and let yourself enjoy wandering around a bit, playing with different ideas and experiences. You’ll eventually land on something that feels right, that feels like you, but first you have some learning to do.” History agrees. Anna Mary Robertson Moses—better known as Grandma Moses— began her painting career at 78, translating rural memories into folk art that outsold Picasso in the 1950s. Diana Nyad swam 110 miles from Cuba to Florida at 64, rewriting
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online