We are excited to be building a reciprocal mentoring culture in Second 50, where women can both give and receive wisdom and support. Mentoring is a proven way to help you plan and manage life transitions. As you listen to others’ stories, you will see how quickly you will start to believe that you can navigate your own changes and challenges with ease and grace. 

It’s 12 months since a group of diverse women came together to pilot the concept of a Second 50 community. What started as a simple passion project has evolved towards our goal of helping Australian women aged from midlife onwards feel valued and make positive changes for themselves and the world. To mark this incredible year of growth and connection, I’d like to share ten Second 50 insights. I hope some of them resonate with you and even spark some insights about your own Second 50 journey.

Have you got time for a cuppa while we have a small chat? If you do have a moment – even 5 or 10 minutes – then please go grab your favourite. OK, cuppa in hand? I’m keen to have a chat about women experiencing violence and isolation. We all know this is an important conversation, but it can also be a hard one. So, I promise to keep this short (ish) today.

Have you ever had a chance meeting that led to a profound conversation that’s left you with a completely unexpected new perspective? That is exactly what happened in July this year when I met Wendy Hall, founder of Dementia Doulas International and Dementia Doulas Australia.

Recently, two Sydney-based Second 50 women – mortgage broker Teresa Cahill and real estate vendor agent Bernadette Hayes teamed up to host a fabulous in-person evening workshop in Sydney: Real Estate and Finance for Midlife Women. Below I’ve shared four key takeaways from the workshop. The good news for Second 50 women is that these two experts will be running a virtual version of this workshop for our whole Second 50 community soon!

Second 50’s recent Sage Advice Live allowed members to benefit from the hard-learned wisdom of Annie Harvey about the risk of empathy fatigue when caring for others. Is it possible to care about others while also looking after yourself? Annie Harvey knows it is possible to manage emotional exhaustion and integrate self-care and self-compassion into our daily lives. But she learned this the hard way.

The coach-led ‘Mapping your Second 50’ sprint program is a unique and powerful way to reflect on you past and reimagine your future. We love it because it’s visual and simple - and it works. We think you’ll enjoy the process of creating your own unique Second 50 maps.

What qualities do you most admire in fellow human beings? Two qualities I greatly admire are authenticity and self-confidence, especially when these traits are understated rather than shouted from the rooftop. Soon after meeting coach and author (and Second 50 woman), Gill McLaren last year, I realised that she ticked both boxes in a big way. After speaking with her at length, I came to understand that these qualities are a natural result of discovering and living what Gill terms her ‘best integrated life’.

Thank you to our Second 50 expert member, financial adviser and author Kate McCallum for sharing her vast knowledge during our member-only Sage Advice Live session. It was an hour of education and empowerment that inspired both reflection and positive action for women keen to optimise their wealth management for now and the future – whatever the current situation.

Respected wellbeing expert and Second 50 member, Thea O'Connor, shared some sobering health trends about women in mid-life during our March Sage Advice Live session on healthy habits for Second 50 Women. Maybe we shouldn’t be surprised that potentially detrimental health habits can creep up on women during their 'peak-demand' phase of life - when many juggle significant work and caring duties and life transitions.

Do you find yourself at a crossroads in your life? Do you want to make a switch in your career? Are you wondering what to do next? Well, the good news is, you’re not alone! If you are seeking clarity on your life calling or feel unsure about your future path, you’ll gain inspiration and reassurance by watching an on-demand recording of our February Sage Advice Live session with coach, author and scholar Annie Stewart.

Are you prepared for navigating aged care? If we are blessed with a long life, then ageing, aged care, dementia and end-of life care will impact all of us. For something so unavoidable – for loved ones as well as for ourselves – I’ve realised how common it is to be woefully unprepared. This Second 50 Aged Care Primer might help.