Reflections, stories, and wisdom from the Second 50 community.
An energy audit isn’t about avoiding everything difficult or arranging a life filled only with things we enjoy. Most of us have responsibilities we cannot — and would not want to — remove. We care for people, contribute to work that matters and do plenty of necessary things that may not fill our cup. The value lies in understanding the pattern.
Read more →
This is a whale of a tale that begins with a sculpture, a garden and a boatload of wonderful women. It changed my own life design, showed me how Second 50 could evolve through co-creation, and also helped bring Second 50 Life Design to life in our community.
Read more →
Recently, Second 50 Co-Leader Karen Robertson shared a fascinating story about success, with an important lesson for any woman considering building something new in her Second 50. Karen first told this story in our Possibilities Lab, and it surfaced again as she developed the Right Wall Workshop for Second 50 women. It shows why, before investing our precious time, energy and talents in bringing any dream to life, it pays to consider whether our ladder is leaning against the right wall.
Read more →
Grief is one of the most universal human experiences, yet most of us have never been taught how to recognise it, respond to it, or support others through it. Our recent conversation with Jessie Williams challenged many assumptions about grief and introduced a powerful concept: Grief First Aid.
Read more →
It was 2:00am, and I was having one of those familiar menopausal wakeups when I first discovered Second 50. This is the story of how that sleepless moment set me on a path to more purposeful living — and led to the creation of Second 50's Purpose Connect Forum.
Read more →
In late 2019, Annie Stewart found herself in one of the toughest transitions of her life. What made it especially confronting was that Annie had spent decades helping others navigate change. As an executive and career coach, coaching supervisor and author, she had supported hundreds of leaders and professionals through work and life transitions. But when several major aspects of her own life changed dramatically, Annie was suddenly on the other side of the conversation.
Read more →
Last year, around 25 family members gathered to celebrate my extraordinary mum on her 95th birthday. As this milestone approached, it would have been easy to arrange a grand venue and draft a long speech. But, instead of going into default party-planning mode, I channelled what I’ve learned from Second 50 to create a celebration that was deeply meaningful to Mum and all who came along.
Read more →
By Helen Jarvis, Founder of Ripple Learning and Second 50 member There are moments in life when you know a conversation matters deeply. You can feel it before a word is spoken, with a tightening in your chest, the flutter of nerves and your thoughts beginning to race. Part of you wants to say the thing that has been sitting quietly for weeks, or even years, while another part urges you to stay silent and keep the peace. Through my work as a mediator, counsellor and coach, and my own midlife transitions, I have come to see these moments not as problems to avoid, but as invitations into what we call courageous conversations.
Read more →
This program is currently SOLD OUT. Second 50 Life Design will be available again later in 2026.
Read more →
Helen Jarvis’ long-standing career as a workplace and family mediator is now balanced with an unexpected (and more recent) Second 50 calling to be a social impact entrepreneur. It was Helen’s commitment and passion for raising funds for youth mental health that led her to establish Ripple Learning , a social enterprise and registered charity dedicated to facilitating effective workplace learning experiences and directing 100% of profits to youth mental health charities.
Read more →
Second 50 has sparked and encouraged so many wonderful ideas, meaningful conversations and brave transformations. And over the past few months, we’ve watched one of the most extraordinary examples of what women can create when we support and encourage each other. Our first Second 50 Life Design program brought together women to consciously design a life that feels authentic, energising and aligned with who they are now, and who they are becoming.
Read more →
Women have been showing up in our community circles, naming their Imposters out loud, describing them in colour and character, and even laughing about them together. It’s so good to see women recognising and understanding the noisy Imposter voice in their heads. Instead of shrinking back from their future, they know how to recognise their Imposter voice, ask better questions of themselves, and consciously move forward.
Read more →
Lately, I’ve been rethinking what courage means, especially to women in our Second 50 years. My reflection was sparked by storyteller and creator of the Finding Courage project, Stephanie Hunt, who is on a mission to help people wake up to their own courage. Steph is shining a light on the courage of “ordinary people” which is a strength we often overlook, especially in ourselves.
Read more →
This Second 50 community has prompted many changes in my life and one of the most powerful shifts I’ve made is letting go of time management and switching to what life design expert Gill McLaren calls ‘energy management’. To be honest, when Gill first explained to me the idea that energy can be a multiplier, I was a little bit sceptical. I have always assumed that when you expend energy, it uses up time. But I now know she is right.
Read more →
As part of my Second 50 journey, I’ve been on a mission to undo some of my energy-sapping household norms. One of these has been to banish the kitchen monster I created for myself. In 2024, when I first did an ‘energy audit’ and I was shocked to realise that my dream kitchen had evolved into a time and energy-sapping nightmare.
Read more →
The Second 50 Possibilities Lab is a space where women come together to explore ideas, imagine what is next and help one another bring meaningful possibilities to life. It might be a business concept, a creative project, a career shift, a community initiative or a personal dream. Perhaps it is not yet a fully formed idea, but simply a feeling that something new is ready to grow.
Read more →
Second 50 is full of women who have spent decades giving — to work, family, community, and causes we care deeply about. We are women who give a damn. But too often, in the process of doing so much for so many others, we leave ourselves running on empty. So, it was such a gift to welcome Dr Martha Druery to our recent Sage Advice Live session — not just to discuss the problem, but to show us a better way.
Read more →
When a parent begins the move into residential aged care, it can feel like stepping into a maze of emotion, logistics and uncertainty. Whether you're already in the thick of it or quietly dreading what's ahead, you don’t have to figure it all out by yourself.
Read more →
At our recent Sage Advice Live session, there was obvious consensus that when it comes to real estate and finance in midlife — whether we’re thinking about selling, downsizing, renovating, investing or buying — finance is just one element of a more complex — and sometimes vulnerable — bigger picture.
Read more →
Our Second 50 years are a wonderful time to pause, reflect, and realign your life around what truly matters to you. We are running another Second 50 Life Design community program, kicking off on Monday, February 9, 2026. This transformational 12-week journey is co-created with Gill McLaren, a valued member of our Second 50 community, and a global expert in authentic life design.
Read more →
With dementia now the number one cause of death for women in Australia, and no cure in sight, it feels obvious that we should learn more about this disease and the how to protect our brain health. Founder of Dementia Doulas, Wendy Hall shares some invaluable facts, insights and examples to help busy women.
Read more →
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.
Read more →
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.
Read more →
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.
Read more →
We’re used to the idea of spring cleaning your house, but did you know that the idea can fit perfectly for other elements of your life? Do you know that feeling when things start piling up and, suddenly, your once-clear path feels like it’s disappeared under a landslide of to-dos? I was right there a few weeks ago. Then, like a lifeline, a few prompts from the Second 50 community nudged me to pause, breathe, and make some shifts to get back on track.
Read more →
Many people are uncomfortable talking about, thinking about, and planning for death and dying – which is natural and easy to understand. However, there is so much power in opening up conversations and planning ahead. If we understand the options and prepare for the end of life, it can help us make better decisions, lead to a better last stage of life and a better death - for ourselves and our loved ones.
Read more →
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.
Read more →
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’.
Read more →
Like many people I’ve been feeling increasingly distressed about gendered violence. I’ve been reading and having conversations with friends but felt stranded on two levels. Firstly, I didn’t know where to start. How could I do something that might make a meaningful difference to what felt like a hopeless situation? Secondly, despite feeling like I was across the issues enough to have a conversation about it, I couldn’t manage to engage my family of males on the topic.
Read more →
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.
Read more →
At age 60, Grace* had a good job, a circle of friends and, despite some financial stresses, enjoyed a life full of books, art and her favourite footy team. Fast forward three years to 2022 and her life was very different. An exciting and well-paid new job turned out to be a nightmare of toxic micro-management and she had relocated to another state to take on the complex (and often thankless) role of caring for her ailing mother.
Read more →
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.
Read more →
Might you indulge me for a moment? My thoughts are about the approach we’re taking to creating community within Second 50. But first, please join me for a dip in the sea…Most Sundays, I do an early morning ocean swim with a small group of wonderful women. Last Sunday was a perfect day with calm surf and no stingers. We were lucky enough to watch a turtle glide gracefully by, look down on sleeping wobbegongs, and visit the local giant cuttlefish. Even when the water is rough and rain threatens, I love this weekly dose of exercise, the ocean and what we often find inside it. But the immense benefits from my weekly swim would not happen if I swam alone.
Read more →
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.
Read more →
How is 2024 going for you so far? Do you feel like you’re embracing or facing another year? Last week at the beach, I made some time and headspace to reflect on the past year and contemplate 2024. It’s been several years since I was brave enough to do that and I wondered how many other Second 50 women do annual reflections or make resolutions.
Read more →
Recently my 93-year-old mother misplaced her walking stick. I’m the first family member she told, but being a plane flight away, I wasn’t much help. I reached out to my 62-year-old cousin Miriam, who lives around the corner from my mum. She was in a whirlwind of caregiving, including nursing her adult niece, weekly childcare for her toddler granddaughter and she’d just whipped up a rice salad for a friend undergoing cancer treatment. Here's the twist: Miriam also has a senior full-time job that requires long hours and travel to remote Queensland communities.
Read more →
When I was 30, the age of 50 felt a long way off. Like somewhere on the other side of my life. When I was 40, I was too busy juggling family and work to think a decade ahead, but I recall that being over 50 was a time when people worked before retirement, then before moving into old age and death. Until suddenly, I was 49. Not only did I have three children still firmly at home, but I had experienced a traumatic career disruption and it was dawning on me that I was now firmly in mid-life, potentially with many decades of life and work ahead.
Read more →
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.
Read more →