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. 

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.  It was January 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. 

Last weekend, 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.

What do you do with an idea that won’t leave you alone?  Maybe it’s a new business concept, a creative project, a shift in purpose, or just a feeling that something is ready to grow in your life.  Wherever you are on your path — curious, just starting, or already building — the Second 50 Possibilities Lab is a safe space to explore what’s next. Led by Second 50 mentor and marketing strategist Karen Robertson, this Lab is an evolution of our original Solopreneur Mentoring Group.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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. 

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’.

A family member returned from living in the US last year, bringing his family with him. Within a few months, he had changed jobs, ended a 15-year marriage and moved house. That’s a lot of change in a short period of time. What is it that compels us to make more changes when we are already in a state of flux? It turns out that research has shown that the start of a new life chapter can give people the impression of a blank slate.

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.

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.