Happy Birthday, Honey

Hi everyone, and hello new people this week! Welcome to LoveOurAge.com … my little corner of the internet that’s all about encouragement, feeling better, getting older, trying new things and appreciating what we have.

Today is my 55th birthday, and I don’t know about you, but I love my age. Honestly, I do. I am so much smarter, wiser, and more authentic as I tuck each new year into my life.

Do you feel like the same you, but somehow better as you age?

As I grow older, I know so much more about life. I love learning and figuring out what the next stages of life could hold for me…writer, baker, candle-maker? Poet? Singer? Ukulele player—haha!? All I know is that I feel best about myself when I’m gaining skills and growing.

Today, for inspiration, I’m offering these beautiful words from Jamie Varon…in case it’s time to rethink your dreams and start something new. We can all take small steps in a new direction, explore what we love, and have a go.

I believe the best is yet to come…and I’m here Down Under cheering for you! If you write a book, let me know because I’m gonna buy it. If you make an album like my friend Katie Rushing in America, I’m gonna get it. Start a business? Tell me…I’m there. I believe in you, even when it’s tricky to believe in yourself, or when you’re trying something new.

Thank you for enjoying what I bring to the table. Thank you, too, for supporting and sharing The 10 Minute Fix. That book is becoming the little engine that could: it’s chugging its way into women’s hearts around the globe and cheering them on with some encouragement and love. I so appreciate you gifting it and telling your friends about it. Your support means the world to me—thank you.

Here’s to another 55 fabulous years! Let’s love our age together…and dream big and small, at the same time.

Catherine xx

PS.

• This is the cake I make for every family birthday. You’ll never find a better traditional, moist, delicious chocolate cake. You’re welcome! The secret? Coffee and olive oil.

• Let’s kitchen dance to an amazing song from 1962 (I was born in 1966): Solomon Burke’s Cry To Me. You’ll love it. Happy Birthday to me!

• Yellow roses from my Canadian mama…if you know, you know! #the10minutefix #chapter64 Giving the roses a hug because Covid, but wish I were hugging you instead, Mum.

This One Is Personal...

It’s my birthday weekend.

As an aside, this is what 54 looks like on me. No make-up on yet, and early in the morning! I don’t pole dance like Jennifer Lopez and you wouldn’t want to watch me perform at the Super Bowl halftime show (ha!). I do some basic weights and lots of walking. I appreciate and love all the variations and choices of other women for them. Personally, I choose not to colour my hair or use botox. I like to be on Team Natural and my favourite add-ons are perfume and fun rings.

(You do you! Love it! I’ll do me! Love it!) I find all women’s choices inspiring and intriguing.

But the real point of my photo is this: I am at a cross roads. This is my year to make a simple decision.

Do I go all in and back myself, or not?

Advance with what I love, or retreat?

Can you relate to this? It would be so easy — so natural — to slow down now and live in my world of what has always been.

• To stay settled into the same career and same routines.

• To drift into next year.

• To believe it’s too hard to create something new.

• To stop learning.

But we have so much life left. We do! Look back at the last five years, from 2015 until now, and think about all you’ve done in those 1,825 days.

In the next five years, we will get 43,800 hours.

Is it time for all of us to get a whole lot louder, and take up more space?

Yes, I have a million voices arguing in my head about my lack of expertise, my imperfect work, my faults (many), my blind spots (also many). Do you have those voices, too?

But I have new things I want to do.

Next weekend I’m going to share a surprise — something new I’ve been working on. I’m really hoping for your support.

I wish you were here to chat about it, and we could all encourage each other to step out into our Great Unknowns.

So there you have it: happy birthday to me.

This year, I’m giving myself the gift of backing myself and being my own best friend. I hope you will, too.

Let’s love our age (together),

Catherine x

PS.

• Beautiful flowers from my mother-in-law and sister-in-law! Pearl necklace from my dear friend and blog reader, Jen. Lovely cake from my stylish friend, Jules. Thank you all for spoiling me rotten this year. I loved every second.

• A reader asked for my gluten free, no bake brownie recipe. These are so delicious. Cut into tiny squares and enjoy a small sweet treat!