If the thought of turning 50 fills you with dread, let me offer up an honest account of what turning half a century has gifted me. And a few truths I’ve uncovered along the way.
I no longer have to prove my worth; just believe in it.
I want it to become easier for younger generations of girls and young women on the rise to know their worth and never question it.
I don’t want to be ‘successful’ in the way the world has defined success.
I want to be measured by my own impact barometer.
Taking risks has made my career infinitely more rewarding.
And because I’m not tied to others’ definition of success, I can run my own race without the fear of failing.
Being open has changed everything.
Of all the things my friend and Creative Partner Ant Melder has taught me, it is to be open. While I still have a tendency to judge with the best of intentions, he has influenced how I see the world and I’m so much richer for it.
My high horse is tiresome.
While Ant has taught me to be open, my son Aaron has taught me to be gracious and always finds a way to dismount me from my high horse with gentle humility. I climb it now less frequently.
The curation of my tribe is necessary.
The company you keep both personally and professionally will ultimately dictate how you spend your life. I’ve learned to fill mine with extraordinary people who teach me, inspire me, challenge me, believe in me and hold me accountable.
Our humanity is our most precious commodity because it’s dwindling.
I’m not frightened by AI (although I’m not naive to its potential for good and evil), I’m inspired and intrigued by all its applications. I am however frightened and horrified by what people continue to do to each other. I’ve learned that I work in an industry that at its heart is about preserving humanity because ideas are for people. And ideas can change the world.
I’ve never appreciated creativity more than right now, or valued how it can cut through the benign yet overwhelming chatter about how AI will come for us. “Fuck off”, I say. As long as there are humans, there will be a desire for self-expression and the creation of things.
Half a century in, I know this … 50 is not something to fear; it’s a milestone that provides clarity, a sense of knowing and most of all, a sense of worth.
So to all the girls born after 1975, 50 is something to look forward to. And to all the remarkable women who are in their 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s … I imagine the best is yet to come, because we may have wrinkles but wisdom too.
