Janet, 67
Driven, comedic, adventurous
“In doing my 9-5 job and being there for everyone in my family, I forgot about myself, and then realized that I deserve to have a life too. So I got going, all in my later years and look where I am now. I am doing this for others to see my life journey in my senior years and hope it will inspire and help bring someone out of their cocoon, or who feels trapped with ageism, it doesn’t have to be like that. ”
✨Twinsight: Janet realized later in life that it was her time to shine. She has so many irons in the fire , it made our head spin and what a dynamo of energy! However, what truly sets her apart is her altruistic use of her wisdom and experiences. She selflessly helps families with Autism, coaches aspiring actors, and supports fellow breast cancer survivors. Janet's unwavering commitment to paying it forward has touched many lives and serves as an inspiration to us all.
How old are you and how do you feel about this age?
A: I am 67 years old and feel I am in my prime and have the energy of a 30-year-old.
Three words that describe you.
A: Driven, Comedic and Adventurous
What’s one life lesson that you wish you had known earlier?
A: How to be always a giver and people pleaser, but at the same time being able to take from others and knowing that I deserve it.
What’s the worst part about aging and what’s the best?
A: The worst part of aging is one’s health, and body deteriorates both physically and mentally over time. The best part is that I take my experiences and knowledge of my 67 years and share them with the younger folk, paying it forward.
What is your proudest accomplishment so far?
A: Personally, being a mother to my beautiful children, my son, Chris and my daughter, Jenny. And then being Nana to my grandsons, Maverick and August.
Professionally, I came into acting later in life and being a professional union actress and having roles in Film and TV, Commercials, Voice Overs and doing Theatre for over 15 years as an actor, director and being on the theatre board. I was also asked to be the Talent Scout for my Agency whose roster I am on for acting, as I had an eye for talent. I also coach and provide classes to pay it forward for senior actors wanting to give acting a try.
I am also extremely proud of being a Best Selling and Award-Winning Author with my Non-Fiction book, “The Autistic Author and Animator”.
I am also very proud of being a 9 year Breast Cancer Survivor, where I had a double mastectomy and immediate breast reconstruction. I have gone to events for Breast and Plastic Surgeons to pay it forward for individuals just diagnosed and being a listening ear and should to cry on.
Have you experienced ageism?
A: I have experienced Ageism, because we are at this senior age, we are tunnel visioned or stigmatized that we can’t be physically fit or mentally sound or we are behind the times when it comes to the technology world that is upon us. I still work out, I am flowing with the times with the Gen Z crowd, lol. And with my books and acting I need to be technologically sound, and I am.
What’s your message to the world?
A: We get this one life and no matter what age you are, live it to the fullest. Don’t feel because you are turning 50, 60, 70, 80 or 90 years of age, that life is over and not worth living, my God, the best is yet to come at this age, go for it. You want to dance, dance. You want to sing, go sing. I joined a Show Choir in my late fifties, had a blast. You want to give acting a try because you never got the change when you were younger, try it out.
During one’s life on this earth, from the time you are born till you take your last breath, experience everything you can on this earth that offers so much for us to take in. We have given the gift of life so take the positive and learn from the negative.
My four P’s: Passion, Perseverance, Patience and Positiveness.
Live, Love, Learn, Laugh and Play!!!!!
Favourite Band, artist or book?
A: My fav Band from younger years was the Beatles, The Guess Who, Beach Boys, Bee Gees, April Wine. Nowadays I like Adele, Pink, Lady Gaga, Michael Buble, Shania Twain.
My fav book is from Maeve Binchy, loves all her books, like all bio books, just about to read the one of Matthew Perry. And of course, my daughter’s trilogy book, Dysnomia.
What sparks your joy these days?
A: So many things spark my joy. Booking a role and being on set, working in unison with the cast, crew and director. Getting to go play dress up in so many different characters and scenarios.
Being a Best Selling and Award-Winning Author with my Non-Fiction book, “The Autistic Author and Animator”. Which is an engaging, heartwarming, enlightening and raw journey of my daughter Jenny’s journey with Autism through my eyes. And with Jenny writing her own bestselling and award winning books, Dysnomia, we do Book Signings all over and are known as the Book Signing Queens of Indigo, Chapters and Coles
The joy of doing book signings with my daughter and see her blossom with her Autism and socializing with people who ask her about her book and the communication she is now evolving, brings happy tears to my eyes. And then to have families come to our signings who have heard about our books or read ours books and are crying because our story gives them hope for their autistic child future and as a family. This tugs at my heartstrings as it lets me know that the goal we were hoping for is happening, as want to help and be there for the autistic community and also shine a positive light to the General Public for Autism and shed the stigma box that still surrounds it.
What’s next for you? What does your future-self look like?
A: So many things I want to do next.
A couple of scripts I want to write for a feature film about Jenny and My’s life journey with Autism. And also, a comedic script about women going through menopause.
I want to write another book about experiencing breast cancer and its journey and another book I want to do is bringing in a number of Autistic Families and each chapter is of a different family and their journeys.
Helping my daughter pitch her books to production companies for them to be made into animations movies or TV series.
Expand further into the world with our Autism journey, doing speaking engagements and working further on my podcast for Autism.
I also would like to direct another play or direct a film as found a joy in experiencing being on the other side of it.
Are there traditions in your culture related to aging that you would like to share?
A: Well, I come from a British background, so as for traditions, better have Yorkshire pudding when you have a roast. Lol And always have tea time with dainties and sandwiches. I love to take my daughter to The Secret Garden to do just this, highly recommend it.
Do you feel visible?
A: Yes, I do feel very visible, maybe too visible as I feel I need to clone myself, as doing so much in my later years in so many different avenues. And having fun doing them all.
Are there things you are doing now that you couldn’t do before?
A: Everything I am doing now, I never thought in a million years I could be doing this. Acting for sure, started with Theatre in my forties and then film and tv in my fifties. I never saw that coming. And if you told me I would be writing a book, doing signings and speaking engagements, what????? I was a working Mother and Wife. Doing my 9-5 job and being there for everyone else in my family, which I truly loved however I forgot about myself, or thinking about myself and then realizing, hey, you deserve to have a life too, why are you not doing things for yourself and something you would like to do or try. So I did, all in my later years and look where I am now.
In saying all of the above, I am doing this for others to see my life journey in my senior years and hope it will inspire, be an eye opener and help bring someone out of their cocoon, or who feels trapped with ageism, it doesn’t have to be like that.
Life can still be beautiful and enjoyable.
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