Jennifer, 58
Creative, sensitive, passionate
“ Life is a constant evolution isn’t it. One of my favourite quotes is by Lao Tzu - “When I let go of who I am, I become who I might be.” I live by the principle that we were never meant to be the same person from the beginning to the end of our lives. We are meant to grow and evolve and change.“
✨ Twinsight: Jennifer’s journey of self-discovery is truly inspiring. After facing significant challenges when she turned 50, she took the time to deep dive on who she was and what she wanted out of life. Her wisdom resonates with us, as she embodies our belief that no matter the obstacles, we can rise, adapt, and fully engage with life - at any age! But maybe one of the biggest reasons we love Jennifer is the name of her business - OLD CHICKS KNOW SH*T. It’s so true!
How old are you and how are you feeling about that?
A: I’m 58 and love this time of my life. I feel like I have finally come into my own at this age. Maybe I'm a late bloomer but I am now comfortable in my skin and know who I am on a deep level. My mom passed away when she as 56 so I truly view each year I get to live, that she didn’t, a gift that I want make the most of.
Three words that describe you.
A: Creative, sensitive, passionate.
What’s the one life lesson that you would tell your younger self?
A: Get to know who you are and check in with yourself daily to make sure you are happy and living a life that feels good to you. For too long I lived according to a list of rules, expectations and “shoulds” an in the process I became disconnected from who I was and what was important to me.
What is your proudest accomplishment so far?
A: Forging a new and very different path by creating the Old Chicks Know Sh*t community. I love that I get to help women see power and possibility in this chapter of life where often we are overlooked and ignored. And my daughter.
What’s your message to the world?
A: It’s never too late and you’re never too old to live a life that truly makes you happy. At any point, you can pivot and choose again.
Jennifer created the Maven Collective.
What is the Maven Collective?
The Collective is a community of like minded midlife women who are all on the same journey to reach for their highest potential and lean into new possibilities for themselves and their lives. Together we support, challenge, inspire and hold each other accountable to our highest and best.
Talk about your transition from career to next stage of life.
A: In the year leading up to my 50th birthday I found myself divorced, unemployed, an empty nester and bed-ridden with a stress related illness. It was as though all of the identities of who I thought I was in the world - wife, mother, corporate executive - were stripped away. I didn’t know who I was without them or what I wanted or my life. After 30 years in my career I could not see any possibilities outside of the corporate world because it was all I knew. I was surrounded with friends, family and peers who lived the same life as I did. It was impossible to envision anything different, but deep down I knew that there had to be more to my life/career than I was experiencing. For years there had been a niggling voice inside me that kept looking around at my life and career and asking “Is this it? Is this all there is?" But I hadn’t been ready to face that question because I had invested a lot to get to that point.
One of the best things did when my job ended was to go out and have coffee with as many people as I could find from as many different careers and walks of life as possible to expose myself to new possibilities. I wanted to experience people who lived, thought and earned money in different ways. Those conversations opened the doors to new possibilities. Ways of life that I didn’t know were possible. Once the doors of possibility are open you can't close them again so I leaned into what felt important and true and and let that be the guide to whats next.
How has your purpose changed as you age?
A: Oh this is a big question. I lived much of my life focused on external validation and others expecations - Am I a good wife, mother, daughter, employee etc. I grew up believing that the measures of success were based on my job, my title, how much I earned etc. My frame of reference was whether some one else saw value in what I did. Now I live by what feels true and important to me. What feels aligned with my values and who I am as a person. This is where I found my passion in championing the power of older women who are typically overlooked in our culture. I love inspiring and supporting women who know that they want more for their lives in this next chapter. Women who know that they have more to do and become. Its one of reasons I started the Maven Collective. It can sometimes feel challenging to go against the status quo and step out of your comfort zone. I know this first hand. The Collective is a community of like minded midlife women who are all on the same journey to reach for their highest potential and lean into new possibilities for themselves and their lives. Together we support, challenge, inspire and hold each other accountable to our highest and best.
Have you experienced ageism?
A: Not overtly. Other than the occasional “Yes Ma’am”. But what was a big eyeopener for me was being out and about with my daughter and noticing how people paid attention and spoke to her while completely ignoring, even dismissing me, as if I was invisible. You realize how deeply engrained ageism is in our culture and every day life.
What sparks your joy these days?
A: Being in nature - forest or water. Finding deep connection with myself. My business, and especially the podcast where I share powerful stories of midlife women reinventing themselves, their lives and doing amazing things in the world. They all inspire me greatly. And that I get to share that inspiration with other women who may need it truly brings me joy.
What’s next for you? What does your future-self look like?
A: Life is a constant evolution isn’t it. One of my favourite quotes is by Lao Tzu - “When I let go of who I am, I become who I might be.” I live by the principle that we were never meant to be the same person from the beginning to the end of our lives. We are meant to grow and evolve and change. I look forward to becoming more of who I am at my core, more me as I peel away the layers of expectation and conditioning that we have all acquired. I know that could look very different than where I am today. And that’s ok. This is why its so important to regularly check in with self and stay aligned with what feels true an important for you over time. I wish I had learned this earlier.
What were your greatest hurdles, challenges or regrets along the way? Any advice on how to overcome these?
A: The greatest challenge was believing in myself and what I was capable of. By this time of life we tend to have rigid thoughts, beliefs and perceptions of who we are and whats possible for us. Learning to challenge those beliefs and see myself differently is still actually a work in progress. We are all so much more capable that we think are. I am a huge proponent of surrounding yourself with like minded community for that reason. We cant see ourselves objectively and having a group of people who can reflect your capability back to you is so valuable.
Learn more about Jennifer on Instagram and through her website.