Conversations with Victoria

Have you written yourself the starring role in your life story?   Are you the leading lady or the understudy waiting in the wings? Perhaps your carefully considered choices although right at the time have evolved into something different than originally anticipated. Life has a way of “getting in the way” and sending us in a different direction making it necessary to re-assess. Are we where we want to be or at least heading in the right direction?   Many times we find ourselves juggling the needs and obligations of family and work and getting lost in the process or at the very least setting aside our own priorities, relegating them to “later”? It’s important in our caring capacity that we include our own goals and wishes in the mix. If we are not whole and healthy it is going to be very difficult to sustain an appropriate balance with family, friends or colleagues. Given the perceived traditional roles, we have to be pro-active. I am not advocating thoughtless selfishn...

Tribune, May 21st 2019. Last week in this column I talked about the significant role older women will take on in the future growth of western economies both as consumers and providers. Although it is already happening, governments and corporations have failed to acknowledge or take advantage of this. The concept of aging is changing as both men and women in developed nations have a longer life expectancy than ever before. The Longevity Economy by Joseph F. Coughlin is a factual, easy-to-read and informative analysis but it seems there is still a long way to go before we get a major shift of the communal psyche to abandon the prejudice and accept this evolution as a modern reality.  Instead of calling aging a concept, we should call it a construct. A construct which has suited society politically and economically up until now but which is narrow-minded and short-sighted compartmentalising more than 50% of the population into a role deemed to be of lesser value. It denies ...

“We Will Rock You” I am unapologetically making the case for shining the spotlight on older women. Their ability and willingness to continue contributing to society should not be de-valued because of an artificial mathematical deadline. Let’s deconstruct the aging myth that allows older men to still be considered attractive, interesting and respected but sticks a “best by” label on women then parks us on an imaginary shelf as if we should accept becoming passively invisible.  What is not a myth is that the world is becoming more female-centric and for several good reasons. Let’s examine the facts, some of which have been stated by Joseph T. Coughlin of MIT: he says women are better prepared for life after middle age than most men. Ask any man in your family or friends what they plan to do when they retire and they will usually respond with something along the lines of ‘can’t wait to stop work and put my feet up, maybe travel or play more golf. Ask a woman and she will ...