About ageing gratefully

It’s a fact – gratitude is the foundation of happiness. It is more than an attitude; it is a way of life. When we feel grateful, our very existence takes on more meaning. We are happier, healthier, more optimistic and have higher self-esteem and life satisfaction. 

But is living gratefully really sustainable? I believe it is and I have created Ageing Gratefully to inspire and encourage you to embrace living from a perspective of gratefulness, whatever your age or circumstances. 

Sadly, so many of us find ourselves in circumstances that are so overwhelming or even devastating, that we truly believe that any hope for gratefulness and happiness seems to be forever lost. I have certainly been in a situation like this myself when I suffered the sudden, devastating loss of my beloved husband. All of our plans for the future, all of my hopes and dreams were shattered. In addition to my grief and despair, I found myself in a world of fog and chaos. And, as the mother of school-aged children, I was terrified by the fear that I would not be able to give them all that they needed. I saw no way out of what seemed to be a new way of life void of direction, confidence and security. The full story can be found here. 

This time in my life was one of grief and hopelessness; a time when gratitude was furthest from what I was feeling. Yet here I am today, advocating gratitude as a way of living because I have found gratefulness profoundly healing and I want to share my findings with you in a safe online space that aims to inspire, provide hope and educate. The journey to gratefulness is one that has taken me from debilitating grief to a level of joy and fulfilment that I could never imagine. It is my sincere hope that you will be encouraged to build a life of gratitude that produces a joy that cannot be permanently eroded, even when circumstances are challenging. 

For over thirty years, I have worked in the skincare industry. I have given over twenty thousand facial therapies in my time and had the privilege of spending this time with thousands of women. I have been privy to their hopes, dreams and setbacks. 

One of the recurring themes in later years has been how to age well. It hasn’t been so much about staying young but about the desire to be healthy and to age with grace and dignity. To be allowed to be the age they really are without being made to feel ‘over the hill’. This is what Ageing Gratefully encourages - to be the best version of ourselves as we are right now. To challenge the perception that being younger is better and that growing older is to be avoided. We cannot avoid growing older – we begin ageing the day we are born.

Much better to be so immersed in the joy of living that age becomes irrelevant. 

Ageing Gratefully isn’t just about inspiring you. It is also about offering you tools and solutions that you can choose to implement in your life to increase your joy and vitality.  

Thank you for finding me. I’m so happy you’re here. Let’s enjoy this journey of ageing gratefully together.