By Audrey van Petegem, Senior Editor
With myself turning 50 this year, many of my friends are also doing the same. Surprise parties are being secretly organized for some and for others, they are taking the bull by the horns, so to speak, and organizing their own getaways with their gal pals. Always in search for the perfect gift I wonder if the My Baby Boomer Baby Book would be a great novelty gift to help bring light to the otherwise potentially somber prospect of aging. Although I personally am embracing turning 50 I am not excited about the physical side [...]

By Audrey van Petegem, Senior Editor
As I age I notice that I do not exercise the way I used to. For one thing, I no longer care as much about the latest fitness trend. I still enjoy the social sports like golf and enjoy swimming, yoga and skiing when I can. The reality is that none of these are consistent. I have never been a runner and quite frankly it hurts my feet, knees and back. So, my regular exercise regimen simply

By Audrey van Petegem, Senior Editor
Happy New Year!  I am very excited about this year! I am turning 50 and I am truly embracing it! Here is a video about my plans for this year:

By Marjie Killeen, Contributor- Midlife Wisdom
If you follow my video posts here at The Succulent Wife, you know I’ve been having a midlife crisis. But hooray! As 2011 winds down, I now declare it officially over. Yes, my big 5-0 birthday creeps ever nearer and my son is heading off to college in the fall, but since I’ve addressed many of the issues that come with this age and life stage, I have to say I’m feeling damn good.
Middle age can be a sweet, sexy, and liberating time of life. Check out this short video where I pass on a [...]

By Marjie Killeen, Contributor- Midlife Wisdom
The death of Apple founder and CEO Steve Jobs at age 56 made many of us keenly aware that our time here on earth is limited and if we want to live our lives to the fullest and realize our dreams, we’d better get going now. However, it isn’t that easy to take your life in a new direction, especially if you’re a procrastinator like me. I’ve found all sorts of ways to put off doing what’s important, but I’ve also discovered a few simple tricks to getting down to business. In this short video, [...]

By Marjie Killeen, Contributor- Midlife Wisdom
Hot flashes. Night sweats. Sleeplessness. Mood swings. Anxiety. Memory loss. Low Libido. It’s enough to make a woman crazy!
Historically, menopausal women were considered that and worse. In the Middle Ages they were burned at the stake as witches; in the 1700′s they were institutionalized as lunatics. Even today, many women view the phase so negatively, they avoid even thinking about it until they have to – usually when they begin experiencing symptoms.
As a result many of us are woefully unprepared for “the change.” But we don’t have to be. We owe it to ourselves to [...]

By Marjie Killeen, Contributor- Midlife Wisdom
In the fifth month of my midlife crisis, I went on a retreat to a health spa – alone – to get motivated to take better care of my middle-aged self. It was a wonderful luxury to focus on what I needed for a change, as opposed to worrying about everyone else in my family. In addition to working out and eating healthy spa cuisine, I learned a simple secret to feeling great that anyone can do – any time, any place. The benefits include reducing stress, preventing disease, relaxation, increased focus, better sleep – [...]

By Marjie Killeen, Contributor- Midlife Wisdom
As part of my midlife crisis, I’ve been considering the theme of empowerment. Because even though I’m on fire in many areas of my life, I sometimes feel insecure about my choices, or worry what other people think, or downplay my accomplishments.  You know who doesn’t waste time undermining themselves this way? Men!
Men are comfortable talking about themselves positively; they openly share their successes and achievements. It’s not bragging – it’s confidence. And guys know how to accept praise, with none of the shirking or deflecting that women often do. I say we women have [...]

By Marjie Killeen, Contributor- Midlife Wisdom
I’m having a midlife crisis, and one frustration is that I know I want something different, something more – but I’m not entirely sure what that “something” is. So, during the third month of my crisis, I got quiet and tried to tune into my desires and intuition. One of the tools I used was a vision board. The simple process of choosing images and arranging them on a board can be fun, powerful, enlightening and – as I discovered – kind of magical.
Check out my short video about my experience with vision boards, then [...]

By Marjie Killeen, Contributor- Midlife Wisdom
Now that I’m in my late 40s, I’m creating my own midlife crisis in hopes that I can experience meaningful growth without having a nervous breakdown. After coming to terms with my changing body in month one, I spent the second month getting organized. My goal: to get rid of all the stuff that was weighing me down and holding me back, while making room for new things to enter my life!
It wasn’t always easy – I had to confront my fears and bad decisions. But aided by some amazing experts, I made a lot [...]