Reinvention, and why it works for everyone

I have often told my tale of reinvention, in the hope of inspiring others who are searching for their own new direction.

At the age of 50, having spent 20 years raising my four children, I was feeling redundant. The kids were growing too fast, and my role as a very hands-on mom was no longer needed. That year, on New Year’s Eve, as midnight struck, I raised my glass of champagne and declared that the new year would see me reinvent myself. Nobody was listening, but it didn’t matter, I had said it out loud. I had made a promise to myself.

In February 2010, a couple of months later, I launched my blog. I had a steam-driven computer that required an hour to wake up each morning, but that was OK. I knew nothing about the internet, hardly anything about blogging and I was happy to take it slow.

To my great surprise, I found an audience of amazing readers who were incredibly encouraging. With their support and enthusiasm, I continued to publish every day for a couple of years. The audience grew, and since my readers were very vocal and left a lot of comments, I quickly understood the subjects that they wanted to hear about.

Today, 13 years later (what?!!) that little blog has become a small business, with a fantastic team and together we are proud to publish our magazine, create our boxes and host our tours.

The only reason I tell this story is to encourage other people who are trying to figure out their next step. Nobody can give out a magic formula for reinvention, but we can all learn from each other’s experiences.

And if there is one thing that I have understood, is that for me and for many other people, being creative each day is absolutely essential, and it can play a large part in any reinvention tale.

Next summer, I am excited to be offering a creative Reinvention Retreat in Provence. I’ll be hosting the trip in the company of the talented and artistic Lucy Hunter, who has her own reinvention tale to tell.

We’ll be staying in the very beautiful Bastide de Mourre, in the heart of Provence, surrounded by lavender fields, vineyards and olive trees. The property will be privatized for us. We’ll make the most of this beautiful part of Provence with its perched villages, wonderful markets, divine food, and wonderful places to shop, but there’ll be more! Each day there will be a choice of activities, designed to entertain and stimulate each of us creatively. This could be exploring photography with a small still life exercise; it could be painting or flower arranging, and it could be sitting quietly in the grounds of le Mourre, and taking time to listen to your inner voice.

If you would like more information on this fantastic trip next June, just click here, or email me for details (contact@myfrenchcountryhome.com).

If you are interested in hearing more about my reinvention and how it feels to be a ‘senior entrepreneur’, take a look at the video below. I was fortunate to be interviewed by Sharri Harmel recently in her series about women and their reinvention stories. She founded the Extraordinary Women Magazine in 2020, a platform designed to help women transform their lives into something truly extraordinary. 

Having spent over two decades as an executive coach, Sharri’s own life journey took an enlightening turn following her divorce. This transformative period prompted her to embrace part-time living in the enchanting city of Paris. It was amidst the charm and joie de vivre of Parisian culture that she discovered the importance of sharing her signature process with other women over 50. That process takes women through the steps to design, create and embrace joy-filled next chapters, allowing them to savor the richness of life’s experiences.    

Through her visionary approach and signature process, she invites women to redefine what it means to embrace life after 50 and unlock the extraordinary within themselves.