OK…time to fess up! I’m 57 years old (just turned) and I’ve finally decided to embrace my age! Up until recently I would tend to infer that I was in my late 40’s or at a stretch, early 50’s. To be honest, I didn’t feel great about growing older and I was scared that I would lose my relevance, be overtaken by brighter, younger versions of me. I’ve now realised that I have nothing to fear. With this glorious age of mine I’ve got the wisdom, experience and freedom to take on what will be, the most rewarding, productive and astounding part of my life! A significant part of this ‘new’ stage of life has been driven by the desire to be the healthiest version of myself – physically and mentally.
At the end of 2018 I found myself lying on the couch on a Sunday afternoon watching some show on Netflix, feeling exhausted. In my life, I found I was either going flat out or I was lying flat on my back, nothing in between. I was overweight, heavier than I’d even been in my life with a waist circumference almost double what the healthy measurement should be. I’d struggled with a knee injury for close to 12 months so had ceased any exercise. My brain was always foggy, and I deliberately avoided doing anything that I didn’t absolutely have to do and that included things like spending quality time with family and friends. I could easily have stayed in bed all day and I’d find I would need an afternoon nap just to get through the day. I was on a double dose of anti-depressants, a daily dose of ant-reflux medication, 6-hourly doses of osteo paracetamol and regular ‘self-medication’ of alcohol. In that moment of clarity, I realised that if I didn’t change things pretty quick, I was looking down the barrel of chronic, if not life-threatening illness.
I searched on-line for guidance but just couldn’t find anything or anyone who ‘spoke’ to me, no-one who understood what it’s like to be part of that first generation of women who were told, and encouraged to ‘have it all’ but who’d get to their mid 50’s only to find themselves exhausted, depleted, chewed up, and about to be taken over by those bright young things snapping at our heels. I figured I’d better come up with something for myself and The Butterfly Plan was born. After 12 weeks of following my plan I’d lost 20Kg, had more energy than I can ever remember having, my waist measurement was now in the health range, my anxiety and depression had disappeared, and I literally felt happy most of the time for no good reason. In short, I rediscovered joy in my life!
Now, six months on The Butterfly Plan has attracted the interest of a number of publishers, a small cohort of women have trialled the Plan with awesome results and the on-line program is being built with the hope of launching by Christmas. But, best of all I no longer need to take ANY drugs (prescribed or self-medicated) and I now have heaps of energy to spend quality time with all the beautiful people in my life. I actually can’t remember the last time I was flat on my back on the couch, which makes me think I probably don’t need my Netflix subscription anymore.
I’m 57 and I’m more excited about life than I ever have been in my whole life! #thebestisyettocome
Roxie x
