The two hemispheres of women’s brains are far better connected than those of men. Females have up to twenty-five percent more corpus collosum—the brain’s connective tissue—than our male counterparts. Therefore we naturally enjoy more interplay between the logical left side (the part that manages language, practical applications, sequence, and details) and the more creative right side (that largely handles feelings, imagination, intuition, and the big picture).

In practical terms, this means we can think and feel at the same time. We can access emotions while using our analytical skills. We can sense how our words and actions impact others, and we can use the best parts of our right and left-brains simultaneously.

Men, to the contrary, need time to switch from using their analytical processing to utilizing the more creative, emotional side of their brains. (Like maybe a long round of golf or a three-day weekend.) So when your honey says, “I’ll think about it later,” he really means it.

The exertion required to refocus is most likely the reason that, when we ask our guys how they’re feeling about something, it takes a good ten minutes from them to respond. That is… if we get any response other than a grunt and a wave of the hand to leave them alone!

So, if you’re looking for work, how can you take best advantage of the opportunities that become available this time of year? Well, one of the strongest tools in your job search arsenal is a dynamic and persuasive resume. Make sure your resume is a compelling document that’s loaded with key skills that will sell you to potential employers. Also make certain to underscore your strengths and talents with targeted examples of you performing your work at it’s best. In today’s competitive climate, it isn’t enough to simply list your skill sets, you need to show ownership of your skills by clearly stating how you’ve used them in the past.

Aside from displaying your skills, there is a specific format that works best for the older applicant. You need to make sure that your valuable experience is highlighted and easy to locate in a 30-second scan. Because that’s just about the length of time most resume reviewers spend deciding whether or not they’ll take the time to read through your resume.

For valuable tips on how to create a winning resume that will open the door to interviews, I invite you to check out Land the Job You Love! 10 Surefire Strategies for Jobseekers Over 50. Armed with the right techniques to set you apart from the competition and get you in front of key decision makers, you can’t go wrong. So turn your age into an advantage and make the most of the New Year. There won’t be a better time to turn your resume into a winner send you on your way to landing a job you will love!

My husband and I spent this past week on the beautiful island of Kauai. Right now, as I type this, I can hear the waves lapping the shore in that wonderful, rhythmic song of the beach. And last night, as we strolled along the water, the nearly full moon shone down, glancing off the gentle waves in snippets of silver. In a word, Kauai truly is “paradise.”

But we are flying home tomorrow and I started thinking of all that we face when we return: news of the horrible economy, negative political ads, traffic, stress, work, piled up mail, a suitcase full of soiled clothes, and on and on. After a few minutes of pondering these far from positive thoughts, I began to feel my body tense. Then it hit me! What the heck was I doing? Here I am in one of the most beautiful places on earth getting myself upset by things that may or may not happen in the future. If ever there was a time to “live in the moment,” it is now.

This experience also reminded me of a post I wrote some time ago. It was about the habit of taking time each day to jot down three things for which you are grateful. It’s an easy little practice, costs no more than a piece of paper (or, perhaps, a small gratitude journal), and only takes a minute or two.

The things for which you are grateful don’t have to be big ticket items; they can be as simple as finding your favorite fresh vegetable at the farmers’ market, enjoying a hearty laugh with a dear friend, or  just having a good hair day. The important part of the exercise is training yourself to focus on and  look for everyday blessings.

The secret to a happy life is all about where we choose to place our focus. We can center our thoughts around the negative (as I was doing earlier) or we can choose to focus on the positive. When you think about it, which would you rather do?

I’ve been especially busy as of late and had somehow forgotten about this simple little exercise with the big rewards. But, as soon as I get back, I’m pulling out my journal and starting in again. Actually, now that I’m putting my ideas in the proper perspective, there are lots of great things about coming home after a wonderful and rejuvenating vacation. In fact, I’m beginning to look forward to it and I’m feeling grateful already!

For those of you who are frequent readers, you may recall that I’m currently on vacation. As one way of thwarting the addition of several unwanted pounds, I’m trying to keep up with my exercise. So yesterday morning I headed off for the hotel gym.I got there around 7:30 a.m. and was pleasantly surprised to see the room fairly full with several  sweaty hotel guests–all, I presume, with the same goal in mind as my own. But, the biggest surprise of all was that these other gym goers were almost all boomers! There were bald heads and grey hair everywhere I turned. I smiled to myself with the thought that the “forever young generation” was trying like heck to make that old chestnut into a reality. I was amongst my peers, clad in workout gear, ready to build my heart rate, and pump iron in my own attempts at anti-aging–or at least slowing the tick-tick-tick of Father Time and the spread-spread-spread of Mother Menopause.

As I stepped up on one of the treadmills, a younger man climbed on the one next to mine. He was likely in his late thirties and looked fairly fit. Each of us started rather slowly and then began to build both the incline and the speed to higher numbers. But, and I’m still grinning immodestly, I kept on increasing my speed while he remained at a rather moderate pace.

I realize there is a certain etiquette observed while at the gym and one huge faux pas is glancing over at your neighbor’s numbers as they’re working out. I tried to avert my eyes but they kept wandering to his machine. I couldn’t get a reading but, just for good measure, increased my speed again so there’d be no doubt as to who the true jock was.

Yes, I may have been behaving more than a bit childishly as my competitive streak emerged with unbridled force, but I had the feeling I was making a statement for all of us women over fifty. I was my own  Olympiad, proudly bearing the torch for my gender and generation. Who says we older gals are over the hill? I was handily beating this young stud and, even though I was beginning to turn beet red and sweat profusely, I wasn’t backing down. 

It was then that he made his move. He started revving the treadmill’s speed faster and faster until he started jogging at a fairly fast clip. Wanting to best his speed, I increased my own. However thankfully, at this point, I came to some semblance of sanity and did have the good sense to check the heart rate monitor. The numbers I saw gave me the immediate feedback that I was about to suffer from  some type of unfortunate cardiac episode, so I reluctantly backed off and decreased my speed to something more sustainable.

At any rate, although the young man did finally beat me speed-wise, I was able to keep up my workout a full ten minutes longer than he. So, I guess we old gals do rule–one way or another. My personal moral for this tale of  sweat and glory is: it ain’t the speed–it’s the spunk. And, my friends, although we may not make olympic material these days, we ladies over fifty have got that in spades!

The only time we lose in life is when we don’t try. Fear of failure and the need for perfection can really take their toll and put unnecessary and often insurmountable restrictions on our aspirations. Of course, we know that being perfect is an impossible task for any human being—especially when you’re attempting something you are unfamiliar doing. So, why not give whatever it is you want a shot? You probably have little, if anything, to lose and a lot to gain.

I relearned this valuable lesson just recently. For those of you who read my latest post, you know that I just started broadcasting Feisty Side of Fifty Radio. Although I had been a guest on a variety of radio shows and had also appeared on television, I’d never played the host. I had been wanting to start my own show for some time, but was feeling a case of the nerves and it was stopping me.

Finally, I got tired of procrastinating and decided to just go for it. Who would really care if I stumbled a couple of times? Who would really care if I said my share of “ums” and “uhs?” Would it be the end of the world if I wasn’t the consummate professional my first time out? These thoughts slowly began to make sense, so I made up my mind to stop stopping myself and just go for it.

I’m pleased to say that I invited a wonderfully inspiring guest and, I think, the show turned out great! If you haven’t already heard it, I invite you to give it a try. It’s only fifteen minutes, and I believe it’s well worth your while. 

Now, I’ve got a number of future guests lined up and I’m looking forward to many fascinating and thought-provoking interviews with baby boomer women over fifty who are making the most of their lives. (I’m on vacation right now but will start broadcasting again as soon as I return. I’ll keep you posted.) Please go to the “contact me” page and send me an email if you’d like to be interviewed and share your story with other boomer women.

As stopping myself from doing things has been a recurring theme in my own life (before I turned fifty and feisty, that is), I invite you to look at these issues for yourself. Are you letting important opportunities slip by because of fear or lack of confidence? Are you limiting your abilities and impact on the world because it seems just too hard to try to go after what you want? 

Take some time to make a list of two or three things you’d like to realize in your life. Then jot down four or five obstacles you believe would prevent you from accomplishing these goals. After that, brainstorm ways to overcome these obstacles. If you can’t come up with any ideas on your own, ask a friend, a counselor, or some other person you trust. In fact, ask several. The way to achieve your dreams might just be a question or two away. 

Remember, this is the time in your life to go after what you want. After years of catering to the needs of spouses and children, you’ve earned the right to focus on your own desires for a change. And we all know that, as women over fifty, we’re now FIESTIER THAN EVER–so go on, get out there, and follow those dreams!

In her book about women’s second adulthood, Inventing the Rest of Our Lives, Suzanne Braun Levine provides us with some exiting data concerning the aging brain. Dr. Francine Benes, professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, has discovered that there is a growth spurt that takes place in the human brain around the age of fifty. Myelin, which is the fatty layer that covers nerve fibers, actually grows about fifty percent during this time. This coating is responsible for aiding the brain to more effectively synthesize life experiences and to enhance the ability to make thoughtful judgments and prudent decisions.  

Even better, the location of this growth spurt is found within the area of the cerebral cortex that is identified with emotional learning. Perhaps, as Levine suggests, this myelin growth factor may likely play a part in creating the highly revered trait we call wisdom.

So, next time we search for our car keys, call our son by the dog’s name, or forget to tell our husband his boss phoned, we have to remember that somewhere in our noggin there’s a whole heap of wisdom going on!

Yes, for women over fifty, or, for that matter, most anyone of any age, modern travel isn’t easy. I just returned from a week’s trip to the heartland visiting my relatives and, although I had a wonderful time, the going wasn’t easy.

To start, I awoke at 3:45 a.m. to give myself enough time to shower and finalize my packing so that I could make my 7:06 plane. There was an earlier flight I could have taken that would have given me more time to make my connection, but that one left at 5:45 a.m. As I opted to luxuriate in a couple of hours extra sleep (a 1 a.m. wake-up is a bit too much at my tender age), I was concerned I might miss it.

Not to worry! When I arrived at the airport the check-in line wound in tight snake-like twists and turns, and then headed halfway up the hallway to the gates. Someone behind me announced that the airlines had cancelled both the 5:45 and the 7:06 and the line was composed of two planeloads of people trying to rebook their reservations.

What fun! It only took two hours to finally get to a reservations agent. I shouldn’t complain, however, because there were people much older than I who were similarly inconvenienced. They even required wheelchairs because that doggone line was so long that they thought they might pass out or crumple to their knees on the hard linoleum floor.

By the time I reached an agent, her likely once obliging smile was frozen in a frustrated grimace… no doubt having been the recipient of numerous angry complaints. And, yes, I added my own to her list. Try as I may, battling both the recorded voice “customer service” computer and the polite but unintelligible folks in India, I was stuck. Lucky me—I only had another seven hours to wait for an outbound flight. Instead of my anticipated 5 p.m. arrival, I got to inconvenience my brother by landing at midnight.

I remember flying with my mother and brother in the 1950s and loving the experience. We’d get all dressed up and settle into our comfy seats waiting for the familiar hum of the propellers to start-up and wend us on our way. The stewardesses were nattily attired in their fashionable uniforms, smiling and ever so helpful. They’d warm my brother’s baby bottles, and then sit next to me to play several hands of Old Maid, keeping me happily occupied and giving my mother a chance to relax.

Ah… the good old days! Do I sound grumpy and judgmental? Am I showing my years with a cantankerous, crotchety attitude? Well, YES, and I stand by all my wrinkled rectitude! As far as the airlines are concerned, a return to yesteryear and the gracious ways of an earlier era wouldn’t hurt. In fact, it would surely prove a boon to the flying public and make one old grumpy gal very, very pleased.

Yes, I admit it. I used to scoff at the young and technically savvy who went on about the “friends” they met over the Internet. “Friends?” I asked. “How can you call someone a friend when you’ve never even met?”

Well, I’m here to tell you that I have totally reversed my opinion on that one. In the past several months, since I’ve started blogging, I have become acquainted with some absolutely amazing women. Although we haven’t yet met face-to-face, or even spoken on the phone, I consider these ladies my friends. Some have left wonderful, uplifting comments on Feisty Side of Fifty. Some have linked to various posts I’ve written, and some have gone so far as to award me the honor of being a guest blogger on their sites.

However, there is a very special group I’d like to mention. The Baby Boomer Divas, a.k.a. Boomer Diva Nation, is an incredible pool of powerful and accomplished women—most of whom have already celebrated their half-century birthdays. Although they are all in midlife, the group is rich in diversity. The ladies hail from differing backgrounds, careers, and geographical areas, and from different races, ethnicities, and religions. The common theme is one that their leader, Beverly Mahone, stresses: women on the move and making a difference.

Mahone, who is a veteran journalist, author, media coach and motivational speaker, has written her own book on the many facets of aging. Whatever! A Baby Boomer’s Journey Into Middle Age takes a candid look at issues such as weight gain, menopause, and dating after forty, among others. After twenty-five years in radio and television, Mahone chose to become a work-at-home-mom. She now acts as a media consultant and counsels individuals as to how to best market themselves to radio, TV, and newspaper professionals. She’s a recognized expert on all things Boomer and has a radio show targeted to boomer women.

It is with great pleasure that I claim this talented and accomplished woman as my friend. She gifted me with an invitation to join the Boomer Diva Nation several months ago and, since that time, my life has changed… and all for the better! Through these ladies, I’ve been given wonderful and exciting opportunities to stretch myself personally and grow my career in new directions.

Beverly’s most recent gift to me was an opportunity to appear on her radio show, Whatever Live! I enjoyed the experience immensely—actually it was a blast. Beverly’s combination of professionalism, wonderful energy, and engaging personality make her the consummate radio host. I’d love to have you take a listen.

Yes, cyberspace or face-to-face, nothing beats a warm and caring friend. 

When was the last time you turned on the TV to find a face looking back at you that resembled your own? Yes, there are a few, but the names of these actresses no longer appear at the top of the credits. Even if they are series regulars, they usually play supporting roles: mothers, grandmothers, or recurring guest stars. It seems that, just like Elvis, the Golden Girls have left the building—or, more accurately, the soundstage.

Movies aren’t much better. If it weren’t for Diane Keaton and Meryl Streep, you could barely find a woman of a certain age gracing the big screen.

Well, that’s all about to change and, once again, social norms are reacting to the boomers and our numerical clout. Our famous bulge (and I’m talking population—not waistline) has served us well over the years, ensuring that our wishes and demands were heard. And, as older women in menopause, we’re not getting any less outspoken or assertive.  We want our due!

I came across an article in the Detroit Free Press that addressed how our generation is impacting Hollywood and the entertainment industry. They cite two current box office smashes: “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” with Harrison Ford, and the movie, “Sex in the City.”  At 65, Ford is a bit older than the leading edge boomers and, other than Kim Cattrall, the “City” stars are in their early forties, a bit younger than our years. So, the stars of these movies straddle both ends of our generation—and, of course, men are allowed to be the older ones. Still, this is progress!

I’m waiting for more films starring actresses in their fifties and sixties that have story-lines showcasing the lives of women in their post-menopausal years. These will feature real-life tales of love, passion, challenge, and triumph, and will reflect, with some creative license, what it’s like to grow older as a woman in our culture.

We’ve waited a long time for this, yet hope springs eternal. So, show me a wrinkle or two, let me hear the heroine grunt when she rises from a sitting position, let’s see her forget where she left her bifocals. I’m waiting to see myself, in all my wrinkled glory, reflected on the silver screen and so are 76 million of my peer group. Wake up Hollywood and smell the Geritol! 

Many of you read my last post entitled “Raise Your Havingness Quotient!”  Although I often write about this idea and firmly believe that women over fifty are, more than ever before, ready to own their power, at least, for me, it doesn’t hurt to revisit this concept from time to time. So, I’m sharing one of my very favorite quotes. It speaks to just this issue and I have it hanging in my office as a way of reminding myself that, yes indeed, I am powerful beyond measure…  and so are you!

You have probably seen this before because it has made the rounds. Nevertheless, the words of Marianne Williamson do serve to inspire and spark the genius that resides within each of us. A gentle reminder of our greatness can never be repeated too often.

         Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.

         Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

         It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.

         We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?

         Actually, who are you not to be?

         Your playing small doesn’t serve the world.

         There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people 

         won’t feel insecure around you.

         We were born to manifest the glory that is within us.

         It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone.

         And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people

         permission to do the same.

         As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

         Marianne Williamson

         A Return to Love