Challenge yourself later in life, author says

Part 2 of 2

Born and raised in Milwaukee, author Maggie Rose Crane graduated in 1965 (as Margie Bartz) from Custer High School and attended the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee while working part time at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. She went on to graduate with a bachelor of science degree in psychology from the University of Pittsburgh and now resides in California.

Here, she answers questions about her book Amazing Grays: A Woman’s Guide to Making the Next 50 the BEST 50 – Regardless of your hair color!

What cause are you most passionate about and why?

I am most passionate about encouraging women to embrace the second half of life as a fresh start. By becoming an “Amazing Gray” (again, it has nothing to do with hair color), I’m hoping that the gigantic pool of talent and experience that lies in the sweaty palms of baby boomer women can help to remedy many of the key issues facing our society today.

We are at a pivotal moment in history and have an opportunity to use our feminine perspective and wisdom to become spiritual midwives to a culture trying to give birth to a better way of being in the world. So many of us have put our personal dreams on the backburner for any number of valid reasons. All of us have wisdom and experience we can bring to the table. Now is the time to reawaken slumbering dreams and uncover what we value. We can take steps to heal old wounds, forgive and let go of the parts of ourselves that we’ve outgrown, summon our courage and move on to live mindfully and authentically as the amazing women we’ve become — and have fun doing it! That in and of itself is a wonderful contribution.

What are you doing to learn or improve on your skills?

In an effort to challenge my own fears and expectations about aging, I’m trying new things and pushing through my fears. I had forgotten how much I love to dance, so I took a dance class. My teacher encouraged me to try out for my city’s “Senior Follies,” a variety show featuring folks over 50. I was petrified, but tried out anyway and was offered a role as a dancer and — get ready for this — a showgirl! At 60! It was great fun and I learned some things about myself. Check out the Amazing Grays book trailer on my web site and you will see that the lady in the red-feathered costume is … moi!

I also went to a spa that provides a challenge course. I walked unaided across a 30-foot telephone pole suspended 40 feet in the air. (Yes, I had a belay line so if I fell I wouldn’t die!) It was terrifying – but so empowering. I was also harnessed and hoisted 40 feet into the air holding on to a small rope, which, once I let go, allowed me to freefall and swing in huge arcs. I got to see how hanging on with fear was hard work – and just keeps me stuck in a standstill. Things tend to open up when you simply let go.

I also took an online course in social marketing so I can communicate with 21st century tools. Frankly, I’d rather walk across the telephone pole!

I share this not to toot my own horn, but to give midlife women an idea of what’s possible in your 50s, 60s and beyond. So many of us believe that the best is behind us. Not so! We are only limited by our beliefs of what’s possible.

What is the most important thing in your life right now?

Connecting with midlife women and opening up the conversation about what’s going on with our bodies, our emotions, and the unrest many of us are feeling. I want to explore how we can reclaim our vitality, reawaken slumbering dreams and support one another in making decisions that allow us to live with grace, gratitude and gusto!

Do you have any advice for writers or readers?

I would encourage readers to take the time to answer the questions scattered throughout my book. They have been crafted to facilitate awakening of the unconscious mind and to help us look beyond the norm. Hopefully, they inspire contemplation and create insight, which is necessary for change.

What is the most important lesson you have learned from life so far?

That changes in one’s life are purposeful. It takes more time and energy to resist life than to simply let go and live it. Life is happening in the here and now.

Read Part 1 of the interview with Maggie Crane.

More About the Author:

As a leading-edge baby boomer, Maggie Rose Crane has experienced many life passages common to her peers: college, marriage, divorce, single motherhood, career changes, and creating a blended family. The author of Amazing Grays: A Woman’s Guide to Making the Next 50 the BEST 50 – Regardless of Your Hair Color!, Crane is also a sought-after speaker who crisscrossed the country for more than a decade speaking to thousands of women on topics including leadership, stress reduction and life balance. She is also a guest editor for the Dove “Real Women/Real Beauty” web site campaign. See www.maggiecrane.com for more information or to order an autographed copy of her book.

Print PDF