Things I’ve Learned
A Birthday Reset at 55
Do you make New Year’s resolutions? Or do you tend to reset on your birthday or an anniversary?
I’ve been thinking about that lately. I recently finished a book about resetting and am currently reading one called Recalibration. You might have guessed — I’m in a season of both.
Turning 55 isn’t a milestone in the traditional sense, but it did make me pause. I found myself reflecting on my life, my work, my writing, my family, and how I want to move forward.
Life as I See It
I spend a fair amount of time on social media — Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube — mostly watching homemaking, parenting, health, and aging content. After many years of caring for my grandchildren, I suddenly had more free time during the school year. Naturally, I started looking around to see what I might want to do with it.
But spending too much time online quickly became my first problem.
Where Are the Older Women?
I began noticing something: most of the vloggers I watched were young moms. They share their days, their routines, their products — and they do it well. But they’re usually the same age as their audience.
Where are the older women? Where are the Titus 2 voices — the women who have lived enough life to offer steady encouragement?
I’m not saying the younger women are doing anything wrong. But I do believe older women have a role to play. I worked in childcare for many years while homeschooling my own child. Now, with time to help my grandchildren and share what I’ve learned, I feel that tug to step into that role more intentionally.
The Cookie‑Cutter Effect
Another thing I noticed: so many of these young women have the same kitchens, the same homes, decorated in the same ways. Their hair, their clothes, even their meals — all so similar.
At first, I thought it was just an online trend. But then I looked around my own area, where new homes are being built. The houses look almost identical — same colors, same layouts, same front doors.
It made me wonder: When did we lose our creativity? What happened to imagination?
We purchased a repo home in an older neighborhood — one of those sturdy 1950s ranchers. The houses here may share a style, but they’re all different. Different bricks, different layouts, different personalities. There’s something comforting about that.
It also reminded me of something else we’ve lost: the old advice columns, the homemaking wisdom tucked into cookbooks, the practical guidance passed down through generations. My grandmother’s 1930 cookbook has more life wisdom in it than most modern blogs.
The Pace of the World
Another lesson at 55: everything is moving faster.
We’re constantly connected to our devices — from the youngest to the oldest. People get irritated waiting in line. Drivers seem angrier and more rushed. Billboards warn about distracted driving, but I doubt many people even see them.
We’re living in a world that’s always looking down at a screen instead of up at life.
Letting Go of People‑Pleasing
And finally — maybe the most important lesson — I’ve learned to stop trying to please everyone.
Life is too short and too precious to live on someone else’s expectations.
Take things slow. Sip your coffee. Read a good book. Put the phone down. Watch your children or grandchildren play — or better yet, join them.
You’re never too old to start again. Never too old to reset. Never too old to recalibrate.