What Can We Learn from Jane Fonda’s Remarkable Life?

Jane Fonda caught my attention the other day. It was not because she is a beautiful successful woman, which she is.

And no, I didn’t meet her in person. That would have been nice, but that didn’t happen.

I saw her on television, doing a segment on the CBS Sunday Morning show (December 1, 2024) on healthy aging. She talked about how positive views of aging can help us live longer and healthier. Maybe she read the earlier post I wrote about these ideas. Not likely, but I remain ever hopeful.

Thriving at 86, Jane Fonda is definitely an expert and lives the example she sets for others. I always admire people who do more than talk. She walks the walk and does the work. And it has paid off for her.

A Long and Distinguished Career

Jane Seymour Fonda is a well-known American actress and activist. Over six decades of work in film, television and theatre, she has earned two Academy Awards, two British Academy Film Awards, seven Golden Globe Awards and a Primetime Emmy Award, in addition to Grammy and Tony Award nominations.

Plus, she has earned four lifetime achievement awards. And this is only part of her large body of work and accomplishment.

Jane Fonda is not done yet. It doesn’t even seem like she is slowing down.

So how does she do it?

5 Ways That Help Jane Fonda Thrive

The Third Act, New Beginnings

In her mid-70s, Fonda gave a stirring talk at TEDX Women (2012). She described her “third act” as the last three decades of life. She emphasized that this period can be a time of growth, self-discovery, and increased well-being.

Just two years ago, she finished up seven seasons of the Netflix series Grace and Frankie in the lead role of Grace. After that, she starred in three films.

With this concept of the third act, Fonda challenges the traditional view of aging as decline and instead presents it as a unique opportunity for personal growth, self-reflection, and positive societal impact. This is how she approaches her later years.

Positive Views on Aging

As noted above, Jane Fonda did a segment on CBS Sunday Morning and was joined by anti-ageism advocate Ashton Applewhite. They discussed a Yale study showing that older people with more positive beliefs about aging lived an average of 7.5 years longer than those who associated aging with disease and decline. (You can find more about the study here.)

Fonda works hard to see and bring about positive views about herself, even into her 80s. In her talks, she fights against negative stereotypes portrayed in the media. She is also careful not to internalize such negative views. Applying these erroneous ideas to ourselves can sometimes lead to the most harm.

Continuous Learning

Jane Fonda suggests that we keep learning as a way to improve our physical and mental health. Most importantly, she suggests that we keep learning about ourselves and our past and present relationships.

Fonda suggests that the task of the third act is to “finish up the task of finishing ourselves” by reviewing our lives, gaining new perspectives on past experiences, and potentially changing our relationship with the past.

In her own life, she works hard to stop blaming herself for events from the past, including sexual assaults and toxic relationships.

Caring About Women and the World

Jane Fonda cares and does whatever she can to help. Throughout her life, she has been actively fighting injustices wherever she sees them. She never hesitates to speak up, even now.

In her 60s, along with Robin Morgan and Gloria Steinem, she co-founded the Women’s Media Center. This organization works to amplify the voices of women in the media through advocacy, media and leadership training, and the creation of original content.

Fonda believes that older women are the largest demographic in the world. Older women can learn to embrace this opportunity for self-discovery, learning, and positive change and can provide an example for younger generations. And keep themselves feeling younger at the same time.

Embrace a Growth Mindset

Jane Fonda’s growth mindset is one of her superpowers. She believes that adopting a growth mindset is crucial for personal development in the third act (and all throughout life). This way of seeing yourself and the world involves:

• Believing in your ability to learn and grow at any age.
• Viewing challenges as opportunities for learning rather than obstacles.
• Embracing the idea that your skills and abilities can be developed through effort and persistence, even later in life.

She has had many setbacks and hardships in her life. But she keeps going.

An Important insight

In her 40s, Fonda was dreading getting old. But once in her 50s and now in her 80s, she has never been happier. She experiences a powerful feeling of well-being in her third act.

She notes that being inside “oldness” reduces fear, and one realizes they are still themselves, perhaps even more so.

I think it is important to keep moving physically, mentally and emotionally. Jane Fonda has done some incredible things well into her 80s. But, as Michelle Obama has said, “You don’t always have to go big.”

The little ways to help one another can be just as meaningful.

Let’s Start a Conversation:

Can you think of how Jane Fonda’s ideas might help in your life? Are you making sure that you don’t buy into any negative views you see around you? Are you being careful not to limit yourself when there is no need to?

Editor’s Note: Top image by Ted Eytan – 2019.12.06 Fire Drill Fridays, Washington, DC USA 340 60031, CC BY-SA 2.0, Link.