Society has a habit of understating the achievements of older adults. This is especially true for women over 60, who have to contend with the combined forces of ageism and sexism.

In business, older entrepreneurs are routinely ignored, even though the evidence suggests that they are more successful than their younger counterparts. In Hollywood, older actresses struggle to find work, even though they are just as talented as older male celebrities. In society, older women are expected to be invisible. It’s enough to make you scream!

Women Over 60 Are Important

One of the reasons that I started Sixty and Me was that I wanted to give older women positive examples of how life after 60 can be. I wanted to remind women my age that we are important. We have experience, skills, insights and wisdom that the world needs. What we do matters!

Over the last few years, I’ve talked to 1000s of women in the community. During this time, I’ve discovered that many of us, whether we know it or not, accept the role that society asks us to play. We think that being invisible is somehow a part of the aging process when, in reality, it is a social construct.

This leads me to believe that we need to actively fight back against ageism and sexism. We need to do more than simply believe that we are important – we need to act like we are important!

This reminds me of a quote by William James, who said “Act as if what you do makes a difference – it does!”

Are You Achieving Your Potential? Do You Believe that You Are Important?

There are so many ways to give back to the world, while enriching our lives. My goal here is not to call out one activity as being more important than another. Instead, my intention is to remind all of us that we don’t need to accept the role that society asks us to play.

Did you know that there are over 300-million women over 60 in the world? 300-million! Can you imagine the impact that we can have in the world? Do you realize that each and every one of us has an important contribution to make?

What are you passionate about?

Do you want to give back to the world through volunteering?

Do you want to be a mentor for young women who are just starting out on their journey?

Is there a business that you have always wanted to start?

Is there a hobby or skill that you want to master?

What would you do if you knew that you couldn’t fail?

I Am So Proud to Be a Part of this Community

Every single day, I am amazed by your stories of reinvention and renewal. Some of you have gone back to university in your 60s. Others have made important contributions to your local community. Still others are simply setting an example for others by living with passion and verve.

Today, let’s remind ourselves that we are important. We are not going to accept invisibility. We are not going to play the role that society expects of us. We are a part of one of the most amazing, dynamic groups of people every to walk the face of this planet. What we do is important. What YOU do is important.

Do you agree that women over 60 have an important role to play in making the world a better place? What are you doing to get the most from life after 60? Please share your story in the comments below. What you do is important!