Maria S. Allshouse, NBC-HWC

I turned 60 on October 8, 2026, and I have a few things to say about it.

First, I don't feel old.

Do I notice changes in my body? Absolutely. Do I sometimes look in the mirror and wonder when certain things happened? You bet!

But here's what I know: turning 60 hasn't made me want to slow down, disappear, or settle into some version of life that society thinks a woman my age should be living.

Quite the opposite.

I want to be healthy. I want to be strong. I want to travel, hike, dance, laugh, love, try new things, and continue growing personally and professionally.

And yes, I still want to look good in my jeans!

But something has changed.

I'm no longer interested in chasing some perfect version of myself. I'm much more interested in enjoying the woman I've worked so hard to become.

I've spent years helping others improve their health, manage stress, and build confidence. I've also lived through my own share of challenges, changes, heartbreak, and unexpected new beginnings.

I've lost over 130 pounds and kept that weight off for more than 15 years. I've had both hips replaced. I've experienced the devastating loss of my parents. I've reinvented myself professionally, and I've learned that even when you think you've figured life out, it has a way of teaching you something new.

So, as I begin this next chapter, I wanted to share 25 things I've learned along the way.

Some are about our bodies. Others are about our minds, relationships, and the choices we make.

And a few might make you laugh because, well, we're all human.

1. Your body changes, but that doesn't mean your best days are behind you.

I'm not going to pretend that my body at 60 is the same as it was at 30 or even 45.

It's not.

Some things take more effort. Recovery can require more patience. Sometimes I need to adjust how I exercise or what I expect of myself.

But here's the important part.

Different doesn't automatically mean worse.

I've learned that taking care of my body today isn't about trying to get my younger body back. It's about building a strong, capable body that will carry me into the years ahead.

I still have plenty of living to do.

2. Strength has an entirely different meaning now.

For years, I measured strength by what I could accomplish, how much I could handle, and how hard I could push.

And believe me, I could push!

Today, I still love lifting weights and challenging myself physically. But I've learned that real strength goes well beyond the gym.

It's having the courage to say no. It's knowing when to walk away. It's asking for help.

It's recognizing that just because you can carry something doesn't mean you should.

At 60, I don't want to prove how much I can handle. I want to be intentional about what deserves my energy.

3. The number on the scale doesn't deserve the power we give it.

As someone who has lost over 130 pounds, I know what it's like to have your weight influence how you feel about yourself.

And even after 17 years of maintaining, I can still catch myself focusing on a number. I'm human!

But I also know that being smaller doesn't automatically mean being healthier.

Today, I'm more interested in maintaining muscle, protecting my bones, staying active, and having the energy to enjoy my life.

Would I still like to lose a few pounds? Sure.

But at 60, this isn't about being skinny. It's about being strong and having a great quality of life.

That matters so much more.

4. Muscle is something worth fighting for.

I wish more women understood how important it is to build and maintain muscle as we age.

Strength training isn't just about looking toned. It's about getting up off the floor, carrying your own groceries, climbing stairs, traveling, and continuing to do the things you love.

After going through two hip replacements, I have an even greater appreciation for what my body can do.

I don't exercise just to look a certain way. I exercise for the life I want to keep living.

5. Recovery is part of the plan, not a sign of weakness.

This one took me a while to learn.

I've always been someone who likes to keep moving. Give me a goal, and I'm ready to go.

But recovering from major surgery reminded me that the body has its own timeline.

You can't always push your way through healing.

Sometimes progress means resting. Sometimes it means taking a shorter walk. Sometimes it means accepting that today isn't the day to do more.

And that's okay.

I'm learning that taking care of myself includes knowing when to challenge my body and when to give it time to recover.

6. Walking is still one of my favorite ways to take care of myself.

I love a good workout, but there's something special about being outdoors on a trail.

No complicated equipment. No pressure to perform.

Just fresh air, movement, and time to think.

After my hip surgery, getting back on the trail meant more to me than simply getting my steps in.

It represented freedom.

It reminded me how much we take our ability to move for granted until something interrupts it.

I'll never underestimate the value of a simple walk again.

7. You can't out-exercise everything.

Oh, how I wish we could!

But the older I get, the more I appreciate that exercise is only one piece of the health puzzle.

Nutrition matters. Sleep matters. Stress matters. Recovery matters.

And yes, what we eat still matters, even when we're working out consistently.

I've spent years in health and wellness, and I still have to practice what I teach.

No magic workout replaces taking care of yourself throughout the day. It's the everyday choices that add up.

8. Sleep deserves more respect than we give it.

There was a time when getting less sleep felt like the price of being productive. Not anymore.

I understand how much sleep influences our energy, mood, focus, appetite, and ability to handle stress.

And as women move through midlife and beyond, sleep can become more complicated.

I've learned that rest isn't something we earn after we've finished everything else.

It's something our bodies need to function well.

The to-do list can wait.

9. Stress doesn't disappear just because you've gotten older and wiser.

You would think that after 60 years, we'd have this stress thing figured out.

Wouldn't that be nice? But life keeps happening.

Family responsibilities, financial concerns, relationships, health challenges, work, and the unexpected things we never saw coming.

For me, the difference is that I'm becoming much more aware of how I respond.

I've spent years teaching stress mastery, and I know we can't always control what happens around us.

But we can learn to recognize our stress signals, challenge our thinking, and make choices that protect our well-being.

Stress management isn't about creating a perfect, stress-free life.

It's about learning how to live well in the life we have.

10. Saying no gets easier when you understand what saying yes costs you.

This may be one of my biggest lessons.

For much of my life, I was the person who could figure it out, make it happen, and take care of things.

Sound familiar?

But every time we say yes to something, we're giving away a piece of our time, attention, and energy.

And those resources aren't unlimited.

I've learned that boundaries aren't about being selfish or difficult.

They're about being honest with ourselves.

I can care about people without taking responsibility for everything.

And I can say no without writing a five-paragraph explanation.

Still practicing that last part!

11. You don't have to keep being the woman everyone expects you to be.

This one is big.

We spend so much of our lives building identities around our careers, families, responsibilities, and the roles we play for others.

The dependable one. The strong one. The one who always figures it out.

But what happens when those roles begin to change?

What happens when you start asking yourself what you want?

I've been asking myself that question more often.

And I've realized that I don't have to keep making decisions based on who I've always been.

I'm allowed to change my mind. I'm allowed to want something different.

And I'm allowed to grow into a version of myself that doesn't look exactly like the woman I was ten years ago.

12. Starting over isn't the same as starting from scratch.

I know what it's like when life changes unexpectedly.

I was downsized from my corporate career at 50, after spending more than two decades in marketing and branding.

At the time, I had no idea how much my professional life would change.

But I wasn't starting with nothing.

I had experience. Skills. Relationships. Lessons learned.

And I had the opportunity to build something different.

Now, at 60, I'm continuing to evolve my business and explore new possibilities.

Here's what I remind myself.

We don't lose everything we've learned just because we're entering a new chapter. We bring it with us.

13. Losing people you love changes how you look at time.

Losing both of my parents changed me in ways I still can't fully explain.

Sometimes I wish I could pick up the phone, share something funny, ask a question, or simply hear their voices.

And there are moments when a memory catches me completely off guard.

Grief doesn't follow a schedule.

But losing them has also made me more aware of how precious our time really is.

I don't want to keep putting off the things that matter.

The trip. The conversation. The celebration. The memory.

Life is happening right now. And I want to be present for it.

14. The people you surround yourself with matter more than ever.

At this stage of my life, I'm much more aware of how people make me feel.

Do I feel supported? Encouraged? Comfortable being myself?

Or do I walk away feeling drained?

I've learned that relationships don't have to be complicated to be meaningful.

Sometimes it's a conversation with a girlfriend, a good laugh at the gym, or spending time with family.

I want more of those moments. And I want to be that kind of person for the people in my life, too.

15. Love and connection don't have an expiration date.

Who decided that romance, excitement, and butterflies were reserved for younger people?

Not me!

I still believe in love, affection, romance, and having someone special to share life with.

But I've also learned that connection is about more than chemistry.

Compatibility matters. Consistency matters. Communication matters. Feeling valued matters.

And at this stage of my life, I'm not interested in losing myself trying to make a relationship work.

I want a relationship that adds to a life I already value.

There's a difference.

16. You can love your family deeply and still need a life of your own.

My family means everything to me.

Being a mom, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend brings me so much joy.

But I've also learned that loving the people in our lives doesn't mean putting ourselves last.

We can be present for our families while continuing to pursue our own goals, interests, relationships, and dreams.

In fact, I think that's a wonderful example to set for the generations coming behind us.

We can love them with our whole hearts without forgetting ourselves.

17. Confidence isn't about looking perfect.

I've worked hard to become comfortable in my own skin.

And that doesn't mean I love every wrinkle, every change, or every photograph.

Some days I feel fabulous. Other days? Well, let's just say the lighting isn't doing me any favors!

But confidence isn't about never having insecurities. It's about not letting those insecurities decide how we live.

I'm still going to dress up, wear my heels, put on my lipstick, and enjoy feeling good about myself.

Not because I'm trying to look 40. Because I want to feel like me.

18. It's okay to care about your appearance.

Can we please stop acting like women have to choose between accepting themselves and wanting to look their best?

I don't believe those things are mutually exclusive.

I enjoy getting my hair done, having my nails done, dressing up, and taking care of my appearance.

And I also love putting on my sneakers, heading to the gym, or walking a muddy trail.

Both are me.

Self-acceptance doesn't mean you stop caring. It means your appearance is no longer the measure of your worth.

19. Your mind needs exercise, too.

One of the things that excites me most about this chapter is that I'm still learning.

I'm building new ideas, exploring new opportunities, writing, speaking, and challenging myself to do things that make me a little uncomfortable.

And yes, that includes putting myself out there on social media in new ways!

I don't want to stop growing simply because I've reached a certain age.

I want to stay curious. I want to keep challenging my thinking.

And I want to remain open to possibilities I haven't even considered yet.

20. You don't need to have the next ten years figured out.

This is a tough one for someone who likes a plan.

I've always been goal-oriented. I like knowing where I'm going and what I need to do to get there.

But I've learned that life rarely unfolds exactly as we expect.

Sometimes an unexpected opportunity changes our direction.

Sometimes something we thought we wanted no longer feels right.

And sometimes we simply need more time to figure things out.

At 60, I still have goals and dreams.

But I'm giving myself permission to explore what comes next without needing every answer today.

21. Peace becomes more valuable than proving a point.

There was a time when I felt the need to explain myself, defend my decisions, or make sure someone understood my perspective.

And while communication is important, I've learned that not every situation deserves that much of my energy.

Sometimes people won't understand.

Sometimes they won't agree.

And sometimes the healthiest choice is to let something go.

I'm learning to recognize the difference between a conversation worth having and one that will only leave me frustrated.

I don't always get it right.

But I'm getting better.

22. Fun is not optional.

Somewhere along the way, adulthood can become one long list of responsibilities.

Work. Bills. Appointments. Errands. Taking care of everyone and everything.

And before you know it, you're so busy managing life that you're forgetting to enjoy it.

Well, I have no intention of doing that at 60.

I want more music, dancing, celebrations, spontaneous adventures, vacations, and laughter.

I recently celebrated my 60th birthday with family and friends, and being surrounded by so much love reminded me how important those moments are.

We don't need a major milestone to celebrate being alive. Sometimes a regular Tuesday is reason enough.

23. Gratitude and disappointment can exist at the same time.

I have so much to be grateful for.

My family. My friendships. My health. My opportunities. The experiences I've had and the memories I've made.

But that doesn't mean everything in my life has turned out the way I hoped.

There have been disappointments. There have been losses.

There have been moments when I've questioned my decisions and wondered what comes next.

I've learned that being grateful doesn't require pretending those feelings don't exist.

We can appreciate our lives while acknowledging the parts that still hurt or need attention.

That's part of being human.

24. It's never too late to create something new.

Here I am at 60, thinking about starting a podcast. Why?

Because I have stories to share, lessons I've learned, and plenty of life left to experience.

And maybe, just maybe, another woman needs to hear that turning 60 doesn't mean she has to stop dreaming, growing, or trying something different.

I've spent years encouraging other people to take ownership of their health and their lives.

Now I'm challenging myself to keep doing the same.

Will everything I try work out? Probably not.

But I'd rather try something new than spend the next ten years wondering what might have happened.

25. The most important relationship you'll ever have is the one you have with yourself.

If there's one thing I want to carry into this next decade, it's this.

I want to trust myself more.

Trust my decisions. Trust my instincts. Trust that I can handle change without needing to control every outcome.

I want to listen when my body needs rest. Speak up when something matters.

Walk away when something no longer feels right. And continue building a life that reflects who I am today, not who I used to be or who someone else expects me to be.

Because after 60 years, I've learned that taking care of yourself isn't just about eating well, exercising, or managing stress.

It's also about respecting your own needs, making intentional choices, and giving yourself permission to live a life that feels right for you.

And that may be the greatest lesson of all.

So, This Is 60!

Not the end of something. Not a countdown. And certainly not a reason to stop living fully. It's a new chapter.

One where I want to be healthy enough to enjoy the adventures, strong enough to navigate the challenges, and confident enough to keep becoming the woman I want to be.

Will there be changes? Of course. Will there be challenges? Absolutely.

Will I have everything figured out? Not a chance! But I'm okay with that.

I've spent much of my life working hard, caring for others, building a career, raising a family, and trying to do the right things.

Now I want to be just as intentional about enjoying the life I'm creating.

I want to make more memories, laugh more, love deeply, keep learning, and never take my health or the people I love for granted.

And I want to bring other women along for the conversation.

Because I know I'm not the only one navigating this chapter with a little excitement, a few questions, and a whole lot of life experience.

So here's to 60. To everything we've been through, everything we've learned, and everything that's still possible.

Now I'd love to hear from you.

If you're approaching 60, already there, or a few years beyond, what's one thing life has taught you that you wish you'd known sooner?

Let's talk about it. Because none of us has to figure this chapter out alone.