THE VISUAL DIARY OF A 40 SOMETHING WOMAN

A day in the life of the Beauty Disruptor.  Join her on her journey through midlife, as she shares her thoughts, feelings and ideas  on aging expressed through visual media.

​Follow her on Instagram for more content

LIFE OVER 40: OLDER, STRONGER, AND WISER

Birhakeim, Paris. January 2022

IT TOOK ME YEARS TO GET TO THE PLACE WHERE I AM NOW. I HAD TO GO THROUGH SOME TRIALS AND LEARN A FEW THINGS. NOTHING IN LIFE COMES EASY. WISDOM COMES WITH AGE. AGING HAS DEFINITELY GIVEN ME MORE CONFIDENCE, HELPED GROUND ME, AND BECOME WELL-ROOTED. I AM THANKFUL FOR THE LESSONS THAT I'VE LEARNED ON THIS JOURNEY.

MUSINGS OF A FORTY SOMETHING WOMAN

CREATING A NEW PATH IN MY 40s

Jardin des Tuileries, Paris.  March 2022 

STEPPING INTO MIDLIFE MEANS DELVING INTO UNCHARTERED WATERS. AS A 40+ WOMAN I WAS UNABLE TO SEE MYSELF IN MODERN SOCIETY. TOO OFTEN 40+ WOMEN GO UNSEEN, AND ARE THOUGHT OF AS YESTERDAY'S NEWS. CREATING A NEW PATH MEANT FIGHTING AGEISM. I DECIDED TO CREATE MY OWN LANE, WALKING AT MY OWN PACE BECAUSE I REFUSE TO BE INVISIBLE.

GROWING OLDER: THERE IS NOTHING TO FEAR AT 40 BUT FEAR ITSELF

Musée d'Art Moderne, Paris.  April 2022

THE DAY I TURNED 40 WAS THE DAY I BECAME POWERFUL.  ALL OF MY LIFE EXPERIENCE, KNOWLEDGE AND WISDOM HAD UNKNOWINGLY PREPARED ME FOR THIS MOMENT.  I FELT INVINCIBLE, AND IT FELT GOOD. NOTHING NOR ANYONE COULD STOP ME. I HAD ALREADY SEEN OR HAD EXPERIENCED THE WORST LIFE HAD TO OFFER. NOW  I COULD DO ANYTHING. THERE WAS NO MORE FEAR.

LIFE OVER 40: DANCING TO THE BEAT OF MY OWN DRUM

Avenue de Camoëns, Paris. May 2022

I'VE ALWAYS DANCED TO THE BEAT OF MY OWN DRUM, AND HAVE DONE WHATEVER I WANTED WHENEVER I WANTED. AGE HAS NEVER BEEN A FACTOR WHEN IT COMES TO TRYING NEW THINGS. I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT YOU CAN BECOME WHOEVER YOU WANT TO BE AND DO WHATEVER YOU WANT TO DO NO MATTER HOW OLD YOU ARE. DON'T EVER LET AGE STOP YOU FROM LIVING OUT YOUR DREAMS.

OVER 40 AND UNAPOLAGETIC

Pont Alexandre III, Paris. June 2022

WHEN I TURNED 40, I STOPPED GIVING A DAMN. I REALISED THAT HALF THE STUFF I PREOCCUPIED MY MIND WITH REALLY DIDN'T EXIST, AND I COULD CARE LESS ABOUT WHAT PEOPLE THOUGHT OR SAID ABOUT ME.  I MADE MYSELF A PRIORITY, AND STARTED TO DO THINGS TO PLEASE ME. I REALISED THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY ALL I REALLY HAD WAS ME. NO ONE HELPED ME TO BECOME THE WOMAN THAT I AM TODAY, SO DIDN'T OWE ANYBODY ANYTHING.  ONCE I STARTED TO THINK LIKE THIS I BECAME HAPPIER AND STARTED TO SOAR.  ​​

​AGING WITH ATTITUDE

Place de Concorde, Paris. July 2022

BECOMING 40 IS REALLY SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE TO OWN.  THERE'S SO MUCH STIGMA SURROUNDING AGING THAT IT CAN BE HARD FOR SOME PEOPLE TO ADJUST.  THE DAY I TURNED 40 WAS JUST LIKE ANY OTHER DAY.  I SAID TO MYSELF,    "WELL DAMMIT, YOU'RE ACTUALLY HERE! MIGHT AS WELL ENJOY IT". AND FROM THAT DAY FORWARD I BEGAN TO OWN IT LIKE A BADGE OF HONOR, WITH PRIDE AND  A WHOLE LOT OF ATTITUDE. ​​

​MY THOUGHTS ON AGING

Musée du Louvre, Paris. August 2022

THE WORD MIDLIFE NEVER SAT WELL WITH ME. THERE ARE SO MANY NEGATIVE CONNOTATIONS SURROUNDING THIS WORD.  IT'S AS IF TO SAY, YOU'RE NEARING THE END OF THE ROAD AND ARE NEARING DEATH.  JUST LIKE A YELLOW CAUTION SIGN DISPLAYED ON THE ROADSIDE FOR EVERYONE TO SEE. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS MIDLIFE, ONLY ONE LIFE. WE WERE BORN WITH ONE LIFE, FROM THE CRADLE TO THE GRAVE. SO THERE REALLY IS NO NEED TO MAKE DISTINCTIONS. AND I HAVE CONSCIOUSLY DECIDED TO LIVE THAT LIFE TO THE FULLEST DESPITE WHATEVER ANYONE HAS TO SAY ABOUT WHERE I AM ON THIS JOURNEY.