When I was younger, I assumed getting older meant becoming less. Less relevant. Less energetic. Less adventurous. Less useful.
I couldn’t have been more wrong.
Turning 60 has taught me the opposite.
I’ve become more.
Never have I been more excited about what the future holds or had more goals. In fact, I’ve had to hold myself back a little because I’m ready to do some crazy things.
Being completely honest and gut-level transparent here, it’s probably a good thing I’m a married woman. Otherwise I’d be completely untethered and liable to do something radically shocking.
Larry has spent nearly forty years holding my ankles so I don’t float off into outer space.
That’s honestly a pretty accurate picture of our marriage.
I’m trying to launch like a rocket.
He’s reminding me about practical things…
Like bills.
😂
So no, I’m not packing it in at 60.
I’m just getting warmed up.
Here are three of the ways I’ve become more. Next week I’ll share three more.
And if you’re not 60 yet, don’t wait until then. Becoming more isn’t reserved for a birthday. You can start today.
More Protective of My Time
168.
That’s the number of hours you and I have every week.
We all have decisions to make about what we’ll do with those 168 hours.
Of those hours, we should be getting at least 56 hours of sleep each week in order to stay healthy. That leaves us with 112 waking hours.
What will we do with our 112?
One of the hardest things for me is when people pressure me about what to do with my 112—or when they try to take from my 56, even for good reasons.
Mentors have reminded me more than once that I don’t have to justify every decision I make to protect my peace, my health, or my time with God.
That’s easier said than done when you’re facing expectations, pressure, and the needs of people you genuinely care about.
If you’re feeling pressure over your time today, I understand.
May all of us as leaders remember this:
Not every need is our assignment.
Not every opportunity is ours to accept.
Not every request deserves a yes.
We are stewards of our time, not owners of everyone else’s expectations.
How can this impact you—whether you’re turning 60 or not?
Protect your 56.
Be intentional with your 112.
Don’t feel guilty for creating the margin you need to rest, heal, think, pray, and simply be human.
More Willing to Let People Misunderstand Me
I used to get rattled when people thought I was driven, ambitious, or confident.
Now?
I say, “Heck yeah, I am.”
That’s the way God wired me, and I’m perfectly fine with it.
But when people took it further…
“She’s proud.”
“She’s a Jezebel.”
“She’s too much.”
Whatever label people choose when they don’t know what to do with a strong woman who leads.
That used to bother me.
Not just bother me—it hurt.
I wanted so badly to open my heart and prove that wasn’t who I was.
Now?
I don’t.
People are free to believe whatever they want.
I’ve noticed something interesting over the years.
The criticism rarely comes from people who are building something significant themselves. More often, it comes from people standing on the sidelines.
Honest to God, I’ve never had an overachiever kicking my butt say those things.
Not once.
That tells me something.
How can this impact you—whether you’re turning 60 or not?
Let them talk.
Let them misunderstand you.
Keep building.
More Convinced That Health Matters
Health of every kind.
Physical.
Emotional.
Spiritual.
Leadership health.
Institutional health.
I see the toll institutional trauma has taken on me, and on people I deeply love who have lived through it too.
Trauma affects the body, the mind, the soul, and yes, even the way we lead.
And being super real with you right now, one of the hardest things is that people who have spent decades inside unhealthy systems often don’t recognize the trauma those systems create. To them, it’s simply, “This is the way we do things.” It’s the way it’s always been.
But longevity doesn’t make something healthy.
And tradition doesn’t make it right.
I’m taking stronger measures than ever to address the things in my life that have needed attention for a long time. Why? Because I’ve got too many dreams left in me to allow unresolved wounds to beat them out of me.
I refuse to spend the next twenty years carrying wounds I can begin healing today.
How can this impact you—whether you’re turning 60 or not?
If you’re in a toxic environment, don’t stay there simply because you’ve convinced yourself it’s the only place God can use you.
Unless real change is genuinely on the horizon, don’t wait forever hoping it will magically happen.
There are plenty of places to serve God.
Your calling isn’t tied to one organization.
God’s purpose for your life is far bigger than one address.
Next week, I’ll share three more.
Stay tuned…
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