LIFE & MOTHERHOOD COACH FOR MAMAS IN MIDLIFE

Tag: women over 50 empowerment

  • Small Joys Matter

    Small Joys Matter More Than You Think: Why Happiness Isn’t What You’ve Been Told

    Sometimes I just go out for a walk. The sun comes out and it’s such a small thing. But it always lifts me and I feel happy.

    And I’ve been thinking about that—how we dismiss small joys as if they don’t count.

    So let’s let the small things matter.

    The Big Happiness Myth

    I used to think happiness had to be big. Achievements. Milestones. Life-changing aha moments.

    I’d look for it in the big things: promotions, holidays, major events. And when those things didn’t bring lasting happiness, I’d feel disappointed.

    Why wasn’t I happier? Why did the good things fade so quickly?

    But I was walking past small joys every single day and not even noticing them.

    The first coffee of the morning (I love a hot, milky coffee). The moment my son laughs at something silly. The feeling of clean sheets. The way light comes through the window at 4pm and catches on a hanging crystal.

    Tiny things.

    Except they aren’t tiny. They’re everything.

    What We’ve Been Taught About Joy

    We’ve been conditioned to think small joys don’t count. That happiness has to be earned through big accomplishments.

    But what if happiness isn’t one big thing, but the hundred small things we’re not paying attention to?

    For women over 50, this realization can be profound. After decades of chasing milestones—raising children, building careers, managing households—we often forget that joy doesn’t have to be earned. It’s already here. In the everyday. In the small.

    The Night Shift Biscuit

    Last week, I was at work during a night shift. It was going to be busy. And then a colleague brought in homemade biscuits. Just because.

    And when I was flagging, I took five minutes out, sat down and enjoyed one. Absolutely delicious, and I was so grateful to her. It mattered. And for those five minutes, I felt light. Connected. Happy. I thanked her. And I got on with my work.

    That five-minute break with a biscuit wasn’t “just a nice moment.” It was genuine happiness. The kind that keeps you going through a 12-hour night shift.

    Small Joys Aren’t Consolation Prizes

    Here’s what I’m learning: small joys aren’t consolation prizes for not having big happiness.

    They are happiness.

    The moment in the sun. The first coffee. The five minutes with a biscuit. The clean sheets. The way your body feels after a good stretch.

    These aren’t “nice moments while we wait for real happiness.”

    This is it. This is the happiness.

    What Are You Walking Past?

    Maybe you’ve been doing what I did—walking past small joys because you’re looking for something bigger.

    Waiting for the big thing that will finally make you happy. The achievement. The change. The moment when everything falls into place.

    And missing all the small things that are right here, with you, every day.

    The coffee that’s still hot. The text from a friend. The way your favourite song came on the radio at just the right moment. The clean kitchen after a long day. The feeling of finally sitting down.

    These matter. They count. They ARE the happiness you’re searching for.

    Your Practice This Week

    Notice 3 small joys every day.

    • The warmth of your tea
    • Something that made you smile
    • The way your body feels when you stretch
    • A text from someone you love

    Notice them. Name them. Let them matter.

    That’s happiness.

    Not someday. Not when everything is perfect. Not when you’ve achieved enough or fixed enough or become enough.

    Now. Today. In the small things you’re already living.

    I’d love to hear your thoughts. Leave a comment below or hit reply—what’s one small joy you noticed this week?

    With love and best wishes always, Susy

    P.S. What’s one small joy you noticed this week? I love hearing them. 💛

    —

    by

    Susy Rosemary
    in , , , ,

    Small Joys Matter More Than You Think: Why Happiness Isn’t What You’ve Been Told Sometimes I just go out for a walk. The sun comes out and it’s such a small thing. But it always lifts me and I feel happy. And I’ve been thinking about that—how we dismiss small joys as if they don’t…

  • The Things You Forgot You Loved: Rediscovering the Passions That Got Buried

    Hello,

    How are you? I hope you are well!

    I’ve been thinking about the things we forget. Not the important things—we remember plenty of those. But the small passions. The hobbies we used to love. The things that made us feel alive before life got so busy.

    The Music Books in the Loft

    Last week, I was sorting through some boxes in the loft. And I spotted my old music books—songs I used to play, back when I was living with my friends at uni. We’d take it in turns to sing and play at the piano and have such a laugh. Before family life, kids, homework, parents needing help, work, health issues…

    I remembered those happy times, spending hours at the piano or playing the flute. I would just forget about everything else.

    When did that all stop? I couldn’t even remember exactly. Life just got busy.

    But those passions haven’t disappeared. They just got a little lost under everything else. Under “I don’t have time for that anymore.” Under “that’s not important right now, there are more urgent things.”

    They’re Still There, Waiting

    But they still make me smile just thinking about them. They’re waiting for me and I’m so looking forward to getting back to them.

    In fact, I’ve just picked up a leaflet to join a monthly Tango band. Could be fun.

    Maybe for you it’s not music. Maybe it’s painting. Writing. Dancing. Gardening. Reading for pleasure instead of self-improvement. Cooking something just because you enjoy it.

    Those passions that you said you’d get back to “someday, when I have more time.”

    Except someday hasn’t arrived yet. Because there’s always something more urgent. Someone who needs you. Something that has to be done.

    But Here’s the Truth

    Those passions weren’t frivolous.

    They are you.

    The part of you that exists beyond being useful, needed, responsible. The part that existed just because it brought you joy.

    That part is still there.

    And it matters more than you think.

    Why We Let Our Passions Go

    For women over 50, this is especially painful to recognise.

    We spent decades being told—sometimes directly, sometimes not—that our joy wasn’t the priority. That other people’s needs came first. That hobbies were luxuries. That productivity was what mattered.

    So we quietly let our passions go. One by one. Without even noticing.

    The piano gathered dust. The paintbrushes dried out. The dancing shoes stayed in the back of the wardrobe.

    And somewhere along the way, we forgot what it felt like to do something purely because it made us feel alive.

    It’s Not Too Late

    But here’s the beautiful thing: those passions don’t disappear. They just wait.

    They’re there in the music books in the loft. In the leaflet for the Tango band. In the half-finished novel. In the garden you used to love but haven’t touched in years.

    They’re waiting for you to come back to them.

    And you don’t need hours. You don’t need permission. You don’t need to “find the time.”

    You just need 15 minutes. And a choice.

    This Week’s Practice

    Name 3 things you used to love before life got busy that made you feel alive and happy.

    • What hobby did you abandon when “real life” started?
    • What passion got buried under everything else?
    • What made you lose track of time?

    And then just choose one. One passion to revisit this week.

    Make time for it, even if it’s just 15 minutes.

    Let the magic happen.

    I’d love to hear your thoughts. Leave a comment below or hit reply—I read every single one.

    With love and best wishes always, Susy

    P.S. What’s one thing you used to love that you forgot about? Hit reply—I’d love to hear. 💛

    💌 If this resonated with you, it might resonate with someone you know. Feel free to forward it.

    —

    by

    Susy Rosemary
    in , , ,

    Hello, How are you? I hope you are well! I’ve been thinking about the things we forget. Not the important things—we remember plenty of those. But the small passions. The hobbies we used to love. The things that made us feel alive before life got so busy. The Music Books in the Loft Last week,…

  • Boundaries Work Both Ways: The Hard Truth About Respecting Other People’s No

    Hello,

    How are you? I hope you’re well.

    This week we’ve been talking about boundaries—the ones you set, the ones you need to hold. But what about when other people’s boundaries affect you?

    The Other Side of Boundaries

    The friend who doesn’t reply to your message. The invitation you didn’t get. The person who says “No thanks” when you wanted “Yes please.”

    Those hurt. And they’re still boundaries we need to respect.

    It’s easy to talk about setting OUR boundaries. But what happens when we’re on the receiving end of someone else’s?

    The Party I Wasn’t Invited To

    I remember when my Mum told me I was invited to my uncle’s 80th birthday party. He’s my godfather, and the whole family would be there.

    “Everyone’s invited,” she said.

    I hadn’t received an invitation myself, but I trusted her. And even though it was far away—normally I’d say no because of the distance—I thought: this time I’ll go. I’ll make the effort. I booked accommodation and put it in the diary.

    Then a few weeks later, Mum called. “This is embarrassing,” she started. “You’re not actually invited. They don’t have room in the restaurant.”

    Ouch.

    The embarrassment. The hurt. The anger, if I’m honest.

    I cancelled the trip. I felt foolish. I should have waited for an actual invitation. I should have checked directly with them instead of assuming.

    The Boundary I Didn’t Want to See

    But here’s the point: they had a boundary. A certain number of places. And I wasn’t high enough on the guest list.

    It stung. But it was their boundary to set.

    Not mine to challenge. Not mine to be angry about. Theirs.

    And accepting that—truly accepting it—was harder than setting any boundary of my own.

    Boundaries Don’t Only Work One Way

    We love talking about OUR boundaries. The ones we set. The ones we hold. The ones we’re proud of finally saying no to.

    But boundaries don’t just work in one direction.

    Sometimes you’re on the receiving end of someone else’s boundary. And that’s hard. Sometimes painfully hard.

    The friend who’s pulled back without explanation. The family member who doesn’t return your calls. The person who said no when you desperately wanted yes.

    Those boundaries can feel like rejection. Like you don’t matter. Like you’ve done something wrong.

    But here’s the truth: respecting other people’s boundaries—even when they hurt, even when they embarrass you—is part of having boundaries yourself.

    You can’t demand people include you, reply to you, or prioritize you.

    Just like they can’t demand those things from you.

    It’s the same principle. Just from the other side.

    Why This Matters for Women Over 50

    For women over 50, this can be especially painful.

    We’ve spent decades making ourselves available to everyone. Picking up the phone. Saying yes. Including people. Making sure no one feels left out.

    So when someone doesn’t do that for us? It feels like a betrayal.

    But it’s not. It’s just a boundary. And it’s theirs to set.

    Learning to respect boundaries that hurt is one of the deepest forms of emotional maturity. And one of the hardest.

    Your Reflection

    Can you think of a boundary someone else has set that’s hard for you to respect?

    The friend who’s pulled back. The family member who doesn’t respond. The person who said no when you wanted yes.

    Can you let them have that boundary—even though it hurts, even though it’s not what you wanted?

    It doesn’t mean you don’t matter.

    It just means they have a boundary. And so do you.

    I’d love to hear your thoughts. Leave a comment below or hit reply—I read every single one.

    With love and best wishes always, Susy

    P.S. What boundary is hard for you to respect right now? Hit reply—I’m here to listen. 💛

    —

    by

    Susy Rosemary
    in , , ,

    Hello, How are you? I hope you’re well. This week we’ve been talking about boundaries—the ones you set, the ones you need to hold. But what about when other people’s boundaries affect you? The Other Side of Boundaries The friend who doesn’t reply to your message. The invitation you didn’t get. The person who says…