I’m Over 60 and I Will Always Follow the Joy
I used to believe joy had to be earned—after the dishes, after the job, after someone said I was enough. But I’m over 60 now, and I’ve stopped waiting for permission.
I’m Over 60 and I Will Always Follow the Joy
(Even if it looks ridiculous to other people.)
When I was a little girl, my daily chore was unloading the dishwasher.
And every time I did it, I’d imagine a little scene in my head: my mom or someone in the family would walk in, notice my good work, and say something kind.
“You’re such a help.”
“You did a great job.”
“Thank you.”
But the praise never came.
So I just kept performing. Quietly. Hopefully. Waiting to be seen.
And that habit followed me into adulthood.
My very first paying job was at the public library, restacking returned books. I was fifteen, earning 75 cents an hour, and I remember trying so hard to do everything right—but I also kept pausing to look around and see if anyone was watching me work.
I didn’t realize it then, but I wasn’t looking for feedback.
I was looking for permission to feel proud.
I was waiting to be told:
You’re okay. You did good. You get to feel joy now.
Eventually, my boss let me go. She said I wasn’t focused enough.
And that moment stuck with me.
Because that’s when I learned the unspoken rule so many women are taught at a young age:
Joy has to be earned.
It has to come after the effort, the approval, the perfection.
And until then? You wait.
But I’m over 60 now.
And I’m done waiting.
Here’s what I know now:
Joy is not a reward. It’s not a prize for good behavior.
It’s not something you’re granted after you’ve sacrificed enough.
Joy is a signal.
It’s a map.
It’s a whisper from your soul that says, “This way, love.”
If you’re in this stage too—over 60 and starting to feel like maybe you don’t want to spend the next chapter of your life chasing invisible praise or waiting for permission to want something more—
Then maybe, just maybe, you’re craving something you haven’t fully named yet:
✨ You want joy that isn’t tied to performance.
✨ You want ease that doesn’t feel like laziness.
✨ You want purpose that’s rooted in pleasure, not pressure.
✨ You want to feel lit up—not useful. Not responsible. Just alive.
✨ You want to make decisions based on delight, not duty.
You want to laugh at your own jokes again.
To wake up excited about something, anything.
To feel like your life fits you now—not the woman you were 30 years ago.
That’s not selfish.
That’s not a midlife crisis.
That’s your soul tapping you on the shoulder, saying:
“You’ve earned every tool. Now let’s build something beautiful just for you.”
I made something for you.
It’s called the REFOUNDATION Blueprint.
And it’s not just another workbook. It’s a reclamation.
💡 What makes it unique:
It begins with a personal inventory of your life—the wisdom, skills, and brilliance you’ve built as a mom, wife, girlfriend, sister, caretaker, worker, friend.
Then it helps you figure out what lights you up now—what you might want to do with all of that beautiful lived experience.
And finally, it gives you simple prompts and steps to start rebuilding—not from scratch, but from truth.
Because reinvention doesn’t mean becoming someone new.
It means finally becoming the woman you were never allowed to be.
You don’t need anyone’s permission to feel proud of your life.
And you sure as hell don’t need it to feel joy.
👉 Grab REFOUNDATION: The Blueprint for Your Next Chapter
$5.99 | Instant download | Created for women who are done waiting
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Nice one Monica 👏 I’m not a woman, but I am over 60 and I like your idea of giving oneself permission to seek out joy with no strings attached.
Sometimes I feel like you and I lived parallel lives. I, too, had daily chores. But I don't remember ever hoping for any type of praise because there was endless chores and endless criticism. I eventually, like you, had to learn over time to praise myself, to value myself and to come to the realization that the most precious praise would come from within, from my own heart.