Women over 60: Is it the chicken? or the egg?

Or the egg?

Yes, I lift weights in my kitchen. Put something on to cook, set the timer, lift weights.

Which Came First: The Chicken or the Egg… or the Spirit or the Steps?

Scrolling through Instagram the other day, I saw women over 60—some in their 70s—hauling wheelbarrows, tending gardens, flexing their muscles. The message? Stay busy, stay active, don’t slow down.

But it got me thinking: which really comes first—the spirit or the steps?

Yes, movement matters. I want my body strong enough to support every leap of my spirit. But where’s the conversation about why we move? About the soul, the dreams, the desires that make us want to move in the first place?

When we’re living toward a heart-led purpose, exercise happens naturally. We’re not running from decline—we’re running toward something meaningful.

And the research backs this up:

• A study of more than 13,000 adults found those with a stronger sense of purpose were 28% less likely to develop dementia, even when genetics stacked the odds against them.

• Another study in JAMA Psychiatry showed older adults with a high sense of purpose had a 13% lower risk of weak grip strength and a 14% lower risk of slow walking speed—two major markers of physical decline.

• Even better, it’s not one-sided. Purpose and movement fuel each other. A deeper sense of purpose makes people more active, and activity strengthens their sense of purpose. It’s the ultimate virtuous cycle.

So which comes first, spirit or steps? For me, it’s spirit. When I tend to my why, movement becomes joyful—even inevitable.

That’s why today I’m lifting weights—not because I fear losing strength, but because I want this body to carry my creativity, my work, my dreams. I don’t need to be begged to move. I move because I have something to move toward.

For our generation, maybe it’s time to flip the narrative: not move so you don’t decline, but cherish your dreams so movement becomes the natural, radiant extension of living fully.

Before you lace up your shoes or pick up your weights, try this first:

• Ask yourself: What is my spirit craving today?

• Write down one small dream or desire—something just for you.

• Take one tiny step toward it, even if it’s as simple as imagining how it would feel.

When you begin there, movement stops being another “should” and starts becoming a joyful extension of your spirit.

If you’d like more soul-aligned ways to reconnect with yourself, my Rebuild, Reclaim, Reinvent bundle is a beautiful place to start. It’s packed with simple practices and tools designed to help women over 60 strengthen the spirit first—so the steps naturally follow.

👉Rebuild. Reclaim. Reinvent.

Before you lace up your shoes or pick up your weights, try this first:

• Ask yourself: What is my spirit craving today?

• Write down one small dream or desire—something just for you.

• Take one tiny step toward it, even if it’s as simple as imagining how it would feel.

That’s where the real strength begins—spirit first, steps second.

If you’d like more support in bringing that into your life, I host Sunday night Zoom sessions at 7:00 ET, where we walk through the Refoundation guide together. It’s a soul-led reset for women over 60 who want to rebuild their lives around what matters most.