Once again, I am excited to introduce another guest to my series:
Amazing over 50’s
I am inviting and featuring ‘Mid-lifers’ who are enjoying life over 50 and who are happy to shout out about great health, fitness, lifestyles, work or their achievements etc, but more importantly who are embracing this time of their lives with pride and open arms.
Leanne Le Cras is this months guest on the ‘Amazing Over 50’s series. Leanne is an established and popular Midlife blogger, whom I’ve been following for quite some time now. Leanne writes such wonderful, heartfelt and personal stories, which in turn leads to helpful advice. Often I have read Leanne’s blog posts and have found myself to be nodding, knowing what she has described has been very familiar to my own experiences.
Welcome to ‘loving the fifty something’ Leanne, and to the ‘Amazing over 50’s’ series.
Can you tell us a little about yourself?
First – thanks so much Sam for having me here on your lovely blog and for believing that I have something to offer in this fantastic series of “Amazing over 50’s”.
So…. Hi! My name is Leanne and I live in the southwest of Western Australia. I’m newly retired and really loving the freedom and flexibility of this next phase of my life. I have a lovely husband who works from home as a Family Counsellor, two adult “kids” who are grown and flown and living in the city about 2 hours away from us, two delightful granddaughters, and two cats.
I write a blog called Cresting the Hill that I leapt into on a whim when I was 52. I thought it would be a flash in the pan and fizzle out after a few months, but (amazingly to me) it’s still going strong nearly 6 years later and starting it was one of the best decisions I’ve made in a long time.
Do you remember what turning 50 meant to you?
So much water has passed under the bridge since I turned 50! When I look back, I can see that it was a time where I was stagnating and just treading water. Without noticing, I’d slipped into feeling quite disenchanted with my job, with my marriage, with my kids who’d flown the nest and never looked back (great for them, but a bit of a loss for me), and with my life in general. I just felt like I was becoming the token invisible, middle-aged woman.
Then, a huge wake-up call came my way when my husband told me (after 30 years of marriage) that he didn’t feel like he loved me and didn’t want to be married anymore. I felt completely blindsided – I hadn’t seen that he was depressed, or that I was unhappy and not hiding it well, or that we’d been slowly sliding into separate lives. Things were a mess to say the very least. Anyway, long story short, after a few months of talking and being open and honest with each other, we found our way back to a much better place. In the process I changed jobs, he started some medication, I learnt to be more tolerant and less resentful, and we gained a deeper appreciation for what we had as a couple. I’m SO grateful we made it through. (If you’re interested I wrote more about it on my blog HERE.)
Congratulations to you both on making it through such a difficult time. How do you feel now in relation to that time?
Since that time, I’ve gained a much better understanding of who I am, and I’m more confident in my sense of “self” than I was back then. I’m working hard at not tying my self-worth so tightly to other people; I’m more able to be autonomous and to take responsibility for my own happiness. I used to place so much importance on how other people saw me – if they were happy then I was happy. I wanted to be the perfect wife, mother, nana, employee, friend, daughter, sister, etc etc (an impossible task that often set me up for disappointment). Now I’m learning that I can’t be all things to all people – I can’t keep everyone happy – I can only be responsible for myself, and if I work on being the best version of “me” then I have more to offer others – win/win.
What are the things you are most proud of achieving after turning 50?
There are a lot of things I’m proud of – First and foremost, I have a strong and stable marriage again, two wonderful, successful, and independent children who are working in careers they love, married to people they love, and our son and his wife have given us two beautiful grandgirls who are the lights of my life. It doesn’t get much better than that.
I also discovered blogging and it’s been a godsend for me. It’s given me a place to re-discover myself, and it’s where I can write about what’s on my heart and mind. It’s also given me some wonderful online friends who have cheered me on as I found my voice, left my job, reinvented myself, and grew in so many ways. The invisible woman never manifested because my blog gave me the boost I needed to remind myself that I have value and something worthwhile to contribute to the world.
My latest achievement is to quit working after 40+ years. I’ve never seen myself as a career woman, and I changed professions several times from dental therapist/hygienist, to dental receptionist, to call-centre operator, to personal assistant, and finally to medical receptionist. Then, after working for the last few years with a very difficult and demanding manager, I took my courage in both hands, put in my letter of resignation, and walked away before I had a nervous breakdown. It was the best decision I ever made and all the worries about how we’d manage without my wage have turned out to be groundless – we’re fine, I’m happier, my stress levels have plummeted, and that reflects positively on every other aspect of my life. I smile all day, every day!
That’s wonderful to hear! Are there any messages or advice you’d like to give to people who are about to turn 50?
Don’t see 50 as the beginning of the end, and don’t assume that you’ll just fade into the wallpaper and become invisible. Take the time to have a good look at your life and who you are as a person. Are you happy? Are you content? Are you living your best life? If you can’t answer “yes” to those questions, then maybe 50 is the time to start making some positive changes. You don’t have to do it in one fell swoop, you can take tiny steps towards being your best self. The second half of life can be so much better than you ever expected if you approach it with an upbeat attitude and a sense of anticipation for all that lies ahead. I’m loving my 50’s – the good and the bad times have led me to where I am now, and I wouldn’t swap that for the world.
Great words of wisdom there, Leanne, Thank you.
I thank you so much for being my guest this month and for being incredibly honest, it’s been a pleasure.
If you’d like to read more and catch up with Leanne then her links are below.
BIO:
Leanne lives in the beautiful SW of Western Australia. She has two adult children who have grown and flown, married and settled in the city. Her empty nest consolation prize is two delightful grandgirls to keep her young and on her toes. Other than that, she spends way too much of her spare time blogging about the highlights of Midlife at Cresting the Hill and shares the rest of her leisure time with her husband and two cats.
LINKS:
Blog: Cresting the Hill
Facebook: Cresting the Hill
Pinterest: Leanne | crestingthehill
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Are there any ‘Mid-lifers’ out there who are enjoying life over 50?
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Do you embrace this time of your life with pride and open arms?
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Amazing Over 50
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Hi Sam – thanks so much for featuring me this month – it’s an honour to be here and to be part of your series of amazing women. Blogging has brought me so much joy and so many friends – thankyou for being one of them xx
An absolute pleasure Leanne, thank you for being yet another inspirational lady and a valued blogging friend 🤗xx
What a lovely, positive message, Leanne. Thank you for sharing and for being so honest. It is wonderful that you recognised and avoided the fade to grey! xx
The fade to grey is very real for a lot of women over 50 isn’t it? I see women I knew from a couple of decades ago and they’ve just disappeared into a frumpy corner and it seems such a waste of the next few decades we still have in front of us. I want to live life really well – on my own terms and to be the best version of me possible x
Very well said, Leanne. We can all hope to have a good few decades after 50 and it is a shame to waste that opportunity.
You seem to be doing a very good job of living on your terms. Thank you for sharing your story so honestly. xx
Thank you for reading, I do need to catch up with where you are in the world as I’m sure you’re free to roam again 😀 I love Leanne’s honesty in this interview 😊
Hi Sam – I loved Leanne’s interview. It is hard to tell it as it is, but her story is really inspiring and I am really glad that she had the courage to admit her problems, sort them out and then share what must have been a very painful experience.
You’re right that we’re on tour again. We’re in Poland at the moment, but my blog hasn’t quite caught up!
Hi Sam and Leanne, lovely to read more about you Leanne. I am in awe of your blogging success and it does take a huge commitment to stick to it. Though, like you I love to blog. Once again Sam another well thought out interview. Time well spent.
Hi Suzanne – blogging success is definitely in the eye of the beholder isn’t it? I remember when I saw that 50 people had read my blog and I was SO excited! I’m never going to be in the blogging stratosphere, but I do love the connections and friendships and how stimulating it is for my brain x
Hi Leanne, yes success is in the eye of the beholder and I too remember reading my first comments. Which so happens that Sam was one of my earlier followers 🙂 I hope that one day we can have a blogging convention down here in Australia or New Zealand. Now that would be fun.
Thank you as always Suzanne. Leanne does have that blogging success magic doesn’t she? As do you! I do love this series, so many wonderful over 50’s, so inspiring 😊
Thanks Sam, I really do enjoy throwing some words together and photos, though more so is the contact I’ve had over a few years now with a group of wonderful bloggers, whose blogs keep my brain stimulated. Hopefully we all might get another chance at attending The Bloggers Bash in London.
Hi Leanne, Lovely to learn more about you and how you’ve overcome life challenges. Thanks for sharing your wisdom with us. Thank you to Sam for featuring Leanne here.
Hi Natalie – I always like to share the truth of my journey into Midlife – glossing over the tough times just creates an unreal picture – being vulnerable and discussing how we overcome the hurdles is how I see authenticity being lived out 🙂
Hi Natalie thank you for visiting and commenting. It was a pleasure to feature Leanne as an Amazing over 50 😊
Hi Leanne – Thank you for this wonderful post. So positive and so inspiring, I feel so pepped up after reading this.
Hi Sam – Thank you for hosting Leanne, whose posts I follow regularly.
Hi, Sam – It is terrific to see Leanne here. I’ve regularly followed her blog for quite some time, and have had wonderful video chats with her. Still, I learned new things about her here. I admire her incredible honesty and her positive nature. She has shared many gems of wisdom in this interview.
I greatly enjoy following this series.
Thank you Donna, yes Leanne is a wonderful lady, with so many useful and interesting posts in her blog. I’m so pleased you like this series, it never ceases to amaze me how many wonderful and inspirational over 50’s there are out there, including yourself of course!
Hi Donna (me waving from the other side of the world!) Sometimes I wonder if I overshare my highs and lows, but that’s me……what you see is what you get, and life hasn’t handed me a seamless journey, so it seems fair to share all the bits and bobs that have happened along the way – it’s me in all my “naked glory”!
Hi Leanne – Thank you very much for this post. It’s so positive, so inspiring. I feel so pepped up after reading this.
Hi Sam – Thank you hosting Leanne, whose posts I follow regularly.
Thank you for reading and visiting Pradeep. I love Leanne’s blog, she writes posts which always seem to relate to people personally. 😊
Hi Pradeep – I love seeing you popping up in the comments on blogs you may not have discovered. You’ve been such a committed reader of mine and I always enjoy what you share on your blog too.
Thank you Sam and Leanne for a positive start to the day.
Thank you April 😊
My pleasure April – I hope you enjoyed reading a little snippet from my life – it’s certainly been a bit of a journey to get this far!
I did.
Hi Sam and Leanne, I love seeing my favourite bloggers featured here in your series. Leanne is a prolific and successful blogger and deserves all the accolades! although I have followed Leanne for quite some time it was still interesting to read some of her story here. I always enjoy her honesty and openness. Thanks to you both for a great read. #mlstl
Hi Deb – sometimes it feels a bit weird baring my soul on the internet, but it’s my life and it’s real – so I feel like a fraud if I hide the rough patches and just present the shiny bits. Hopefully others are encouraged by the fact that life hits us with snags but we can work our way through them and come out better at the end.
I know that feeling well Leanne but you do it so well and your authenticity shines through.
That was a lovely read … a fascinating story #MLSTL
Thank you for visiting 🙂
Thanks Enda – trying to keep this Midlife journey real – nothing glossy from me these days – just the nitty gritty of life 🙂
Thank you for featuring one of my favourite bloggy people. Leanne is definitely an inspiration – her authenticity shines through. #MLSTL
Awww shucks Jo – what a lovely compliment (and it goes both ways my friend!) Isn’t it wonderful how blogging connects us with kindred spirits who we’d have never met otherwise? x
it sure is!
You’re right Jo, I love how with Leanne’s blog, you can relate to so much of what she speaks about. Thank you for visiting and taking the time to read and comment 🙂
Thank you Sam and Leanne. I truly enjoyed this interview and getting to know a little more about Leanne’s journey to the confident blogger I know her as today. I always appreciate her honesty and willingness to be vulnerable.
You’re so right with your description of how Leanne writes, Christie. Thank you for reading and commenting 🙂
Hi Christie – sometimes I wonder if I tell it too much like it is and I should make my life look more “shiny” – but all in all I think the reality for most over 50’s is that we’ve ridden the highs and lows and learnt that we’d never have experienced much growth as a person if we hadn’t worked our way through the tougher times – as well as celebrating the really good moments. x
Leaanne – your story is such an inspiration. I relate so closely to how you are feeling happier now that you’re not trying to make everyone else happy! When I realized that I was not responsible for everyone else’s happiness, it was a huge relief/weight off my shoulder. It’s funny those things we carry with us for years. Being over 50 is pretty amazing! Thanks for sharing. And, thanks Sam for having Leanne share!
I’m so glad you enjoyed reading Leanne’s story, I believe it relates to many peoples’ stories. Her honesty is what makes her a beautiful writer. Thank you Lisa for taking the time the read and comment 🙂
Hi Lisa – that whole ‘people pleasing’ thing seems to belong to women of our generation. Once we learn that we’re allowed to have some boundaries then life just starts getting better. I still want people to like me and I still want to help where I can, but I’m learning to untie my self-worth from that way of thinking. Glad you’re figuring it out too x
Hi Christie – my 50’s started with more or a whimper than a bang – so I didn’t feel that I could whitewash it and pretend to have had it all figured out by the halfway mark. I’m happy to say that I’m a work in progress – but I am definitely progressing…..so onwards and upwards!
Hi Sam, Leanne’s a great example of ‘growing old gracefully’. I sometimes wish I had her wisdom, too. Maybe it will come as I age. 🙂 Leanne is such a lovely and kind person, thank you for featuring her in your blog, I always love reading about her. 🙂
Thank you Cheryl for reading and commenting. You’re so right, Leanne’s beautiful personality shines through her words 😊
Hi Sam, We have been unplugged and I am enjoying catching up reading my favourite blogs.
Wonderful to see, Leanne here. She is an inspiration to many. Like you say, wonderful, heartfelt and personal stories. I enjoyed learning more about you. The pictures of the granddaughters and you and your husband are heartwarming. I agree with you how blogging has been a “godsend” especially this year.
Thank you for inspiring me to live my best life. xx Erica
Thank you Erica for reading. Leanne is a definite inspiration 🙂