Time changes everything– our bodies and our perspective.
For this Fierce After Forty Participant, the act of showing up to her photography session took her on a journey of profound introspection and toward self-acceptance. Once a self-inflicted victim of ageism, this Spark Alumni is learning to overcome ageism in her thought patterns to participate in this project. Self-described as full of humor and love, she is now choosing to lean into her softness, fierce ability to love, and desire to make the world a better place.
Read on to hear more about her inspirational journey in her own words.
“Fierce is an Unrelenting Determination.”
“To me, the word “fierce” brings to mind passion, unrelenting determination, strength, a warrior, putting something else before yourself or your own gain. I see fierceness as an undetermined passion that directs you to do things to do good.”
A Story of Overcoming
“I am proud of overcoming the judgments from other people and the “failures” I’ve experienced. Those “failures” have been challenging to overcome, but I’ve taken charge of things in my life that would have broken a lot of people.”
“I don’t know that I would have been as fierce as I currently am if I didn’t have my daughters, not only to demonstrate for them what it means to be fierce but also to protect and to show that this is who we are.”
Valuing Time Alone
“At this stage in my life, I value spending time with myself in a way I never did in my earlier years. I’m finding the joy in being with myself and enjoying things in life alone. I no longer have to be with other people to be whole.”
Making the World a Better Place
“At well over forty, I want others to know that beauty comes from inside. That’s what I want to be remembered by my heart.”
“I’m looking forward to making warm memories with my family, my kids, and my grandchildren. I’m still looking for a way to change the world and make it a better place. I know I want to embrace the things that I have held back from because I’ve had to work to support my kids and raise my family. There are a lot of things that I’m passionate about that can help change the world to make it a better place. That’s what I want to do in the future.”
“My Fierceness is My Ability to Love.”
“I chose to participate in the Fierce After Forty project because the word fierce resonated with me and I have been afraid of age. Ageism has been a really hard thing for me, and I’ve never wanted to be a number over a number (ex. 40 over 40). So, when I heard fierce, I knew that I wanted to tap into that about myself at any age. But knowing that I can be fierce over 60– it’s like, “Hell, yeah!”
“The journey to come today has been about learning to understand what fierce ferocity looks like for me. I’ve decided that it’s my ability to love. I’ll be fierce with love for my family and everybody. I don’t want anyone to be without love. Even walking down the street, if I see somebody who needs help or someone looking sad, if I can smile at them and just let them feel like they’re seen – that’s a fierceness and a ferocity in my heart that I don’t want anybody to be without love. So, if I can give that, then that’s everything.”
Learning to Overcome Ageism
“Being a part of the Fierce After Forty Project has been a journey for me. Ageism is a huge thing for me. I haven’t felt or wanted to be seen as a woman over 50. I couldn’t even see myself. I turned the lights off if I was going in front of a mirror. I couldn’t see myself because I was so overwhelmed with the fact that I didn’t look a certain way anymore.”
“So, it has been a journey for me just to show up for this photography session. It has helped me to realize the things that are really, truly important–the things that have always been important, but aren’t what society tells you is important. I resonated with the idea of being both over forty and fierce because society says you’re valuable when you look young and are vital.”
“I’ve had to find within myself where my real value is. When I look back to my childhood, I think of how much I loved my grandparents, and they were squishy! They were so squishy. I could just crawl into their arms and feel so good and safe and loved. That’s life! I want to be remembered as that grandma. I want to be the person my grandchildren run to because I make them feel loved, safe, and special.”
Reflecting on Life
“If I could advise my former self, I would tell myself to follow my dreams a lot earlier and not listen to the crap others tell me. For years I believed in the thoughts of others instead of trusting myself to know and see my value.”
“I’m Not a Number!”
“Since stepping into my current decade, I’ve learned that I’m not a number. I have not lost strength in spirit, in energy, or in a desire to live. A lot of people think you give up on all these things as you get older. But, I don’t want to give up on anything! I’m not ready to be that person.
“Showing the Things I Love About Me”
“When I look at my Fierce After Forty Portrait, it looks into my soul and shows the things that I love about me. It shows my love for love. It shows my intention, deliberateness, and ferocity.”
“It’s very direct and talks to my spirit and says, “Fierce.” I would hope if someone were to look at that and ask, “Should I mess with her kids? They’d say, “Even though there’s a smile on her face and there’s kindness in her eyes, and angel wings on her back; Hell, no! No, she’ll cut you down with love.”
The Fierce After Forty Project, designed by Show Your Spark Photography Studio, seeks to highlight powerful women over Forty through photography and storytelling. In doing so, we inspire countless other women to embrace and celebrate their journey, bodies, and power – no matter their season of life.
If you want to show off your After Forty Fierceness, contact us today!
Remember, you are powerful, courageous, and one of a kind! Show Your Spark!
Here’s what to expect when you contact us!
- Schedule a free consultation call to have all your questions answered and start planning your Spark Experience.
- Select a Spark Session date that fits your schedule. (Studio located in Braintree, MA)
- Rock the session like the bright light that you are, and create beautiful, tangible artwork to inspire you for the rest of your life.
Remember, you are powerful, courageous, and one of a kind! Show Your Spark!
