This conversation has legs. And sequins. And a woman driving 140 miles an hour at age 70. What more could we possibly want? What if the biggest thing standing between you and the life you really want isn't your age, your circumstances, or even your bank account? What if it's all the stuff—and all the outdated beliefs—you've been carrying around for years? Oh, girlfriend, buckle up. This conversation is going to make you look at your closets, your calendar, your relationships, and maybe even your entire life a little differently! Rita Wilkins is an author, speaker, interior designer, lifestyle designer, and a woman who knows a thing or two about reinventing yourself after 50, 60, and beyond. Rita spent more than four decades helping people create beautiful homes filled with beautiful things. But after a life-changing trip to Senegal, West Africa, where she witnessed people living joyfully with very few possessions, she began questioning everything she thought she knew about happiness and success. Eventually, she made a radical decision. She downsized from a 5,000-square-foot home to an 867-square-foot apartment and gave away 95% of her belongings. And guess what? She didn't lose her life. She got more of it back. Rita and I talk about the invisible baggage women carry—the expectations of our parents, our children, our partners, our communities, and even the younger versions of ourselves. We ask some pretty provocative questions. Who decided that a widow shouldn't fall in love again? Who says a woman in her 70s can't start a business, travel the world, or race a car at 140 miles an hour? And why do we keep holding on to houses, relationships, routines, and identities that no longer make us happy? One of my favorite moments is when Rita introduces the idea of prototyping your life. Think about it. When you're redesigning a kitchen, you don't have to knock down every wall before exploring your options. You look at possibilities. You experiment. You discover what you like. Why shouldn't we approach our lives the same way? You don't have to sell your house tomorrow, book a one-way ticket to Italy, or announce that you're becoming a professional belly dancer. (Although if that's your dream, honey, get yourself some sequins!) You can start small. Try something new. Take a class. Visit a different place. Make a new friend. Rediscover something you loved before you became so busy taking care of everybody else. We also explore Rita's wonderful reverse bucket list—a way of looking backward to remember the activities, passions, and experiences that once made you feel truly alive. Because sometimes the answer to "What do I want to do next?" is hiding in something you loved doing when you were 17. And then there's that sneaky little word that has stolen more dreams than we'd care to admit. Someday. Someday I'll travel. Someday I'll make new friends. Someday I'll write that book. Someday I'll finally do something just for me. Well, Rita and I have a little news for you: Someday doesn't magically arrive. You have to decide to make it happen. Of course, we also get into the tender stuff. Widowhood. Loneliness. Starting over. The fear of making changes when you've spent decades building a life that suddenly doesn't fit anymore. And here's something important: Saying YES to yourself doesn't mean you have to rush. Grief has its own timeline. Reinvention has its own timeline. You get to decide when you're ready. But you also deserve to know that your life is still full of possibility. That's one of the reasons I started the Pink Lady Posse in the first place. After moving to a tiny town, far from the people I knew, I realized that if I was feeling lonely, other women probably were too. I wanted a posse. Women who would show up for each other, laugh together, encourage each other, and remind one another that life isn't over just because we've collected a few birthdays. Rita feels the same way. Whether she's speaking to women about downsizing, writing books, meeting new friends at coffee shops, or encouraging someone to try something they've always dreamed about, her message is clear: You can design a life you love, no matter what chapter you're in. Your best days don't have to be behind you. And you don't need anybody's permission to make the next ones fabulous. 💕 Join the free Pink Lady Posse Facebook community:https://www.facebook.com/pinkladyposse 🌸 Connect with Rita Wilkins and explore her books, videos, and lifestyle design resources: https://www.designservicesltd.com/ 🌸 Connect with Rita Wilkins and explore her books, videos, and lifestyle design resources: [ And if this conversation makes you think of a girlfriend who's been putting herself last for far too long, send it to her. Because women who refuse to disappear should stick together. Lipstick on. Shoulders back. Let's go! xo, Sandy
