61, Fearless, and Just Getting Started: Meet Midlife Advocate Honor Marks

At 61, Honor Marks is proof that reinvention doesn’t come with an expiration date. Living in France, Honor wears many hats. She owns and runs a successful gîte business, providing self-catering holiday accommodation, while also leading a mission much closer to her heart: helping women navigate midlife with confidence, connection, and a healthy dose of magic, while inspiring women through her cheerful Instagram page.

Building a Community for Midlife Women

As the founder of ‘Magical Midlife Retreats’ and the ‘Magical Midlife Membership,’ Honor has created vibrant communities where women aged 40 to 81 can come together to share experiences, support one another, and celebrate this often-overlooked stage of life. Her philosophy is simple: no woman should have to face life’s challenges alone.

“I fully support and want to be supportive of all women going through life,” she says to CrunchyTales. “At every stage there are challenges, and we shouldn’t have to do it alone.“

Honor’s commitment to lifting up women is deeply personal. Divorced and raising her daughter on her own from the age of 12, she knows firsthand the resilience that life often demands. Today, her daughter is 23, and Honor channels that same determination into creating safe spaces where women can show up exactly as they are. Her online community has become a sanctuary for women seeking friendship, encouragement, and understanding. Through retreats, membership groups, and her candid social media presence, Honor has built a platform rooted in honesty and compassion.

What Getting Older Has Taught Honor Marks

When asked about ageing, Honor doesn’t sugarcoat it. “Look, I’m not going to lie. I don’t love getting older. But there’s nothing I can do about it. I just wish I had all this knowledge, wisdom, and confidence when I was younger so I would have longer on this planet to make my mark.“

Yet there is no sense of regret in her words, only purpose. At 61, she feels she is just getting started. “I am only 61, so there’s still plenty of time to try to influence women to be kind to themselves and supportive of others, especially younger women who are questioning everything at this time.“

Perhaps surprisingly for someone who inspires so many women, Honor isn’t a fan of self-help books. “I love reading, but I forget almost everything I’ve read afterwards,” she says. “Sometimes I don’t even remember the title while I’m reading it. But I do hate self-help books.”

If she could offer advice to her younger self, it would be wonderfully straightforward: “You’re going to be all the things you hope to be—wise, confident, capable. So start being that now.” And trust that midlife won’t diminish you, it will refine you.

Humour is one of Honor’s superpowers, and nowhere is that more apparent than in the story of her younger self. At 19, brimming with confidence, she ran a kissogram company. “It was innocent, I promise,” she says. “I lost that confidence as I got older. I have it back again now, but I don’t think anyone would pay me £25 to turn up at their birthday party and kiss them on the cheek wearing a basque and fishnet stockings… mind you…“

Helping Women Thrive in Midlife and Beyond

That blend of honesty, humour, and vulnerability is exactly why women are drawn to Honor. She doesn’t pretend to have all the answers. Instead, she creates spaces where women can ask questions, share stories, and discover that they’re stronger together. Whether she’s hosting a retreat in France or cheering someone on from her online community, her message remains the same: your story is still unfolding, and some of the best chapters may be yet to come.

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