Farewell 2025: 5 Lessons Learned and 5 New Year Intentions for Women Over 50
By the time we reach our 50s and beyond, we’ve lived enough life to know that growth doesn’t always come from doing more, it often comes from doing less, choosing better, and listening more deeply to ourselves. As 2025 draws to a close, we asked a group of inspiring women, experts in psychology, style, spirituality, and radical aging, to reflect on the lessons that shaped their year and the intentions guiding them into 2026.
What emerged is a powerful roadmap for midlife and beyond: one rooted in presence, courage, connection, and purpose.
Lesson 1: You Don’t Have to Do It All
For Dr. Sara Margolin, Associate Professor and Director of the MA in Psychology Program at SUNY Brockport, and an aging expert, the biggest lesson of 2025 was a liberating one: limits are not failures.
Intention: Protect Your Energy and Your Joy
“The most important thing I’ve learned this year is that I can’t do it all. As a working mother of two, with hobbies, a rich life, and a mind that doesn’t stop, it’s very easy to say yes to all the things – she explains-. But, the more I say yes to, the less time I have to enjoy the things I’ve said agreed to do“.
Her insight speaks directly to women 50+, many of whom juggle careers, family, caregiving for aging parents, relationships, and passions. The constant motion, she warns, is a fast track to burnout.
Dr. Margolin’s intention for the new year is simple but profound: slow down, say no more often, and fully savor the moments that truly matter. “Saying no is crucial. Picking the things that give me the most joy, feed my soul the most, and foster the work and family life I want are going to be the most impactful. If I don’t, I risk not enjoying anything – she continues-. So, in the new year, I plan on slowing down to enjoy the things I’ve said yes to, say no to more things, and cherish the moments that make my life beautiful“.
Because when we choose what feeds our soul, we create a life we can actually enjoy.
Lesson 2: Life Is Better Lived in Real Time
Sometimes wisdom arrives by accident. For Christina Steinorth Powell, licensed psychotherapist and author of Cue Cards for Men and Cue Cards for Life, it arrived when her phone stopped working during a trip to London.
Intention: Be More Present—in Body and Mind
“The best lesson I learned this year was to not take my phone with me when I go out. I learned this lesson when we were in London earlier this year – she says-. When we got to the UK, my phone didn’t work (apparently, I didn’t have an international phone plan or something like that). For 16 days, I didn’t have my phone with me, and I loved every second of it. On that trip I lived life in real time, not through the eyes of a screen. It was fabulous!”
The experience was so transformative that she no longer takes her phone with her when she goes out. Calls and texts can wait. Presence cannot.
“Now, I never take my phone with me when I go anywhere. If someone wants to call or text, they can reach me at home—just like they did twenty-five ago“.
Looking ahead to 2026, Christina’s intention is also physical: recommitting to strength training, movement, and mindful eating. “I’m going to get in the best shape possible. It’s so incredibly easy at this age to over indulge in food and not exercise enough to keep the pounds away. In 2026, I’m going to get back to weight training, move more and eat less“.
Lesson 3: Growth Begins When You Choose Yourself
For The Fearless Fashionista and style strategist Lauren Simmonds, 2025 was a year of courageous reinvention. After 35 years in the corporate world, she stepped away to grow her own business full time.
Intention: Trust Your Instincts and Build Boldly
“One of the most meaningful lessons 2025 taught me is that growth begins when you commit to working on yourself – she explains-. Investing in your development, skills, and inner life build a sense of confidence that propels you to take risks, live more authentically, and speak your truth. Earlier this year, I left a 35-year corporate career to grow my business full time”.
That leap wasn’t impulsive. It was built on years of preparation, “sharpening my skills, building my brand, and investing in myself.”
Her lesson is one many women 50+ are embracing: self-investment fuels confidence, and confidence fuels courage. “Courage creates momentum. When you take yourself seriously and begin to trust your instincts, new opportunities tend to meet you there”
Lauren’s intention for 2026 is to keep choosing herself: creatively, professionally, and personally. “As I move into this next chapter, my intention is to keep choosing myself and continue building. I hope other women feel encouraged to do the same“.
Lesson 4: Connection Is Deeper When We Hear Each Other
A simple moment can spark big realization. For Becky Blue, author of and Spiritual Soul Sister, that moment arrived early one morning when an old friend sent a text.
Instead of typing a reply, she followed her instinct and picked up the phone. What unfolded was an hour-long conversation rich with laughter, warmth, and genuine connection, an experience that reminded her that the deepest connections still come from actually hearing one another.
Intention: Bring Back the Phone Call
“A text message from an old friend a few weeks ago stopped me in my tracks and sparked a question that lingered: when did people decide to stop calling each other? – she reflects- It was around 8 am and I hadn’t had my coffee yet. I just wasn’t up to typing the answers to his questions so I just called him. No warning, no texted request, I just simply called him. It ended up being an almost hour long call with both he and his wife and it was delightful!”
Research backs up the feeling: voice calls release oxytocin, the happy hormone, in ways texting simply doesn’t. “Voice calls allow you to respond with more empathy – Becky says-. I value hearing the tone of someone’s voice. Sometimes our emoji options just don’t hit the mark“.
So her intention for 2026 is to “drop the texting and embrace the chatting that an old school phone call can deliver. Happiness and all the feels ahead!”
For women 50+, it’s a reminder that old-school connection still holds deep emotional power and joy.
Lesson 5: Let Go Without Guilt
For Mariann Aalda, actress, TEDx speaker, and Radical Age Disruptor, 2025 aligned perfectly with the symbolism of the Year of the Snake: shedding what no longer serves.
Intention: Step Boldly Into Purpose
“A friend of mine who knows about Chinese Astrology said that 2025 was the Year of the Snake, which is associated with the shedding of whatever no longer serves us, along with deep introspection on what needs to change. Whereas, 2026, the Year of the Fire Horse, is marked by bold action and transformative energy – she says-. Taking this into consideration, my big lesson in 2025 was learning to let go of habits, situations , and in some cases, people, that were dragging me down, without guilt“.
Looking ahead to 2026, the Year of the Fire Horse, Mariann sees bold action and transformative energy. Her intention? “To invest this new available energy wisely and boldly in serving my passion and purpose to change the narrative on women and ageing as an act“.
New Year Intentions: A Collective Wisdom for Women 50+
Together, these reflections weave a powerful truth: this chapter of life isn’t driven by doing more, but by doing what truly matters. It’s about saying no with confidence, putting the phone down to be fully present, choosing yourself without guilt, reaching for deeper connection, letting go of what no longer serves you, and stepping boldly into a life shaped by purpose and intention.
At CrunchyTales, 2025 made one thing crystal clear: storytelling isn’t just something we do, it’s how community is built. When women 50+ feel truly seen, genuinely heard, and openly celebrated, something remarkable happens. Conversations go deeper, confidence rises and that quiet sense of isolation so many of us have carried begins to loosen its grip.
As we step into 2026, our intention is both simple and bold. We want to keep creating a space where women can speak honestly about aging, growth, reinvention, and joy, without apology, without filters, and without the pressure to “have it all figured out.” We’re here to amplify real voices, encourage meaningful connection, and remind every woman in this community that her story matters now, not just in hindsight.
So as the new year begins, we invite you to pause and reflect with us. What are you ready to let go of? What deserves your protection? And where will you choose to invest your time, energy, and heart?
Because this chapter of life calls us forward, not into the background, inviting us to show up with confidence, speak with clarity, and live boldly, together.
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