When Barbie turns 60

She is 60 this year and still doesn’t have a single wrinkle. Blonde or brunette, slender or curvy, black or white, princess or president, Barbie is a forever favourite for young girls. And despite fierce competition in the toy industry, 58 million Barbies are sold each year in more than 150 countries.

Ok, she still might be a controversial figure: it looks like the message she conveys to girls is that the ideal woman is defined primarily by her attractiveness to men. Along these years, we also have to say she has been probably a bit obsessed with Botox and implants. But what made her an icon is not just that pretty face. Her secret? She evolved to keep up with the times and now she is living fearlessly the second act of her life, enjoying all the opportunity life can offer. We should do the same.

Wanted or not, we all carry a bit of Barbie inside of us and thinking of the way we used to play with her might help us to reconnect with our authentic self. Who was your favourite Barbie and why? Which was your favourite game and role play with her? Was it really important to have Ken around or were you mainly concentrated on her achievements, her goals, her dreams and -why not- her makeup or those special gigs to attend?

When we were very young we all loved to play with her long hair and we spent a lot of time in front of that pink closet full of gorgeous dresses and shoes to choose the right outfit for her. But most of all, let’s confess it: we have been always fascinated by all those endless possibilities of becoming whoever we wanted to be.

Now she is a lady of a certain age, she is turning even more adventurous. Why not follow her example? She reinvented her self as an artist, an explorer, an astronaut, a doctor, a lawyer, a dog sitter, a surfer. We can do that as well. Come on, unlock your potential: what would you tell to your inner Barbie?