Life Begins At 60! Chapter 1

Below, I’m sharing the Foreword and Chapter 1 of my book, Life Begins At 60!

I wrote this book to inspire women of all ages to start living their best lives, TODAY! It’s really not just about turning 60 (even though that’s where I was at when I wrote the book). Instead, it’s about making small changes in your life that can start a transformation immediately.

In the book, I share all of my secrets for how to turn your life from blah to bliss!

I hope you enjoy it, and if you do, you can grab your own copy here! Without further ado, here is the foreword and the first chapter from Life Begins At 60!

Foreword by Serena Brown Travis

In youth we learn; in age we understand.

– Unknown

In Life Begins at 60, Ruth Verbree has a clear, fresh, and renewed perspective and understanding on life itself. The principles just beyond this page unapologetically highlight some of her most embarrassing mistakes, life’s tender moments, and most importantly, focus on mental successes, emotional advancements, and dismantling physical limitations. Life Begins at 60 upends any notion of retirement or the mundane idea of waiting for life to pass by. Ruth Verbree teaches all of us how to restart our lives again no matter what circumstances we may face.

There are plenty of books on life lessons, tragedy to triumph, and success, but this one is different. Life Begins at 60 is an upbeat approach to help each reader grow through Ruth’s transparency at some of her most challenging years of life. Some stories are uncomfortable yet we know growth happens when we are in the valleys of life, buried in soil, and surrounded by darkness. And other discoveries help to reassure, encourage, and motivate each of us to become the best versions of ourselves.

Life Begins at 60 is full of dare and adventure which requires us to commit to greatness, consciously pursue new goals, and stretch ourselves beyond self-sabotaging limits. Some people are comfortable with average and others avoid living a better life beyond what is considered the norm but Ruth believes you can become a better person than you were yesterday; that’s a good start.

As the daughter of the legendary motivational speaker, Les Brown, this masterpiece has given me a renewed focus and jolt of excitement for everyday living. I realize there are areas in my life needing a revival. Life Begins at 60 reminds me to continue to love myself, accept my flaws, and to work on becoming better on a daily basis. The richness, depth, and Ruth’s honestly make Life Begins at 60 a true gem of wisdom and priceless insight. I am blessed to have read every page and can only pray I can be like Ruth when I grow up.

Warning: Anyone who finishes this book, a change is bound to occur, and a new life will begin for you right now. 

Serena Brown Travis

www.serenabrowntravis.com

Age should not have its face lifted, but it should rather teach the world to admire wrinkles as the etchings of experience and the firm line of character.

– Ralph B. Perry

Introduction

Dear Holly, 

My name is Ruth. We’ve never met, but I’m a friend of Cara’s. 

About a year ago she and I got together for lunch and spent hours chatting and connecting over lattes and shared misery. I am 60 years old, and Cara is right on my heels. We couldn’t believe how similar our lives had become, and not in ways we appreciated. We had both found ourselves feeling unfulfilled, without purpose, and unhappy. At 60, we knew it was time to start enjoying life again. 

It had been years since we’d seen each other. Casual chit-chat didn’t last long, and time seemed to slow down as we fell back into the comfortable rhythm of friendship. It was as  if we had never left each other’s side. If you have ever had one of those moments with an old friend, you know the kind of elation that comes with it. A sense of relief, safety, and excitement, all at the same time. 

Cara and I go deep immediately, and soon discover that we are in the same boat. We were both stuck feeling lonely – yes, lonely! Two souls, connected by the past, and connected still, both burdened by loneliness—and why? We were both happily married, so to speak…but we know something is missing. We shouldn’t be lonely. We should have been living our best lives by this point! We ought to be travelling the world, experiencing the things we always dreamed of, loving and laughing all through our 60s. 

Neither of us was doing what we wanted to do. Cara was burning herself out, working full-time outside of her home… and me? I was working madly to get my entrepreneurial life off of the ground. So far, it felt as if all I’d done was spin my wheels and spend my hard-earned retirement money on coaches who were promising me results, only I had yet to see my success. 

That was about a year or so ago, and since then so much has changed. 

Let me tell you a little bit about who I am. I am an international, award-winning author and speaker, and I have been fortunate to share the stage with megabrand names such as Les Brown, Bob Proctor, Dr. Joe Vitalie, Jack Canfield, and many other great speakers. But the best part of my journey has been the ability to help women all over the world realize that life begins at sixty. Together, we are finding recipes for joy, beginning and continuing to live a life of bliss rather than living in a world of blah. So here I am, ready to share with you exactly what happened when I met Cara that day and everything that’s changed since, all because she made the decision to follow the steps I have taken and incorporate my recipes for joy into her life. Now, we are both living life to the fullest, and she and I both know that “Life Begins at 60”! 

My question to you is this: what is it you really want to be doing? 

I want to help you make your sixties your best years yet. I was like Cara, lonely and blue, overweight, unhappy with life and with myself, until I discovered the blueprint to finding real and lasting joy. Once I discovered this, I realized this, I wasn’t stuck in my misery, and neither are you. Believe it or not, life can truly begin at sixty. 

I’m here to show you how. 

Over sixty percent of divorces are initiated by women in their menopausal years who are dissatisfied not only with their marriage, but their careers, friendships, sex lives, and the way they look and feel about themselves. 

Let me reassure you—if this is you, you’re not alone. The very point of this book is that life isn’t over for you. There is HOPE. Your passion for life is not lost forever. If you’re ready to start living a life of happiness and fulfillment, then you’re in the right place. 

After experiencing the change in my life and Cara’s, I decided to write this book to help women who were also in the same phase of life, because I know how you feel. I have been in your shoes and I’ve seen the other side. I want to help you reignite your passion for life like I have. 

Our circumstances may be vastly different, but I know our feelings will resonate. My story is honest and real, and I will take you through my ups and downs, the moments of laughter and heartbreak, anger and excitement in my own life. Don’t worry—I will not hold back the juicy details, and trust me when I say I have some provocative moments coming up. 

I plan to keep you on the edge of your seat as we go through this journey together. I have my own opinions, and trust you do as well (we’re menopausal women!), but ultimately I have learned experience and wisdom to share with you. You may not want to admit just how much mine and Cara’s story relates to yours, but I guarantee that as you go through this book, you will hear yourself saying things like: “Yes, that’s me! I feel the exact same way. I didn’t even realize I felt that way!” 

This story will inspire you. You will likely laugh, cry, and feel relieved, maybe all at once. 

I will share real moments, even the most flirtatious ones, things that most women prefer to keep locked up deep inside themselves. Intimate stories and details will be revealed and come alive instead of being kept secret. 

Now, does this sound familiar at all? You’re exhausted. Burned out! The hot flashes practically kill you, and you’ve tried everything to hide the wrinkles that keep on getting deeper. You feel sluggish and stuck in a rut; you’re sick of living in a cycle that brings no satisfaction. Your life, as you can best describe it, feels totally blah…meaningless. 

Let’s go back in time for a moment. I want you to imagine your wedding day once again; you remember the date and time. (Mine was May 15, 11a.m. That’s one date you’ll never forget!) 

Remember the morning of your wedding day? Remember how you felt when you first awoke. What did you do in those early hours? Probably you were somewhat nervous, excited; you were feeling a rush and a range of emotions. Maybe you felt confident. Maybe you had second thoughts. Regardless of it, the day happened. You went through with the ceremony. Picture that moment…that day. Visualize the venue, whether it was a tropical beach or a packed-out church. Did everything go according to plan? Were there funny moments, stressful mishaps? Did everyone make it on time? What do you remember?

Getting ready for your wedding day is an experience like no other. Your hair, makeup, nails, and even the breakfast you ate that day are memories that can’t be erased. 

Of course, we can’t forget the dress. Ohhh, the dress—whether a ballroom gown or a bohemian-style lace dress, you were breathtaking, and you knew it. Take yourself back to that first moment, gazing at yourself in the mirror, ready to walk down the aisle. 

Never in your life has so much effort and money gone into one event, but it’s worth it. Today you’re a princess, and you’re about to spend the rest of your life with your Prince Charming. Smile. Remember the joy of it. 

Now flash forward to today. Take a look in the mirror. Who do you see now? And what goes through your mind?

“I’ve changed so much.” 

“I’m overweight!” 

“I look so old.” 

“I have so many wrinkles.”

“I don’t look happy.”

“I hate my cellulite.”

“I wish I still looked like…” 

I want to remind you that, deep within, you are still that beautiful young woman! You’re in there. In fact, the beauty you hold today carries far more meaning than it did back then. The woman you are now has grown and lived and endured more than that young girl could have ever dreamed of. You have so much more to give now than ever before. You have more wisdom, more colour, more creativity, more compassion, more time, more beauty, more love, and more wrinkles to prove it. There really is a higher calling, a purpose, a mission for your life than the one you feel stuck in right now. Well this rut is about to end! You are again in the preparation stage for another huge life adventure. You’re about to take off, to make a change, to go down the aisle, so get ready to put on your gown! Things will never be the same. 

Each step we will take together is like a stepping stone across a river. Think of it like a roadmap to bliss. This guide will take you from wherever you are this moment to a life filled with real joy, a life that begins at sixty (or whatever age you are at today). 

Before we get started, though, I want to share one more story with you—this is the story of a woman named Josie. At fifty-nine, Josie had been married for almost forty years. Despite a long relationship, she felt miserable, alone, and unhappy in her marriage. 

To be frank, Josie had lost her zest for life and for sex. She refused to stay this way, and asked her husband to come out dancing with her and hit the town. He said no, but that didn’t stop Josie. 

She spent all day getting ready (the anticipation is half the fun), got her nails done, and bought a new outfit. She felt confident. She grabbed a girlfriend, and they decided they would have a night of fun on their own. 

Before long, they hit the lounge and were dancing the night away. They were making new friends and enjoying the music, and for the first time in a long time Josie felt free and happy. That anticipation, joy, and excitement that she remembered from her wedding day reappeared – it was exhilarating. 

She suddenly realized that she hadn’t lost her ability to enjoy life; she had just kept her joy locked up for years, like being in a prison. Josie felt confident and attractive and was approached by different men asking her to dance. She was tempted to indulge, enjoy the moment and get her hormones flowing, but she thought of her husband at home. So she finally left to go home—but she took her renewed desire and mindset with her. You can imagine what transpired that night when she got home… a sexual encounter reignited!

After just one amazing night, her passion was back. Now, you and I both know that there is more to life and feeling purposeful than just sex, but for Josie this was the first step moving forward. 

I encourage you to take my invitation to join myself and many other women on this journey together. To hear stories of others just like you who chose to do so, who have found the kind of life they’d stopped dreaming of.

It’s time to change your life, to stop settling, and to experience the greatest happiness that life has to offer today – Life really does begin at sixty!

Make sure to grab a copy from Amazon to read the rest of Life Begins At 60! Thanks for all of your support!
Amazon.ca – Life Begins At 60!
Amazon.com – Life Begins At 60!

Blessings,
Ruth Verbree