Next month, I’ll be turning sixty. It’s a milestone that feels less like “getting older” and more like finally arriving. For the first time in my life, I’m standing on a threshold where I’m not looking for a house to renovate or a team to manage—I’m just looking at the life I’ve built, and for once, I’m letting myself be happy in it.
For decades, my identity was wrapped up in being a “fixer.” I was an Estate Agency Manager, a job that I still think is the best in the world . Estate Agency has a bad reputation but I was truly an honest estate agent and loved matching people with their new homes – a sort of property version of Blind Date 😂 We also had our own property company . I knew how to see the potential in a ruin and how to manage the chaos of a construction site. I was always someone’s daughter, Mum, wife girlfriend and now I’m trying to be just me.
But whilst renovating houses, dealing with tenants and careers, I was often fighting a silent battle within. I lived with a persistent, nagging feeling of never being “good enough” and a habit of believing that everything—every struggle, every setback—was somehow my fault and also being made to feel that way
Reclaiming My Truth
For a long time, I allowed the negative things said about me to become my own internal voice. Those words knocked my confidence and made me feel small, even when I was achieving big things. But as I approach sixty, I am finally learning to stop believing the lies and start believing in myself.
I’ve realized that the people who try to tear others down are usually the ones who are hurting or insecure themselves. I’ve made a conscious choice to be the opposite: to be a builder of people. I want to use my voice to lift others up, not to repeat the patterns of the past.
Love is a Verb: Actions Speak Louder
If life has taught me anything, it’s that actions speak so much louder than words. It’s easy to say you care, but it’s another thing entirely to show it. I’ve learned the importance of making people feel truly loved—not just through a text or a card, but through being there, showing up, and giving of yourself.
I’ve found that giving is so much better than receiving. There is a deep, quiet soul-satisfaction in being the person who helps someone else feel seen and valued.
Watching Them Fly
My two daughters are my heart’s greatest joy. Watching them carve out their own lives is a beautiful, bittersweet transition.
Seeing them find their own paths and their own independence is the ultimate proof that despite the storms, I did a beautiful job. I’m proud of them
I hope I’ve shown them that love isn’t just something you say—it’s something you do. I hope they remember the quote my parents and grandparents taught me to thine own self be true.
At the end of the day always be you not mould yourself into someone other people want you to be.
Listen to your inner voice and most importantly value your self and protect your own self worth. Live the life you want to live and always believe in yourself .
The Shadows and the Strength
I carried the weight of “blame” through the darkest chapters of my journey toward motherhood—through IVF, an early miscarriage, and the profound grief of a stillbirth. But standing here now, I can see the truth: I wasn’t failing; I was surviving. I was showing a level of resilience.
Finding My Way to the Light
After the dust of my separation settled, life brought me Lance. I wasn’t looking for love , I was too emotionally bruised but it found me .
Together, we’ve discovered a kind of happiness that is beautifully simple.
We laugh, we can be completely daft with one another, and we’ve learned to embrace the quiet joy of the “right now.” We love theatre , travel, live music and just “being”
We’ve also become “cat parents” in the most accidental, lovely way. We didn’t go out looking for them; they all found us.
There is something so special about a creature choosing you as their safe harbor. They’ve become a huge part of our home, reminding us daily to live in the moment.
The “Sixty” Philosophy: Truth and Kindness
The biggest gift of this birthday? I’ve officially retired from caring what outsiders think. I spent too many years worrying about an invisible audience. Now, I know that as long as I am true to myself, their opinions are just noise.
My guiding light is simple: Be kind. Treat people exactly how you want to be treated. I’ve found peace in the morning at the gym and a different kind of creativity in my kitchen. I’m no longer renovating houses; I’m nurturing a soul.
Final Thoughts
I spent years managing properties, but I’ve finally learned to manage my own happiness. Sixty isn’t about slowing down; it’s about finally being light enough to fly because I’ve set down the burdens that weren’t mine to carry. Here’s to laughter, to Lance, to the cats that found us, to my incredible daughters, and to finally knowing that I am more than enough.
LCChaosandhome 