Courtesy of Christina Daves
- I spent most of my life following the rules and taking care of my kids.
- When I entered my 50s, I finally started building a brand and career that's completely mine.
- I love where I'm at and finally living my dreams, so I have no plans to retire.
When people ask me when I plan to retire, they usually expect a number: 62, 65, maybe 70.
My answer tends to stop them in their tracks: Never.
I have no plans to retire, and it's not because I can't afford to retire —nor is it that I'm afraid to slow down.
I have no retirement plans because my life and career didn't truly begin to unfold until my 50s. I feel like I'm finally getting into the swing of things, and I'm excited to see where my career will go next.
I spent decades doing what I was 'supposed' to do
Like many women, I followed the traditional playbook for most of my adult life. I built a career, raised two kids, showed up for my family, and did the responsible thing year after year.
For a long time, my identity revolved around being needed at home, at school, at sports, at work, everywhere.
Then my kids grew up and moved out. The house got quieter. And for the first time in decades, I had space to ask a question I hadn't considered in years: What do I want now?
My most fulfilling work began after 50
What happened next surprised me. In my 50s, I launched a podcast with over 600,000 downloads. I became a regular television co-host and lifestyle contributor. I started writing for national outlets.
I built a platform centered on women over 50 and the idea that midlife isn't a decline; it's an awakening.
None of this was part of a carefully mapped plan. It happened because I finally stopped waiting for permission.
I stopped telling myself it was "too late." I stopped assuming the best years were behind me. I stopped shrinking my ambition to fit someone else's idea of what women my age should want.
I feel more equipped now than ever before
One of the biggest myths about aging is that ambition fades. In my experience, it becomes more intentional.
By the time you reach your 50s, you've lived enough life to know what doesn't matter. You've weathered disappointment. You've survived heartbreak. You've made mistakes and kept going anyway. That perspective changes how you show up.
Courtesy of Christina Daves
I take more risks now because I trust myself more. I care less about external validation. And I'm far more willing to say yes to things that light me up and no to things that don't.
That confidence didn't come from youth. It came from experience.
I don't see the next decades as the beginning of an ending. I see them as chapters filled with curiosity, contribution, and creativity.
I want to keep learning. I want to keep creating. I want to keep building meaningful work.
Retirement wouldn't be a reward for me
For many people, retirement is a reward. It's a long-awaited escape from work that drained them. I understand that, but I'm not running from my work. I'm running toward it.
I've intentionally designed a career that excites me, challenges me creatively, and allows me to grow. The work I do now feels aligned in a way it never did in my earlier years — when I was juggling everything and everyone else.
Why would I want to step away from something that finally feels like mine?
I can't wait to see what comes next
If my 50s taught me anything, it's that the timeline we're given is outdated.
Life doesn't peak at 30 or 40. Purpose doesn't expire at 50 or 60. Ambition doesn't have an age limit.
I don't know exactly what my work will look like in my 60s, 70s, or 80s, and that excites me.
What I do know is this: I'm not done building, I'm not done learning, and I'm certainly not done contributing.