Meet Margaret - One of the defineyourself.ca women!

I had a chance this week to chat with Margaret, one of the engaging women you’ll meet in the first webisode.

Like all the women, she is self-assured, funny, open, and has her own perspective on aging that I think echos what many of us feel about aging, beauty and society.

I wanted to ask her what it’s been like to be a part of this process and what the reaction was from her friends and family when she told them she was be embarking on this journey. The interview is posted here, I would love to hear your comments and share with the rest of the community, so please be sure to send them in!

It’s swimsuit season…gulp!

It’s inevitable that as spring approaches we are inundated with “get your best body now” and “101 swimsuits to hide those flaws” coverage in television talk shows, magazines and newspapers. True, as a Canadian having lived or worked on both coasts, having weather warm enough to wear a swimsuit in, is fairly exciting. What always gets me is the messaging directed at women. There may be many of us who feel comfortable flaunting our post-baby/post- 20’s/post-surgery, bodies around at a cottage or resort in the summer, but for those that do not look forward to it with the same ease, it does not mean we live in abject fear of the occasion.A great friend of mine, in her mid 50’s will be the first to admit her shape and skin tone have definitely changed as she has aged, but she’s athletic, takes great care of herself (she’s training for a marathon this year) and sees no reason why she needs to run and hide herself in a basic black one-piece with a “skirt”. “My kids, who are in their 20’s are always a little taken aback when I unveil my new suit for the summer - I’m not comfortable in a bikini (but good for anyone at my age who is!) - but I like bright coloured, sexy swimwear, and I make no apologies for it! “The irony here of course is that as more and more women are taking care of themselves, exercising and eating right and are proud of how they look as they age, the sun is making it less and less of a good idea to flaunt it all. We may all end up in ‘adult-sized’ sun-safe one-piece suits (one of my favourite Canadian retailers, MEC - www.mec.ca currently makes great ones for infants and children) someday soon!

Welcome to Defineyourself!

Hello, and welcome to the defineyourself.ca blog!

Just a little about me, your friendly blog moderator. I’m a recently married, 36 years old, about to have my second child, and definitely notice the signs of aging on my face (not to mention my energy level!) I’m an admitted sceptic, somewhat cynical about most things, but would like to think I am open-minded at the same time (it’s possible to be all those things at the same time, right?!). I’m really looking forward to hearing from all of you, and getting an idea of how Canadian women truly feel about aging.

In some ways this is the best time in my life, and I hope that remains the same over the coming years and decades - are you feeling the same? Join me as we uncover what makes us really excited, hopeful, angry and yes, secretly curious, about aging and all the options out there! Take a look at our first webisode, and then click on “Meet the Women” to learn more about this group of women individually - you may see yourself, or someone you know - in each of them.

Our next webisode launches on May 1st, and I am as interested as the rest of you to learn what happens next on their journey. So be sure to stay tuned and if you’re like me and will never remember a date unless it’s engraved on your wrist, sign up to receive each webisode as they are released! I hope you’ve had a chance to go through the site and look at all the features We are looking to build a community of active participants who can really add a voice to the topics we are covering here, so send us your comments, sign up for the newsletter, send us your videos and let us know how YOU feel!

In our next post we’ll hear from one of the women we are following and learn what brought her to want to participate and what this experience has been like for her so far.

Alison

Au natural?

I recently noticed Janet Gretzky on the latest cover of Chatelaine, and all I can say is, ‘wow’. For a woman who is 46 with five kids, and an undoubtedly busy lifestyle (though I am sure she has help - nanny/cook etc.) she looks fantastic. I’m not sure about you, but now that we are all so well-versed in how magazine covers are manipulated using photoshop or even stand-ins on occasion (a celebrity’s face on someone else’s body) I’m a little more jaded. I’m not implying Janet Gretzky does not look that good in person, she’s always been a very attractive woman, but it’s a bit comforting to know that it likely took a cast of many (hair, makeup, wardrobe and perhaps a graphic designer back at the magazine office!) to get her looking that good.

Just think if we had that kind of help everytime we stepped out the front door….!