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šŸ’Œ Inside This Week’s After Party - Aging Loudly

This week, we’re celebrating aging loudly, proudly, and unapologetically. From Paulina Porizkova’s fierce advocacy for aging in the spotlight, to embracing the power of your voice as you grow older, it’s time to own every moment.

šŸø Opening Toast

From the desk (more like dance floor!) of Robyn Cohen:

To the bold women aging like they mean it — loudly and proudly.

Here’s to those who refuse to shrink as the years pass. To those who wear every wrinkle, laugh line, and gray hair as a badge of honor. To the women who aren’t waiting for the quiet years, but are instead showing up, living fully, and refusing to let the world put them in a box.

For me, it all started when I turned 40 in August 2013.

At the time, my husband and I were living in SĆ£o Paulo, Brazil, and I decided to throw a huge birthday bash at my friend’s place. We were in the midst of celebrating my milestone, when little did we know, the party would soon get so out of control that the Rondas Ostensivas Tobias de Aguiar (ROTA), SĆ£o Paulo’s version of a SWAT team, showed up outside!

Luckily, we managed to shut things down without anyone getting in trouble or receiving fines. But here’s what that experience showed me:

It wasn’t going to be the beginning of the quiet years for me.

And that moment set the tone for everything that came after. Ever since that night, I’ve been living my life loud and proud, showing the world what life after 40 is really about.

Every career twist and turn.
Every infertility setback.
Every cry for more representation.
Every unfiltered selfie.
Every grueling workout to stay strong.
Every emotional breakdown.
Every painful step into perimenopause.
Every challenge that’s tested me — these are the things that have made me the woman I am today.

We’ve been conditioned to think that once you hit 40, it's the beginning of the end.

Think about it!

The lack of female executives over 40, the absence of older women in marketing and advertising campaigns, the lack of movies and TV shows depicting life after 40 for women. As soon as you hit 35, beauty brands start targeting you with ā€œanti-agingā€ this and ā€œBotoxā€ that. It’s as if society decided that aging is something negative. But here’s the truth: aging is not a bad thing, it’s a gift, and we’re here to reclaim it.

In fact, the real magic happens after 40.

  • A 50-year-old founder has 1.8 times greater odds of starting a successful company than a 30-year-old founder.

  • Someone who is 40 has a 15 times better chance of launching a successful startup than someone who is 20.

  • The average age of successful startup founders is 45.

  • The majority of businesses are started by people between the ages of 35 and 65.

  • 76% of senior executives in the U.S. are 40 or older.

  • The average age of Fortune 500 CEOs is 59.2.

So let’s stop the youthful madness!

It’s time to flip the script and celebrate the years that come after 40, not see them as a decline. Think of all the incredible women who are redefining what it means to be a woman over 40 — Halle Berry, JLo, Oprah, Demi Moore, Cameron Diaz, Elle MacPherson, Naomi Watts, and so many more. They are living proof that age is just a number, and they’re doing it unapologetically. They’re inspiring all of us to do the same, to embrace our power, our experience, and our presence.

So, here’s to us — to aging loudly, boldly, and proudly. Let’s keep making noise, keep showing up, and keep proving that our best years are still ahead of us.

šŸ’£ Truth Bomb

With each passing year, your voice isn’t just something that gets louder, it gets more potent, more unapologetic, and more influential. The wisdom, experience, and confidence we gain as we age are unmatched by anything youth could offer. Think about it: when you’re younger, you’re still finding your voice, still figuring out who you are and what you stand for. But as you age, you start owning your narrative. Your voice becomes more clear, more grounded in your own truth, and more powerful.

That’s why women over 40 are leading movements, launching businesses, and breaking barriers like never before. They have the courage to speak up, the confidence to demand respect, and the wisdom to navigate the world with grace. Aging doesn’t make your voice less important, it makes it more important. It means you’ve lived long enough to know exactly who you are and why you matter. You have the power to make waves. And trust me, the world is listening.

ā“ ASK YOURSELF:

  • What are the ways I’ve allowed my voice to grow stronger with age?

  • In what areas of my life have I become more confident and outspoken in the last few years?

  • Am I fully embracing the power I have as a woman over 40?

Reflecting on these questions will help you connect to the strength you’ve built over time and recognize the areas where you may still be holding back. Your voice is more valuable now than ever — it’s time to make sure it’s being heard.

šŸŽÆ THIS WEEK’S CHALLENGE:

Speak Up and Show Up:
This week, challenge yourself to use your voice in a new way. Whether it’s speaking up at a work meeting, making a bold statement on social media, or having a tough conversation with someone in your life — make a commitment to show up and be heard. The challenge is to pick one area where you’ve been holding back and step into it with courage.

  • Action Tip: Take five minutes each morning this week to speak out loud your intentions for the day. Declare your goals and your worth, even if it’s just to yourself. Let that be a reminder that your voice holds immense power.

🧠 WANT TO DIVE DEEPER?

If you’re ready to dive deeper into the power of aging and embracing your voice, here are some great resources to inspire and motivate you:

šŸŖž Mirror Talk

Taken at The Fit Stop, Heber City, UT, 2024

ā€œKeep showing up. Keep showing off.ā€
Remember, aging is a privilege, not a burden. Each day that you wake up and continue to show up is another victory. Whether it's in your career, relationships, or personal growth, there’s no expiration date on your potential. Keep shining, keep speaking, and keep showing the world just what you're made of.

šŸ‘‘ The Guest List

Photo c/o Paulina Porizkova / Estee Lauder

Paulina Porizkova - Model, Writer, and Fierce Advocate for Aging in the Spotlight

Paulina Porizkova has lived a life in the public eye, from her rise as a supermodel in the ā€˜80s and ā€˜90s to becoming one of the most vocal advocates for aging unapologetically. At 59, she has become a symbol of how women can age with grace, confidence, and, most importantly, visibility.

Best known for gracing the covers of Vogue and Sports Illustrated and becoming the highest-paid model when she signed with EstƩe Lauder in 1988, Paulina's career was built on beauty, but it is her authenticity, intelligence, and passion for challenging societal expectations that have defined her in the later chapters of her life.

In recent years, she has redefined what it means to be a woman over 40 and, more recently, over 50. As a public figure, she has been open about the realities of aging:

The joys.
The challenges.
The uncomfortable truths we often shy away from discussing.

She has pushed back against the industry’s narrow and youth-centered beauty standards, boldly showing the world that aging is not something to hide, but something to celebrate.

Her powerful Instagram posts, where she often shares unfiltered selfies and candid thoughts on aging, have resonated deeply with her followers.

But her advocacy doesn’t stop at social media.

Paulina has been vocal in interviews and essays, sharing her experiences with the world.

In her 2022 memoir, No Filter: The Good, the Bad, and the Beautiful, she opened up about her personal struggles, including her marriage to late rock musician Ric Ocasek, and how the pressures of the beauty industry have impacted her throughout her career. Through it all, she has remained fiercely independent, unapologetically herself, and a beacon of inspiration for women of all ages.

Paulina doesn’t believe in "aging gracefully" — instead, she advocates for aging loudly, confidently, and proudly.

As a mother, model, and advocate, she is showing us that being a woman over 40 is not a limitation but a new beginning, one where strength, self-assurance, and beauty are not defined by age but by the power you hold within yourself.

Her message is clear: Aging isn’t something to hide. It’s something to showcase. As we look toward the future, women like Paulina Porizkova are paving the way for all of us to take center stage — louder, prouder, and stronger than ever.

For more inspiration on aging loudly, confidently, and proudly, follow Paulina Porizkova on Instagram.

šŸŽ Party Favors

This week’s party favors are giving you everything you need to show the world that life after 40 is just getting started. Ready to turn up the volume? Let’s go!

šŸ’‹ Try it! Forget the Filler Lip-Plumping Line-Smoothing Satin Cream Lipstick in Who’s That Lady by Lawless- A Classic, show-stopping, red which will make people turn their heads and literally ask, who’s that lady!

🧓 Use it! Undaria Algaeā„¢ Body Oil by Osea - This seaweed-infused luxurious body oil clinically shown to instantly improve elasticity and deeply moisturize our skin, will show everyone what the real glow-up after 40 is all about.

šŸ“š Read it! ā€œYear of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person,ā€ by Shonda Rhimes - This wonderfully honest, raw, and revelatory memoir can help motivate even the most determined homebody to get out and try something new.

šŸ“£ Last Call…

Before we turn the lights up...

What if this next chapter isn’t your second act, but your real debut? Hit reply and share what your messy middle has taught you.

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Until next week,

~ RC & The After Party Crew