Jane 
There’s something powerful about hitting your 60s. On 21 March. I turned 63. I woke up, a year old and a little bit wiser too. I don’t mean to sound all knowing either but, in my 60s, a quiet confidence is taking seat within me.
At this stage of life, birthdays feel different. When I was younger, they were about what I might get, what I might achieve, what was still ahead. Now? It’s more about what I understand. What I’ve lived through. What I’ve survived. And that, to me, feels far more valuable.
I’ve learned that wisdom doesn’t arrive all at once like some grand epiphany. It comes in layers. Through heartbreak. Through mistakes. Through the quiet moments when life didn’t go to plan. Especially those moments, actually. They’ve been my greatest teachers.
At 63, I no longer feel the need to rush. That urgency I once had has transitioned into something more self-reflective. I still care, deeply, but I’m more selective about what deserves my energy. Not everything is worth the stress. Not everyone is worth the explanation. And that is freedom.
I also feel more like myself than I ever have. Isn’t that funny? It took decades to arrive here. Less apologising. Less shrinking. More truth. More honesty. More “this is me, take it or leave it.” And I quite like her, this version of me.
Of course, I won’t pretend it’s all graceful wisdom and glowing acceptance. There are still moments of doubt. Still things I wish I’d done differently. Still parts of ageing that make me sigh (hello, mirror some days).
But I’ve made peace with the fact that two things can exist at once — gratitude and frustration. That’s real life.
What I value most now is the simple stuff. Peace of mind. A good conversation. Feeling appreciated. Waking up and knowing I’ve made it through another year with stories to tell. That feels like wealth to me, in a way money can’t quite touch.
If there’s one thing turning 63 has taught me, it’s this: getting older isn’t something to fear… it’s something to grow into. There is depth here. There is strength here.
There is a quiet confidence that only time can give you.
