What year were you born?
I was born in 1957 in New York City (Brooklyn). I’m the youngest child of four. My parents both came from families of professors and writers. My mother was an anthropologist and my father, a not-very-successful architect, I don’t recall being told anything about the day I was born. It’s funny to me that I’ve always thought I was born on a Wednesday and I knew the rhyme about birthdays (“Monday’s child… etc) but I just looked it up and found that in fact, it was a Friday.
What was your life like growing up? What dreams and goals did you have for your life when you left High School?
We lived in Brooklyn, NY for my first four years – my parents were one of the first families to renovate a brownstone in Brooklyn Heights. (I have a scar on my forehead that I got from crawling around in the rubble of the renovation).
One day my mom got a phone call with a job offer that involved moving to rural Venezuela, and within a week she had the family packed up, the dog sent away. We moved to live in a mud house in a barrio by the Orinoco River for the next 2.5 years. My siblings and I were shifted from Brooklyn Schools (Nursery school, in my case) to a Catholic school in a small town, with 100% immersion in Spanish.
I went to kindergarten and 1st grade in a packed classroom taught in Spanish by a teenager – I learned how to read and write in Spanish before I became literate in English. About halfway through our time there, we were on vacation in a borrowed VW bug when my mom fell asleep at the wheel in the middle of nowhere. My dad died and my mom was unconscious. My siblings and I were all pretty much ok. We stayed another year and then when I was seven, my mom drove us and our parrot back – from Venezuela to New England.
We lived in Newton, MA. for the rest of my growing-up years. In elementary school I felt like an oddball because I had a dead dad and my family was weird – single working mom in the suburbs, and my brother (8 years older) had a car painted wildly – this was the 60’s – and he sometimes gave me a ride to school on his motorcycle.
My childhood dream was to be a circus acrobat, and I took acrobatics classes for a number of years. I have always adored the sensation of flying.
What is the one piece of advice would you give your younger self?
Sorry, I’ve got four:
Participate in a community.
When you feel bad, help someone else and you’ll feel better.
When you mess up: make a sincere apology, do the next right thing and try to move on.
When you have a choice, ask yourself: What’s the harm? If there’s irreparable harm, stop and reassess your options. If there’s no harm, go toward the thing that makes you feel most alive.
Name at least one outstanding experience you have had in your life. How did this or these events affect you?
The birth of my daughter Ella, now almost 25. Long before I had Ella, I knew I wanted to be a mother, and I especially wanted a daughter. I was diagnosed with severe endometriosis in 1995, and was told by a fertility specialist that I would probably not be able to get pregnant without drugs. I got pregnant once and miscarried – I thought it was my one chance – and then – still without fertility meds, in 1998, Ella was born. A scary birth but we all made it through. I am grateful every single day for Ella’s existence, and we are very close. I love being a mama.
How have your dreams and goals changed now that you are 40+?
I don’t think my core values have changed much over time, though I have calmed down and in some ways gotten tougher in my old age. By tougher, I mean I follow my gut more, and my social anxiety less.
Share an indulgence:
melted cheese
good dark chocolate
How do other people to describe you or see you?
I think most other people see me as a compassionate person who helps others and/ or advocates for others. I’m also seen as serious and sometimes starkly honest. I fight for what I believe in, and for people close to me who are being pushed around. I don’t back away from my values, and I don’t take shit from people who I don’t respect, so there are probably some people who see me as “difficult”. That’s ok with me.
What is your superpower?
If there’s a battle to be fought, you’re going to want me on your side. I don’t give up easily.
I am calm in a crisis, and am good at talking people down when they are very upset – whether I know them or not.
I can see and connect with children who may be invisible or “too difficult” for others.
Can you share what your favorite part of your body is? Why?
I like my wrists and hips, I’m usually ok with my body in general.
Do you like being 40+?
I like the wisdom that has come with age, and the “fuck it” attitude. I care less and less what anyone thinks of me. I don’t enjoy my body’s aches and pains.
What goals/ambitions/dreams would you like to be working on that you haen’t had the opportunity to start on yet?
I’d like to do a lot more traveling, if my body will let me.
What advice would you give your future self?
It’s really ok to lie in bed and read all day. You earned it. Just rest.
What advice do you have to offer to those who are approaching mid life or those that are in mid life and perhaps struggling with it.
Get involved in your community and work on supporting those around you who need support. Helping others works like magic to help you feel better when you are low. Not only will you feel better in the moment and you will have helped another person, but those people will be around for you when you need community support. And you will.
Do you have a favourite book to recommend?
Too many to pick one.
Do you have a favourite quote to share?
“I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day.” –E.B. White
Thank you for taking the time to share Julie! I am so glad you are a part of this group!
If you are interested in learning if this project is right for you keep scrolling…
You are a strong, driven woman over 40, or maybe you are trying to get your footing in this next chapter of life. Or bouncing back and forth. It’s a wild ride that’s for certain. So much change. I invite you to be a part of Forty Women Over Forty Portraits and Story Project, Volume 2.
What’s the purpose of 40/40 Vol. 2?
1. Unleash Your Potential: At 40/40 Vol. 2, I believe that age is just a number and that women over 40 have an incredible amount of untapped potential, wisdom and beauty. Through this project, you will have the opportunity to get back in touch with who you are at your core. See the beauty you have BECAUSE you are over 40 and achieve personal growth like never before. It’s time to give back to yourself.
2. Empowered Community: Join a community of like-minded women who are passionate about lifting one another up & shifting the narrative of this age group. Upon completion, the project celebration will provide the opportunity to meet and surround yourself with inspiring individuals. Fostering connection and new friendships.
3. Diverse Perspectives: I value the unique experiences and perspectives that women over 40 bring to the table. By joining us, you will play an integral role in shaping and shifting limiting beliefs for others, perhaps also for yourself, drawing upon your wealth of wisdom and abilities.
Join 40/40 Vol. 2 Today!
If you're ready to embark on an exciting adventure, tap HERE. This link will take you to the 40/40 Vol. 2 project overview and application. Take the first step towards fulfilling your potential and joining this incredible cohort of women over 40.
Apply Now:
Once you reach the project overview, you'll find all the details about the exciting opportunities that await you, project goals, and application process. The application is straightforward and quick to fill out.
Join 40/40 Vol. 2 and Make a Difference:
Don't hesitate to seize the chance to be part of something game-changing. Join 40/40 Vol. 2 today and redefine what it means to be a woman over 40. Together, we will break barriers, challenge norms, and erase limiting beliefs! It’s time to come together.
Below is a ‘first take’ video of myself sharing a little insight into why this project is important to me personally…