“Why I blog” by women over 50. Six more compelling blogs for women over 50.
For the first post in the series featuring five other inspiring bloggers over the age of 50, please check out : Blogs by Women Over 50.
Blogs for Women Over 50 – Why I Blog
First up in today’s post please let me introduce you to …
Jo Williams at Jo Simply Will
Jo Simply Will is a blog that shares ideas and actions for living a simpler and more thoughtful lifestyle. I write about growing, making and baking things, and our recent big move to a small country town.
My blog challenges the dominant paradigms that trap people in an increasingly work-centric and consumption-focussed lifestyle. I hope to give readers something to think about with my perspectives on work, reducing spending, and minimising waste!
I started blogging to journal my thoughts and lifestyle, and to challenge others to make changes in their own lives. It’s lovely when readers comment that they are inspired by something I have written. But my hope is that readers will move from being inspired to being influenced to follow through and take action. Even small changes can increase personal wellbeing and help the environment.
I love blogging because it provides a platform to share the beliefs that inform how I live my life. And I love the process of writing. It has helped me to become more thoughtful and reflective, and to think critically about my life and the broader societal influences on us all.
This post summarises the elements that are making that life meaningful, after 6 months in a new community. I hope you enjoy it! Getting into the flow 6 months on.
Joanne Tracey – The Rambles of a Hungry Writer
I’m Jo and I blog at Joanne Tracey – The Rambles of a Hungry Writer.
When I was young I had a dream of writing novels with happy endings. Instead I climbed the corporate ladder. I started my first blog – an astrology blog – back in 2008 when I was 41 to help me find my voice as a writer. It was time I acted on my dreams.
Soon I discovered that I wanted to write about more than just the stars. I wanted to write about the travel and food that inspires me. The Hungry Writer was born.
In 2015 – at the age of 48 – my first novel was published. I’m scheduled to publish my fourth later this year. While each of my books is sparked by my travels, as my style continues to grow I’m finding that the stories I tell have quite a bit to do with what I’m cooking and eating at the time too.
And that’s what the Hungry Writer is – a place for me to blog about my writing and the food and travel that influences it. It’s a place for the stories behind the stories – and info for other writers contemplating the indie author journey.
While I still juggle a corporate day job with my blogging and my novels, it feels very much as though mid-life has brought me a new career – one that allows me to eat and ramble in the name of research.
Melissa Chambers at All Around OZ
My blog is All Around Oz and it is all about our camping, caravanning and travel adventures here in Australia. Together with my hubby, we cover everything from awesome campsites, to weekend escapes, tech advice, product reviews and easy travel cooking.
I first started blogging in 2011 as a way of sharing our travel adventures, but also as a creative tool to help keep my brain healthy. I have learnt so many new skills since starting to write All Around Oz and it has been a great way to push me out of my comfort zone. We have a You Tube channel and I feature in many of our videos – something I never thought I would do.
It has also made me even more passionate about supporting small business and tourism operators in regional areas of Australia. There is so much to see and do, once you leave our larger cities and it is those smaller communities that we really love to visit.
Jill Harrison at Life Images by Jill
I started blogging back in 2008 as a way of promoting my freelance writing and my photography. I cringe now looking back at those early posts but it is also good to see how far, I believe, I have come.
My blog has changed over time and now includes travel, particularly Western Australian travel, photography, my passion for wildflower photography, food, and lifestyle.
My readership has increased over time and I have “met” many other bloggers from all over the world. What strikes me the most is despite our cultural backgrounds, and no matter where we live, women are going through similar issues.
Making contacts through blogging creates a little “community” which we might never have had. I have discovered that the posts that create the most interest and feedback are when I talk about real life issues and circumstances.
Being truthful really connects with women, who then are willing to share back to you what they have gone through. Perhaps being slightly “anonymous” helps us be more open.
In many ways my blog has become a journal of my life, you can read more here at Life Images by Jill
Janet Camilleri at Middle Aged Mama
One of the first things people ask me when they hear my blog is called Middle Aged Mama, is: what age is middle age, anyway?!
The short answer: anything you want it to be! In my opinion, it’s a fairly broad category which falls somewhere between the ages of 35 and 60.
The blog evolved from my realisation that with my kids in their late teens (they’re now 24 and 21), I still had many years of life ahead – but had lost my primary focus of raising a family. Like many women, I found myself wondering: What next?
At Middle Aged Mama, I blog about my adventures and experiences as I learn to fashion a new life now that my kids are grown.
As for why I blog – I can’t NOT write, and my blog is currently the vehicle I use. I love the immediacy of hitting that “publish” button, and of having people read and comment. Many years ago I had a plethora of penpals, I wrote for articles for magazines, and even today I have my own business as a copywriter specialising in web content. But my blog is where I am free to “let my hair down”, and write about what I want – and I’ve found some lovely readers along the way. It’s true what they say: your vibe attracts your tribe!
Linda Fairbairn at Journey Jottings
I started blogging 9 years ago to not only share the thrill that travel evokes, but to also inspire fellow travel lovers to consider an alternative way to record their travel memories as it seems so many people rely upon only photos (that forever sit on an SD card), posts to social media (that will evaporate in time into the ether) and/or writing in a traditional travel journal (which let’s face it – are often hard going to keep up at the time… and worse still to read back later!).
A few years ago when on a trip to Europe I tried doodle drawing my story – you can read about it here: Linda’s Storyboard Journal which was way more fun and easier than I would have expected – Both in the ‘doing’ of the cartoon-like renditions representing each day’s events (done in the evening while chatting with travel companions), but more significantly – it was way more fun reliving those traveling tales when I got home flicking through my roughly rendered visual prompts, than wading through pages of roughly hewn first draft drivel!
I’ve always been interested in alternative ways to keep that holiday smile on my face forever, which is why I founded Journey Jottings 15 years ago.
Pin this post for later – Happy Pinning!
More posts in this series:
Blogs By Women Over 50 – Part 1
Women over 50 who blog – Part 4
Lifestyle Blogs for women over 50 – Part 3
Blogs for women over 50 – Part 5
Be part of the series: Blogs for women over 50
If you are a woman over 50 who blogs, and would like to be part of this series, please let me know in the comments to be featured.
Please visit Power of Women in our Sixties.
Amazing blogs by amazing women bloggers. I came across this post on Google and I am very glad to read it. Thanks….
I came across this post as I searched for “bloggers over 60.” I’m still not sure there ARE bloggers over 60, but your tribe looks like a good fit! I’m 64, soon to be 65. I’m a writer and retired psychotherapist. My site/blog focuses on spirituality and mental and emotional wellness. My URL is marthajhorn.com if you’d like to check it out!
Hi Martha, and welcome to Lifestyle Fifty which is becoming more like Lifestyle 60 day by day, but ‘shush’ don’t tell anyone! Joking! Tell everyone! So we welcome you with open arms and totally support your endeavours too. Go you! We’ll be supporting you too.
Hope you will take a look at us at This is Your Best Year.
Maricia
Hi Maricia, yes certainly I shall. Thank you 🙂
I had no idea how many of us ladies there were out there! I have dabbled in blogging over the years, but just got serious very recently as I am looking at retiring soon with a somewhat inadequate retired educator income. It was very inspiring to see so many different blogs by women over 50 and read their stories. I am still working on defining my target audience, but in many respects I guess this is really it, Women Over 50! I would love to have a few of you take a look at my blog, and pass along suggestions. I don’t think it is quite polished enough to be a feature blog, but someday…I am a 58 year old widow, traveler, and feeling adventurous enough to try something new. Right now I will spend some time browsing through some blogs, and join a few lists. Thank you for posting this!
Welcome to the tribe, Heather! Yes, we are growing and what a lovely bunch! Good luck with your own blog and keep in touch – #MLSTL is a fantastic group of women and very supportive too.
I would love to be considered for your series featuring women bloggers over 50! I’m 52, mom of 3 and I put my career dreams and goals on hold for 20 years to follow my husband’s military career around the country. I spent my 30s raising my babies and I spent my 40s drowning in grief. I am absolutely loving who I’ve become in my 50s and I’m sharing my journey with other women with hopes to inspire them, too! You can check out my blog at SheriDyasMellott. I’m so inspired seeing all of these other women sharing their stories, as well! xo – Sheri
Hi Sheri, thank you for sharing your story with us 🙂 Would love to feature you. I have emailed this morning 🙂
I blog with my childhood best friend and find that what inspires me and what I have to share has grown and evolved with age. My thoughts and words are more focused and meaningful. My friend, Sue Imperial explains it so beautifully: “I wish to reflect here on things perennial; ideas that endure through time or that cycle back to remind us of their constancy, their simplicity, their truth, their power and resilience. In some strange way, I feel this blog is a calling, even a responsibility.”
We blog at LivingSonomaCounty.com
That’s fantastic Julia. Thanks for popping by with your story 🙂
Johanna – Hello from Texas! Thanks for introducing me to other feisty women who refused to become invisible after 50. I started blogging to share my love of the funkier side of travel. Girlfriends telling me that they wish they felt comfortable risking discomfort and embarrassment led me to create Grow Bolder not Older. So good to support each other!
Great to meet you Linda, and looking forward to reading your blog!
I love all these wonderful women that try to encourage other women to believe in themselves.
This is what I try to do with my blog, because fashion is ageless and you are beautiful as you are…
Thanks for your kind words Rita, and yes I agree.
I love the many voices of women out there, telling their stories and sharing their wisdom. Having people like you share this helps remind me that we’re still so vital and interesting! It’s hard to keep that in mind when you get online or watch TV or walk into department stores. Thanks for doing this. And if you’ll have me, my blog is here: https://www.snoringdogstudio.com/blogs/snoring-dog-studio-blog
Hi Jean, Thanks for your thoughts, and yes this tribe of women is amazing. I would love to have you on board this series too. I’ll email you 🙂
Thank you, Jo, for introducing these bloggers. I’ve followed Joanne Tracey. I’m off to check out the other blogs. #MLSTL
Great Natalie – Enjoy!
I had no idea so many blogs for us older ladies were out there! How wonderful.
I blog at https://whimsyandwisdom.com/
It’s for child-free single middle aged women. We’re NOT Spinsters!
Hello Loreall, nice to e-meet you and yes isn’t it wonderful there’s such a tribe of us! Welcome!
Another great list. It’s amazing how many midlife bloggers there are!
I know, and they just keep on coming out of the woodwork – it’s wonderful!
A big thank you Jo, for including me in this list! It is a great honour and so nice to have the recognition. What a great variety of blogs have been featured through your series on bloggers over 50.
Thanks Jo 🙂 It was lovely to have you as a featured blogger and yes, there are more to come and I hope the series goes on a longggggg time!
Hi Jo, I enjoy reading your blog and catching up on some of the blogs you suggest. My blogs are just of some of the travels we have experienced as we tend explore the less travelled places. Next year we are off to Pitcairn Island and have already been to Transylvania and the Áland islands this year. I would love you to feature some of these “experiences if you would be interested.
Hi Suzanne, oh Pitcairn will be fabulous and Transylvania and the Aland Islands wow! Lucky you, enjoy! Yes I would be interested, will email you 🙂
I love meeting new bloggers who have a passion for this phase of life. I plan to visit each one over the next few days and will pin to my #MLSTL board for future reference 🙂
Thanks Molly and lovely to meet you too 🙂
Have only just discovered what an awesome bunch of women over 50 are out there. I should be doing something else, but 2 cups of coffee later, an enjoyable hour spent reading and browsing. Feeling inspired to get back into blogging.
Haha Julia, coffee and blogs to go together so well. Lovely to meet you 🙂
Thanks for this list — I’m certainly looking them all up. I’m just getting my footing in the blogosphere but maybe one day I could be added to your list.
Hi Janet, hope you’ve found some new and interesting bloggers and good luck with yours 🙂 Certainly you can be added to this list 🙂
Hi Johanna,
Another great group of bloggers. The ones about artistic creativity – Linda’s Journey Jottings and Joanne’s Hungry Writer – were particularly captivating to me.
I’d love to be involved in a future post if that works for you. Thanks. Karen #MLSTL
Hi Karen, Thank you 🙂 Yes, would love to include you. Will email now now.
Fabulous to see so many other bloggers in this age range. I’d love to be involved too thanks for sharing. #mlstl
Hi Debbie, yes what a great tribe we are! I’ve emailed you about being part of the series 🙂
Thank you for introducing these new bloggers to me.
Thanks for popping by Amy 🙂
Every time I think I’ve seen most of the Midlife Blogs out there, another bunch appear who have been around forever and I’ve completely missed seeing them! Thanks for sharing these lovely ladies Jo – there were some here I’ve never met and it was great reading their stories and checking out their blogs.
Thanks for linking up with us at #MLSTL and I’ve shared this on my SM x
Hi Leanne, I know! This community is growing in leaps and bounds – it’s so lovely to watch, listen and be part of. Thanks for sharing on your SM. You know how much that is appreciated 🙂
Interesting to meet other bloggers Jo and read about their inspirations and aspirations. I guess I would be in the category of “struggling blogger” because my blogging has been a bit spasmodic but I am trying to get back into the swing of it. And I think you need to blog regularly to sustain interest (as you all do). So would be happy for you to feature me and my blog in the future (if suitable). I am working on my next blog now – promise! And if I thought anybody would read it, then that would also be inspirational
Hi Ingrid, glad you enjoyed reading about other bloggers. I think a blogging rhythm is essential to really find your voice as a blogger, but you have lots of interesting experiences and ideas to relate, so keep going, don’t give up 🙂 Yes, would love to feature you. Will email you now now 🙂
So many fabulous women over 50 sharing their ideas and wisdom. It is really heartening that those voices are being heard. Pinning this x
Thanks for pinning Jan, and glad you enjoyed. Yes, so many interesting stories and ideas 🙂 We are so fortunate to be part of this tribe 🙂
I think I’ve already come across all of these, but this post reminded me of how great they all are and I will make a point of following them in Bloglovin’ now – if I’m not already!
Thanks for your contribution and also thanks for sharing Janet 🙂 What a fabulous and growing community of bloggers we are 🙂
Lovely to meet some new bloggers thanks Jo! I’m in if you will have me 🙂
Thanks Sue, glad you’ve met some new bloggers from this post and yes, would love you to contribute. Will email you 🙂
Hi Jo, women Over 50 rock! Thank you for sharing this first in a series at #MLSTL. We are building a lovely community of wise and wonderful women.:)
Hi Sue, and thank you too – it is a great community isn’t it 🙂
Thank you so much for including me in your post Jo. Thrilled to be included along with the other fab girls.
Great to have you here Melissa 🙂 Thank you!
Thank you so much Jo for including me in this fabulous group of women. I’m going over to meet them now!
Great Jill! And thank you 🙂