About a year and a half ago I turned 50. I was very apprehensive about that, because 50 sounds really old. It just sounded like a horrible transgression into middle age I didn’t feel ready for.

I guess my aha moment was probably a month or so after my 50th birthday. I realized that 50 is not ancient, it’s just a number. I don’t have a problem telling people I’m 50. It’s not something to be embarrassed about. I don’t feel older. It didn’t seem as if I was developing into this old person. I continued doing everything that I’m doing.

The whole year was filled with new experiences and things I enjoyed. It has been a positive thing, not a negative.

I think part of being 50 is you’re wise enough to know who you are and what you like and what you enjoy. It’s a really good time to embark on some things that I haven’t tried yet and things I wanted to go back to. I take ballet now. I’ve decided to take a singing class.

My kids have really been a big part of it. They both have Facebook pages. I started one for myself. It’s turned out to be a good way to network. I’ve got friends from graduate school, and undergrad, that I talk to on Facebook. And that, I would say, is something I never thought I’d be doing in my 50s.

I think an aha moment is when you realize something about yourself—something positive. It’s the moment when you decide, I’m not going to be afraid, I’m not going to be intimidated.

It’s a moment when you decide, I’m going to try this. I can do this.