65 is definitely the new 30! You don't have to look very far for proof. Did you watch this year's Academy Awards? If you did, then you saw Jane Fonda and Rita Moreno (who are both in their 80's) and Helen Mirren and Faye Dunaway (both of whom are in their 70's)...all four women looked absolutely fabulous, defying their ages and defining red carpet grace, glamour and elegance! How about Eva Marie Saint? It is hard to believe that she is 93 years old!! Even though this year's award winners were predictable and the show ran almost one hour overtime, I was glad to have tuned in and inspired by the aforementioned timeless beauties.
For years you have heard the saying "age is just a number", but do you actually believe it? When you count the candles on your cake each year, are you grateful for the life journey you have been on or do you go into an annual birthday meltdown? You may not like the fact that I entitled this blog "65 is the new 30" because it should be okay for 65 to be 65! There is a reason for this title and the reason is: Kathie Lee Gifford. Whether or not you are a fan of the co-host of the 4th hour of NBC's "Today Show", you have to agree that she is on fire right now and living proof that no matter our age, we can accomplish whatever we want! Kathie Lee will turn 65 years old later this year and, in my opinion, she looks better than ever.
Here is a photo from nearly 30 years ago
when I had the pleasure of meeting her.
She was in her 30's and newly pregnant with her first child and I was in my 20's. My Mom and I went to the set of "Live with Regis and Kathie Lee" in NYC and we had the opportunity to meet both of them after the show. I vividly remember that Kathie Lee wasn't feeling well that day but she was extremely gracious and welcoming to me, her self-proclaimed "biggest fan". At the time, the show was nationally syndicated and bringing in millions of viewers each morning. Kathie Lee's contract was reportedly in the millions, her show with Regis was considered one of the most successful talk shows in history, and one could argue that she was definitely at the top of her game.
Well, fast forward to 2018 and Kathie Lee may be 64 years old now, but she is number one...on both the iTunes and Amazon charts. She recently released three songs, which she also co-wrote, and each had a meteoric rise to the top of the charts. "He Saw Jesus" which she wrote about her husband Frank Gifford's death, reached #1 on the iTunes Christian charts, "Jesus Is His Name", which is her new Christmas song, got as high as #56 on the charts, and her recently released love ballad "Love Me to Death" took only a few hours after she performed it on "Today" to rise to #1 on the soundtracks chart! As if all of this isn't impressive enough, Kathie Lee's new book The Rock, the Road and the Rabbi is the #3 most sold book on Amazon right now. I should have entitled this blog "65 is the new number 1!" Kathie Lee is most definitely living out the words she often shares with others: "If you've got a pulse, you've got a purpose." I think these are indeed words to live by.
We each have different thoughts about age and aging. I come from a family of women who are like fine wine...they clearly get better with age. My sisters and I often talk about how much we have admired the graceful aging of our grandmother and mother. It is not only because of their wrinkle-free faces, it is about their positive attitudes and exuberance for life. My grandmother always said that there was never an excuse for not getting up, 'putting your face on' and tackling each day with gusto! She was still ballroom dancing in her 70's, cooking delicious feasts for people in her late 80's and winning card games in her 90's. My eldest son always says "It's all about mindset, Mom!" If we choose to have a positive outlook and look at aging not as something to be distraught about, but rather as an opportunity to do more, be more and celebrate more, and we will look, live and feel like we are red-carpet ready!
The 4th hour of the "Today Show", hosted by Kathie Lee and Hoda Kotb, is stronger than ever, averaging nearly 5 million viewers each day. The show is about to celebrate its 10th anniversary which means that Kathie Lee was 54 years old when she said YES to the invitation to return to morning television. That is a big deal considering that in our country, most people at the age of 54 are handing in their retirement papers and calculating what the amount will be of their monthly pension check. I think it is time to banish the word "RETIREMENT" from our personal word banks. We need to stop focusing on our age and instead start thinking about launching new beginnings and getting to the top of the charts. While it may not be with a number one song or book, we can each do it our own way. Start thinking about what you have always wanted to accomplish and don't let a number stand in your way. Unless that number is #1!