Prime Spark: Women Over 55, It’s Our Time
By Sara Hart
Fifty-five is the new forty-five. For many women, this means they may have completed or nearly completed raising their children, and they may have been in their career long enough to reflect upon where they have been and where they are going. They are at a crossroads. What would they like to do with the rest of their lives? In her recently published workbook, Dr. Sara Hart, social change activist and inspirational motivational speaker has created a book which is minimally written by her, and is mainly written by you - the reader! In fact, this is a collaborative effort between the author and the reader, with you being the co-author. Isn’t that exciting?
Less is more. The burden is on you to answer the thirty probing questions that Dr. Hart asks you to answer. The book is organized in six parts - starting with “It’s Possible.” Getting you to think outside of the box; getting you motivated to take an exciting journey. Next comes, though her pointed questions, a description of the journey itself, and what it might look like going forward. Midway, she takes a break, asking the reader to celebrate her accomplishment(s) so far. She’s made the assumption that the reader has committed to doing the work - otherwise, there’s no book, and no reason to celebrate. The last three parts invite the reader to ask others for help along the way, and finally, closing with “How to Get There,” wherever that may be - as it is unique to each reader.
The thirty questions might remind the reader of a counseling session - perhaps with a life coach or even a psychotherapist, who has the skill to ask the right questions, whereby the respondent will provide the answers to their own dilemmas. The bottom line is that Dr. Hart is skilled at asking those questions in such a way as to inspire reflection and a commitment to self-improvement, which, in her view also has implications for changing the way others view and treat older women.
The tone is upbeat and inspirational, and designed to make women of a certain age feel good about themselves and make them optimistic about their own destinies and self-fulfillment. In a nutshell: it’s our time - now get out there and create the change you want to make, and in so doing, make others (society) respond positively to those changes! (373 words)
Eve Visconti is a writer and English writing coach. Has a MS in Counseling and she has worked extensively in the nonprofit world.