A Cruise to Bermuda and Empowerment

Marsha explains how a journey to an island can take you much further than you thought

A few months ago, my husband, Donald and I took a group of friends, family and clients on a luxury cruise to the beautiful island of Bermuda. Donald is a travel agent (Haygood Travel) and I am a career/ life coach and motivational speaker (StepWise Associates). We thought it would be a treat to combine our business expertise and have some fun on the Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas.

Face Food

Ruth Applies Food Directly to Her Face!

Image via Real Moms, Real Views

A hormone rich diet is the natural solution to younger skin.  Forget the creams and miracle potions, you should put healthy food on the inside of your body, but also directly onto you skin.  Here are some facial ingredients that are probably in your refrigerator right now.

Forget Anti-aging Creams, Eat Your Way to Younger Skin

Ruth Advises Healthy Skin Needs Hormones That Are Consumed Not Applied.

During menopause, I noticed my skin changing, and I wanted to do something about it. I had my blood analyzed and discovered I was low on sex hormones. My estrogen, testosterone, and progesterone needed a boost and I gave it to them through bio-identical hormones. I looked 5 years younger! It was a noticeable difference. 

Even now, I look at a woman’s skin, and I think, low estrogen is causing her skin to wrinkle. Here's the foods you can eat that will increase your estrogen without taking the supplement:

Second Lives as Expats in France, Part 2

Maryl meets Maggie Scholefield

Maggie at village water fountain

Maggie's tale of how she wound up in Collobrieres in Provence has little similarity to Nili's roundabout way there. That's what makes our second life journeys so interesting.  They are each so novel!

Maggie Scholefield grew up in England where she studied linguistics.  As a part of her course requirements, she studied abroad in Paris.  Maggie fell in love with the city and decided to stay on.  She was hired as a language instructor for corporate executives being transferred to their company’s office in France.  Soon after she fell in love again, married and had her daughter. But our lives don’t always stay picture perfect, do they?  Maggie divorced and she and her daughter moved back to England where she continued to be employed as a corporate trainer and manager.   Life was good but something was missing.  She cites two experiences that were the turning points in her life.  

Diana Nyad Sets A Record at 64

First Person to Swim from Cuba to Florida Without a Shark Cage

1978                                                                                      2013

Earlier today Diana Nyad successfully completed her fifth attempt to swim between Cuba and the U.S.  When I last wrote about Diana, she was preparing for her third try at this life long quest that began in 1978.  As she walked on to the beach at Key West with her swollen face and dehydrated body, she managed to get out a statement - a philosophy - for all to hear: 

"I've got three messages:"

One is, we should never, ever give up.

Two is, you're never too old to chase your dream.

Three is, it looks like a solitary sport, but it is a team.


As a second lifer, I feel her joy and triumph. And I believe in her personal philosophy and that you, this second life community, are my team.