We're strong women.
Empowered women. Some of us are brazen even.  Why is it that most  of us over-forty females have at least nine different  "anti-aging" products in our medicine chest?

If we're going to spend money on stuff that doesn't work,
why not "anti-dirty laundry", "anti-unbalanced checkbook", "anti-having to work with moron," and "anti-falling in the toilet in the middle of the night and getting a butt hickey" products?
Why isn't someone out there working on those? Hmmm?

• Yeah, we're strong.
• Empowered.
• Brazen.
• And completely, totally in denial.
  
  Don't deny it.  You know it's true.
  In fact, you almost didn't buy this book because it had the word "mid-life" in the title, now did you?

Yep, no matter how enlighten we are, the words "middle aged" still depress us.

• 'Middle?"
  We don't want to be in the middle (well, there is that one fantasy, but that's another story.).
• We want to be on top!
  Not to mention that the word "middle" reminds us of our own "middle", which no matter how hard we try, seems to grow a little every year.
• As I recently told a friend,
  "The girth doesn't not belong to us, we belong to the girth."

Then there's the "Age" part of "middle age".
We don't mind the word when someone says, "You don't look your age."   But we know that sooner or time will catch up with us and

• We'll start hearing things like,
  "You're really light on your feet for someone your age."
• Or we'll start saying things like
  "When I was your age, nice girls pierced their ears, not their nipples."
• So we deny our age.
  Politely.
  Angrily.
  Through a layer of anti-aging products.
  While working out.
  While eating fettuccini Alfredo.
  While wearing that miniskirt from the 70s as a turban around our thinning hair.
  While dismembering Barbie.

You know you're in middle-age denial if:

• You think you still look twenty-something.  From the back.  At night.  In the fog.
• You sprinkle bran flakes on your Captain Crunch cereal every morning.
• You smear Vaseline on your mirror, for that softer, out-of-focus look.
• You hear two voices in your head.  The Goddess voice, which says, "Big thighs and a rounder belly are beautiful.  One day they will be worshipped!" And the Barbie voice which says" Until that day comes, if you do 350 butt crunches every 15 minutes, you will look like Jane Fonda.  Or at least, her less famous second cousin Wanda Fonda."

So, go ahead, accept your denial.
Embrace it.
Celebrate it even.
Only then can you feel better about it.

Now take a deep breath.
And join us in these tongue- in- cheek tips for aging gracefully and denying you're doing it at all.

Introduction | "Strong Women" | HotFlash Hilarity

"Lunch with Tammy Faye"
by Sue Spataro
I had lunch with Tammy a couple of weeks ago. Over chicken cashew and iced tea we got to talking about life and the cards that life can deal you. Tammy felt strongly that when life hands you a bunch of lemons you should make lemonade. Find out more about Tammy, her life and her new role as a regular columnist for our website her on Pinksunrise.com

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I'm Not Getting Older;
I'm Getting Better at Denial
by Leigh Anne Jasheway, Deborah Kaye

Leigh Anne Jasheway, a stand-up comedian and humor author, reminds us that middle age has its hysterical moments in her funny little book, "I'm Not Getting Older (I'm Getting Better at Denial). Jasheway's humor hits the spot (or, at least where the spot used to be.) Some examples: Did you know that 20% of women say their sex life is better after menopause? Of course, that could be due to memory loss.... So what if your breasts have lost some elasticity. It's not as if you were going to shoot them across the room. Were you? ... If you decide to get that procedure done in which a doctor injects fat from your thighs into your lips, ask yourself this first: "If I go through with this, will I always wonder if my pants make my lips look fat?"

For Better or for Best
by Gary Smalley, Steve Scott

also see:
Relationships & Philosophy
Gary Smalley explains what motivates men and how women can use their natural attractive qualities to build a better marriage. He helps women understand not only the way men think, but also how to move a man's heart.

Don't Get Mad-Get Funny!:
A Light-Hearted Approach to Stress Management
by Leigh Anne Jasheway, Geoffrey M. Welles

What's the easiest, most practical, and most affordable way to cope with stress? Respond to stress-filled days with the transforming power of laughter. Use this resource to enhance your stress management seminars as you add punch to your presentations and engage your listeners through the power of laughter.

Meet the author
Stephanie DeGraff Bender, MA
Author of "Power of Perimenopause"
She has been in the forefront of women's hormonal health for the last 20 years. Her work in unearthing the seemingly mysteries of PMS (premenstrual syndrome) has led to her current expertise in perimenopause. The Power of Perimenopause has sold thousands of copies and is a well respected women's health guide. Her appearances on Oprah, CBS Morning News, Donahue have left no doubt that she is a women's advocate in the best sense of the word.

Chicken Soup for the Woman's Soul:
101 Stories to Open the Hearts and Rekindle the Spirits of Women
by Jack Canfield (Editor), Mark Victor Hansen, Marci Shimoff, Jennifer Hawthorne

Featuring contributions by such authors as Robert Fulghum, Kathy Lee Gifford, and Ann Landers, an addition to the Chicken Soup for the Soul series offers women inspiration on such subjects as love, motherhood, and aging. The #1 New York Times bestseller with definite feminine appeal. This delightful audiobook will light up the spirits of women everywhere- from the career woman to the stay-at-home mom; mothers and grandmothers; the woman of the world and the girl next door.