Welcome to Wonder Woman Wednesday! Every Wednesday we feature women who are using their business or work as a force for good. The intention behind this blog is to raise awareness on the impact of doing good and to inspire others to think of ways in which they too can use their business or work as a force for good. By doing this we hope we will be creating a better community one business at a time and leaving this world a little bit better than we found it for future generations.

Tell us about your business and how you use your work as a force for good?

I have recently launched Ageing Gratefully to challenge the misconception our culture encourages, that it is better to be younger and to avoid growing older at all costs. Crazy! But, sadly, it is true that society appears to value youth over maturity. In fact, ageing begins the moment we take our first breath and is part of life’s journey until we take our final breath. We do not suddenly wake up on the morning of a significant birthday and find we are ageing! There is so much joy to be found in living each day with grace and gratitude, but while negativity surrounds growing older, too many people find themselves trapped in either regret and discouragement of the past or anxiety and fear of the future. This stifles and stunts their ability to live fully. For women, there is the additional pressure of keeping a youthful appearance, when in fact the most important thing is to be healthy with age. Frankly, the most youthful women are the ones living fully and joyously because they have an intangible vigour about themselves.

My mission with Ageing Gratefully is to set women free from the shackles of ageism. Gratitude is the foundation of happiness and it is more than an attitude – it is a way of life. When we feel grateful, our very existence takes on more meaning. We are happier, healthier, more optimistic and have higher self-esteem and life satisfaction. My aim isn’t just to inspire, but to also offer tools and solutions that women may choose to implement to increase gratitude, joy and vitality into their lives.

What led you to using your work as a force for good?

In 2009 my husband suddenly and tragically passed away. He had been misdiagnosed with kidney stones and by the time the cancer was found, it had leached into his lymphatic system. He died within three weeks of correct diagnosis. This was a deeply traumatic time for my school-aged children and me. Recovery from a trauma such as this takes time and caused heightened emotions in me. It was like a knife to my heart any time I heard someone complaining about getting older because it would remind me how much my husband would love to be here growing older with our children and me. Over time, I found my deepest healing came from becoming aware of and focusing on everything I was grateful for – even if that was simply my next breath.

In addition to this, my professional life is in the field of skin care where I have had the privilege of spending time with women, listening to their hopes and challenges. One of the recurring themes in later years became how to age well. It wasn’t that they wished to stay young but rather had a desire to be allowed to age with grace and dignity. To be the best version of themselves at the age they found themselves.

It is from these two foundations that Ageing Gratefully is born. I have a strong desire to encourage women to live fully, no matter their age. The best way to do this is to live from a place of gratitude. Being grateful is the basis of happiness. Cicero put it succinctly when he said: “Gratitude is not only the best of all virtues, it is the parent of all others”.

What inspires you to make a difference in the lives of others?

After my husband died, I was in a deep dark place. The only reason I was able to get out of bed in the morning was the impetus to support my children. I remember being driven by a desire that they never felt they had lost their mother as well as their father. Without realising it, I managed to continue moving forward, one breath and one step at a time until I started to become aware of all the things I was grateful for. That is when my most significant healing began. I discovered this by chance and it has been so miraculous that I simply cannot keep it to myself. I feel driven to share what has worked for me in my desire to see it work for others. The more research I have done for Ageing Gratefully, the more I have found that sustaining gratefulness is the absolute key to living a happy and fulfilled life. This does not mean there will be no challenges but it does mean there are ways to support us through them. One of the most profound things about being truly grateful is that we become present to the moment we are in. All fears and anxieties of the future, as well as regret and discouragement of the past, fade into the background. This is a powerful way to be alive.

Ageing is a normal progression of life. In fact ageing is living and our time on earth is short. We set ourselves up to live most abundantly when we embrace gratitude in all its forms. This is not superficial thinking but a way of living that brings daily joy. My natural progression as I am walking this route of gratefulness is to become open to a grace that is aligned with it. Ageing Gratefully is not a Christian site but I have found that my growing walk with Jesus Christ allows my gratitude to become even more sincere and sustained. I am inspired to share this part of my journey also.

What is one act that anyone can do today to make this world a better place?

Mother Teresa said: “Be thankful for the small things; it is in them that your strength lies.” Each day, we all need to be thankful for the miracles we take for granted. Our breath. Our being. Our families and friends; the roof over our heads, the food in our bellies. Past regrets or traumas may stunt us from reaching our full potential by preventing us feeling true gratefulness. There is a process I teach in Ageing Gratefully that enables readers to discover the hidden pearls from their past. Personally, I have found this to be liberating and empowering. For me, it is still not okay that my husband has gone, but by sharing what I have learned, I have found a new purpose and some relief for my scarred heart. It all started with gratitude.

Each of us needs to take responsibility for our own sense of gratitude. It is also up to us individually to embrace the age at which we find ourselves. By doing so, we not only improve our own wellbeing, but we demonstrate to others how living from a place of gratefulness leaves us open to the opportunity for miracles in each moment. This is a way of living that anyone can discover and embrace.

Find out more about Sally Hewitt and the work she does here

The Power of Hope