For so many years, our passions took a backseat. We were building careers, raising children, caring for aging parents, holding down households, and keeping everything together. But now? Now it’s our time. The question isn’t whether you deserve to pursue your passions—you absolutely do. The question is: what lights you up?

The Things We Set Aside

Remember the girl who loved to sketch, who could lose hours with a pencil and paper? Or the one who knew every dance move, whose body moved like water to music? Maybe you wrote poetry, sang in the choir, worked with clay, or had a green thumb that could coax life from anything.

Life required us to be practical. But practicality, while necessary, isn’t everything. At this stage, we have something precious: perspective. We know that life is finite, that joy isn’t frivolous, and that we’ve spent enough time being what everyone else needed.

Starting Where You Are

You don’t need expensive equipment or months of free time to reconnect with what you love. Start small. If you once loved painting, buy a basic watercolor set and spend 20 minutes on a Saturday morning. If you miss singing, join a community or church choir—many are actively seeking members and the fellowship is a bonus.

Gardening can start with herbs on a windowsill. Writing begins with a journal and a pen. Dancing needs only your body and music. Photography thrives on a smartphone camera and a curious eye.

Discovering Something New

Maybe your passion isn’t something you’ve done before. This is the perfect time to explore. Consider what draws your attention when you’re scrolling social media or watching TV. Is it interior design? Genealogy and family history? Cooking techniques from different cultures? Quilting or fiber arts that connect you to ancestral traditions?

Local community colleges, libraries, and senior centers offer classes often at reduced rates for older adults. YouTube and online platforms provide free instruction on virtually everything. The barrier to entry for learning has never been lower.

The Power of Creative Community

One of the richest aspects of pursuing a passion project is finding your people. Writing groups, art collectives, book clubs, dance troupes—these spaces are filled with women like us who are reclaiming their creative selves. There’s something powerful about being in community with other women who understand that this isn’t a phase or a distraction, but a reclamation.

Look for groups specifically for Black women or women over 50. These spaces often provide not just skill-building but affirmation, understanding, and friendship. We share not just techniques but stories, not just hobbies but history.

When Your Passion Has Purpose

Some of us discover that our passion projects can become more. That jewelry-making hobby could become an Etsy shop. Those natural hair care mixtures you’ve perfected might serve other women in your community. The family history research could become a documented legacy for generations.

But monetization isn’t required for validation. If your passion project is purely for joy, that’s not only enough—it’s beautiful. We’ve spent lifetimes producing and providing. Sometimes the radical act is creating something just because it brings you peace.

Giving Yourself Permission

If you feel guilty taking time for yourself, recognize that this feeling was taught to you. You’ve been conditioned to believe that your worth is tied to your service to others. But pursuing what brings you joy doesn’t make you selfish—it makes you whole. And whole women have more to offer, not less.

You don’t need permission, but if you’re waiting for it: You are allowed to take up space. You are allowed to prioritize something that has no purpose except making you happy. You are allowed to be a beginner at 55, 60, 70. You are allowed to be imperfect. You are allowed to choose joy.

Your passion project is waiting. What will you create?