Wellness Influencer Spotlight: Lorraine Ladish

Lorraine, thank you for stopping by! Let’s dig in…

You’re a fierce advocate for embracing age unapologetically. What does aging boldly mean to you right now, in your 60s?

Although I mention my age often online, in real life I never let it limit my ability to grow or try new things—whether it’s improv, acting, doing handstands or unassisted pull-ups. I don’t let age stand in the way of embracing what’s current either. I genuinely enjoy learning about social media, digital platforms, and even how to use AI to streamline my work and spark creativity.

Taking care of myself physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually isn’t something I do just because I’m getting older—it’s something I’ve always prioritized. At this point, it’s second nature. A non-negotiable. And I plan to keep it that way.

I also refuse to be boxed in by other people’s expectations of how a woman my age should look, act, or behave. As a content creator who makes a living online, I’m no stranger to constant feedback, and not all of it is kind. But I’ve learned to tune out the noise and stay true to the life I want to live. Time is too precious. After spending much of my youth trapped in insecurity, body dysmorphia, an eating disorder, and depression, I’ve made a promise to myself: I will not waste my later years worrying about what other people think.

You’ve shared your reinvention journey many times—what advice would you give a woman at 40 or 50 who feels “too late” to start over?

If you think it’s too late now, imagine how you’ll feel in ten years looking back, wishing you had started today.

I’ve done so many things at stages when society says it’s “too late.” I had my children at 37 and 40. At 45, I lost it all—my marriage, my career, and my financial stability. But if I had believed the lie that starting over was out of reach, I never would have found my footing as a digital content creator. I wouldn’t have met the love of my life at 46, remarried at 50, become a certified yoga instructor at 55, or done my first unassisted pull-up in my 60s.

And I’m still not done.

At 61, I just launched a Substack called Aging Like a Legend—also the title of my next book—because I believe every chapter can be a beginning if you let it be. It’s not too late. It never was.

As the voice behind The Flawed Yogini, how has yoga helped you redefine beauty, strength, or balance in midlife?

Yoga has been a lifeline for me during some of the hardest moments in my life—from a close call with colon cancer to the loss of my best friend, and later, my grandmother. It helped carry me through the uncertainty of the pandemic, parenting challenges, and physical setbacks like a torn rotator cuff that took over two years to heal due to a misdiagnosis, a broken toe, and more. I’ve also leaned on my practice while supporting my father through his own battle with colon cancer.

While I rely on gym workouts to support my mental and physical strength, yoga is what I turn to for my soul. My body benefits, of course, but it’s the emotional and spiritual grounding that keeps me coming back to the mat. More than anything, yoga helps me navigate the constant change and unpredictability of life with a little more grace and resilience.

You’ve built successful digital platforms in your 50s and 60s. What inspired you to go all-in on content creation and social media at this stage of life?

It wasn’t so much a conscious decision as it was a natural evolution. I’d made a living with words for most of my life—through books, magazines, and newspapers. When I lost everything during the 2008–2009 recession, I thought I might have to start over in an entirely different field. But a few unexpected leads introduced me to the world of digital writing, and once I realized how many more people I could reach—and how much more sustainable it could be—I made it my mission to learn everything I could about the digital space.

I often say I speak three languages: English, Spanish, and social media.

At 50, I launched VivaFifty.com, during a time when I felt the strongest and most confident I ever had. Now, at 61, I feel even better. Eleven years later, I continue to make a full-time living through my digital presence. I don’t take that for granted. For me, there’s no real separation between how I live and how I work—it’s all woven together with purpose.

What’s something you wish more women over 40 knew about living a vibrant, creative, sexy life?

Forty was just the beginning for me. At that age, I was giving birth to my second child and didn’t feel “over the hill” at all—and I still don’t at 61. Yes, our bodies change with time, but so do our minds and spirits. And that evolution can be powerful.

By nurturing our inner qualities—resilience, grit, determination—we tap into a deeper kind of beauty. One that isn’t tied to youth or appearance, but to how we show up in the world. Ironically, I didn’t feel vibrant or sexy when I was younger. Quite the opposite. It’s only as I’ve grown older that I’ve come to understand that true beauty and sensuality come from within. It’s never been about how we look. It’s always been an inside job.

From Viva Fifty! to TikTok, your message is clear: Age isn’t a limitation. What’s a recent moment that made you feel ageless?

Doing my first unassisted pull-up was a moment I’ll never forget. Now I’m up to three—and I’ve started adding weight to push the challenge even further. But it’s not just about physical strength. It’s about achieving something that once felt completely out of reach.

When I started training for it a year ago, I was still recovering from a torn rotator cuff. I was almost healed, but I still had occasional pain and had to take things slow. I had no idea that I’d not only reach my goal but end up feeling stronger than ever.

Every time my chin clears that bar, I feel like Wonder Woman. At that moment, nothing else matters. It’s almost a spiritual experience.

Your style and confidence are magnetic. How has your relationship with your body and self-image evolved over the decades?

First of all, thank you! It’s a lovely compliment. Online trolls don’t share your opinion, but thankfully I don’t listen to them.

That said, my self-image has only gotten better with each birthday—especially the milestone ones like 40, 50, and now 60. I wouldn’t trade the clarity and confidence I feel today for the insecurity and confusion of my younger years.

In my case, having children saved me. Taking care of myself for their sake was the turning point in my recovery from body dysmorphia and disordered eating. I know that’s not the case for everyone, and I deeply respect that pregnancy and postpartum can be incredibly triggering for many women. But for me, it was a healing experience. I loved being pregnant and was surprisingly gentle with myself during postpartum, both physically and emotionally.

Now, I have so much appreciation for my body—not only for creating two incredible human beings but for how it continues to recover from illness, injury, and the wear and tear of life. I treat it with respect. I’ve learned to move through the world with confidence, and somewhere along the way, I realized my spirit had started moving that way too.

What’s one myth about aging you’d love to smash forever—and how do you personally defy it?

One of the biggest misconceptions about aging is that after a certain age, we’re not supposed to feel good about ourselves or about life. But I don’t relate to that at all. I don’t feel a lack of purpose—in fact, I feel more driven than ever. I plan to work for as long as I’m able, just like my grandfather did and my father still does. Purpose is what keeps us alive and thriving, especially as we grow older.

How do you keep your creativity flowing across platforms—from writing books to dancing on TikTok? Do you have a creative ritual? And if you don’t mind me asking, what’s your daily routine like?

I honestly don’t even know how I stay creative sometimes. There are days I wish I could go on a retreat just to create without the distractions of everyday life—maybe then I’d be more prolific. But I’ve learned that creativity comes with practice. The more you do something, the easier it flows.

Whenever I get ideas—whether it’s for a blog post, an Instagram reel, or even a book—I jot them down in the Notes app on my iPhone. Later, when it’s time to create, I go back to that list and pull from it. My creative process isn’t polished. In fact, my ritual is often procrastination. I tend to work best on the fly or when there’s a hard deadline staring me down.

My daily routine is anything but routine. Still, there are certain things I do consistently each week: I go to the gym, practice yoga, write, and film or edit videos. I also take improv and acting classes, and last year I added sketch writing into the mix. Staying connected to the arts in some way always helps me feel more inspired—and more like myself.

If you could go back and tell your 40-year-old self one thing, what would it be?

If I could go back and tell my 40-year-old self one thing, I’m not sure I’d say anything at all. I was in a good place at 40, and I don’t feel I wasted time lamenting the passage of time. Funny enough, the only age-related crisis I ever had was at 25—and I’ve since learned that’s not uncommon.

I grew up around elders who often complained about aging, and I made a conscious decision not to carry that mindset into my own life—especially after becoming a mother. I’ve always tried to make the most of what I have, even when circumstances were far from ideal. That mindset has served me well, and I wouldn’t want to change the course I was already on.

Do you have any plans in the pipeline you would like to share with your fans?

I honestly didn’t think I had another book in me. So much of my creative energy goes into digital content—blog posts, reels, videos, newsletters. I’ve had a few book ideas over the years, but whenever I asked myself if they were truly book-worthy or better suited for a blog post, the answer was usually the latter.

But life has a way of surprising me. I often find myself doing things I never could’ve imagined—things that weren’t part of the plan but end up feeling exactly right. That’s how my next book came to be. It will be called Aging Like a Legend, just like my Substack, and it will reflect the lessons, stories, and mindset shifts that have shaped this chapter of my life.

So yes, there is a new book in the pipeline after all. And I’m just as surprised as anyone.

Get in touch with Lorraine here:

Website: Welcome to Lorraine C. Ladish´s blog

Social Media Handles:
@LorraineCLadish
@VivaFifty