beauty

Rebecca Gibney's advice for women who feel invisible after 50.

As one of the most recognisable faces on Aussie TV screens and one of our most successful home-grown talents, Rebecca Gibney is fierce in her art.

Yet our admiration of Gibney surpasses her talent; it also lies in her ability to maintain that talent while being completely down to earth. And her latest interview is no exception.

The Packed to the Rafters star has spoken candidly to Prevention magazine about the challenges associated with ageing, and the power in embracing everything that comes with growing a little older.

Gibney is quick to admit ageing isn’t easy.

“Ageing isn’t for sissies… I’ve got aching bits I never had before,” the 51-year-old said.

 “And I can’t lose the weight as quickly because I’m going into menopause, but I’m starting to embrace that.”
Despite the physical and emotional changes that come with it, Gibney has a strong sense that ageing is much easier for women today than it has been before; that getting older and losing a sense of relevance aren’t always directly correlated.

“For a long time women felt like they were becoming invisible over a certain age,” she argues.

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“So, it’s about showing we’re still vital and intelligent, that we in fact have more to offer now than we did in our 20s and 30s. We’ve got life experience and wisdom.”

It’s that wisdom that forced her to consider true happiness doesn’t always mean striving for the most exciting things.

“We tend to all strive for excitement or glamour, yet to be truly content is the most wonderful feeling,” she explains. “It’s a state of bliss because you don’t want for anything.”

It’s not the first time Gibney has refused to shy away from conversations around ageing, telling the Daily Mail last year that she will never deny her age.

“I’m aware that I’m ageing and that’s OK,” she said at the time.

“I also don’t want to pretend that I’m not 50 – because that’s what I am.”