Breaking Taboos

The Price of Applause

April 17, 2025

Hello there fellow Ageless!

With tax season behind us, we're trading obligations for choices that truly matter—the delicious freedom of defining life after 50 as we choose. This month, we're challenging conventions about what we say, how we spend, what we consume, and who we keep close. In this edition, you'll find the surprising power hidden in those four-letter words we were told never to say. We'll take a closer look at how rising ticket prices are making theater an exclusive club, potentially leaving our generation outside the doors. You'll learn why that ordinary bottle of olive oil in your pantry might be the most underrated treasure in your home. But perhaps most important of all, we'll reveal the fascinating reason your circle of friends seems smaller yet more satisfying with each passing year. This April, we're celebrating the power of making our own choices, because the most revolutionary act of aging might be refusing to follow anyone's rules but our own.

🏋️‍♂️ Vibrant Living: Empowering Your Health and Wellness

Profanity With Purpose: Remember when your mouth was washed out with soap for saying a four-letter word? It turns out that punishment might have been washing away more than just "bad language"—it was rinsing off a powerful pain reliever and strength booster. Research consistently shows that well-placed expletives can actually increase pain tolerance by up to 33% and enhance physical strength. For generations, women like us were taught to watch our language, be ladylike, and leave the colorful vocabulary to men. But science now confirms the truth that emerges instinctively when stubbing a toe: swearing is "a drug-free, calorie-neutral, cost-free means of self-help" already in our possession.

This verbal rebellion triggers what researchers call "state disinhibition," where we push ourselves further, becoming stronger and more resilient. Beyond pain management, swearing has been linked to improved memory, stronger social bonds, and reduced feelings of social exclusion. The benefits aren't limited to just physical pain—the pathways for physical and emotional hurt in our brains overlap, meaning your preferred four-letter word might help with both kinds of discomfort. Recent studies show swearing can also boost athletic performance during activities like swimming, walking, or exercise classes, potentially helping you push through that final set or extra lap. In fact, research has found improvements of 15-22% in exercises like push-ups and wall sits when participants incorporated strategic swearing. For women over 50 who've spent decades monitoring our language to avoid appearing "unrefined," this research offers a liberating perspective. The very expressions we've been conditioned to suppress could help manage arthritis flare-ups, post-workout soreness, or even the emotional strain of navigating a world that sometimes treats us as invisible.

Ready to harness this power? Start small—when you're alone and pushing through that last challenging yoga pose or experiencing discomfort, select a word that feels powerful to you and repeat it at a steady pace (researchers recommend once every 1-3 seconds). If public profanity feels too bold, researchers are currently studying whether internal swearing (just thinking the words) might offer similar benefits. The effectiveness isn't in the shock value but in the emotional release these words provide. After decades of minding our language, perhaps the most rebellious act of self-care is embracing our full vocal range—colorful expressions included. In a culture that expects older women to be proper and quiet, there's something magnificently defiant about finding strength in words we were told never to say. Now that's what I call aging on our own terms!

​​💰 Wealth Wisdom: Securing Your Financial Future

Face Value: When a $921 ticket for Othello starring Denzel Washington made headlines, it wasn’t just sticker shock—it was a signal. Broadway has embraced a scarcity model, turning limited-run, celebrity-led shows into luxury experiences, priced like fine jewelry. These premiums often reflect prestige more than performance. And while there’s nothing wrong with enjoying the glamour, it’s worth asking: are we paying for storytelling or status? Unlike streaming, theater doesn’t scale easily: there’s no mass distribution and only so many seats. To stay afloat, productions are charging more—especially for names that glitter. It creates a two-tiered system where cultural access is increasingly gated. With rising costs across every category of life, from eggs to equity, even a theater ticket becomes a reflection of what kind of society we’re building—one of access or exclusivity. For some, Broadway is now more about signaling status than savoring story—another reason to spend not more, but better. Still, thoughtful pricing tailored to real audiences proves inclusion and sustainability are not mutually exclusive.

Live performance offers something streaming never will: immersion, memory, and shared emotion. Especially in our prime decades, cultural experiences aren’t just entertainment—they’re wellness. Studies show theatergoers enjoy better cognition, emotional resilience, and sleep. A live performance isn’t passive—we laugh together, hold silence together, and carry those moments longer than we expect. This stage of life isn’t about shrinking down—it’s about choosing well. So instead of dismissing the arts entirely, perhaps we reconsider what we truly value. If we’ve spent decades saving, shouldn’t some of it be spent on joy? We weigh return on investment in dollars, but what about return on experience? A great show, shared with a friend, often offers better dividends than another object gathering dust.

Thankfully, experience has taught us how to get financially creative. Broadway show budgets now often exceed $25 million with much of it spent before opening night—yet what we are paying for isn’t always clear. While rising costs play a role, many insiders admit pricing is also driven by profit—because Broadway is, at its core, commercial theater. Broadway pricing isn’t just markup—it’s a structural reality, shaped by labor, union and venue constraints. Want to save? Tuesday and Wednesday performances, especially matinees are often 20-30% cheaper. Services like TodayTix and Broadway Box offer up to 50% off. Many theaters have rush tickets or digital lotteries—your chance at $40 orchestra seats without the sticker shock. Regional theaters offer membership pricing and early access. With a little planning, Broadway’s magic remains within reach, not just for the elite, but for anyone who knows that sometimes the best returns come not from saving, but from showing up.

🧠 Lifelong Learning And Brain Boosts

Pass The Olive Oil Please: Want to supercharge your brain? That bottle of olive oil in your kitchen isn't just for cooking anymore—it's a legitimate brain-booster that research shows can enhance cognitive function and protect your mental sharpness! Recent Harvard research tracked 90,000 people and discovered something that made scientists do a double-take: just half a tablespoon of olive oil daily slashed the risk of dying from dementia by a whopping 28%. Not bad for a pantry staple hiding in plain sight! Turns out this delicious golden liquid might just be the brain-friendly superfood we've been overlooking all along.

So what's the magic here? Is it time to start olive oil shots with your morning coffee? (Maybe not, but stay with me!) It turns out that olive oil works like a bodyguard for your brain. It strengthens your brain's protective barrier while simultaneously helping clear out the gunk that shouldn't be there. Think of it as both a security system upgrade and a cleaning service for your most precious asset! In fact, researchers also found that people who consumed about two tablespoons daily showed noticeable improvements in memory after just six months. The best part? These benefits showed up regardless of what else they were eating. And here's the real kicker that should make us all smile: researchers noted that "these protective effects appear even when olive oil is introduced later in life." That's right—this isn't about what you should have been doing for decades; it's about what you can start doing today for real brain benefits.

Ready to give your brain this olive-powered boost? Let's talk quality first because not all olive oils are created equal. Look for bottles labeled "extra virgin" and "cold-pressed" in dark glass containers (light is olive oil's nemesis!). That dusty bottle that's been in your pantry since 2019? Might be time for an upgrade—freshness matters for those brain-boosting compounds. Once you've got the good stuff, it couldn't be easier to incorporate it. Beyond the obvious salad dressing, try drizzling it over popcorn with nutritional yeast for a brain-healthy movie night snack, add a tablespoon to your smoothie, or try the Mediterranean breakfast tradition of olive oil on whole grain toast with oregano. Here's a fun hack researchers found particularly powerful: swap your mayo or margarine for olive oil when possible—even this small change was linked to an 8-14% lower risk of dementia. Whether you're cooking, dipping, or drizzling, making olive oil a daily habit could be one of the smartest moves for your brilliant brain. So pour yourself a little liquid gold—your magnificent mind deserves nothing less than royal treatment!

With A Little Help From Friends: Our social calendars often look dramatically different at fifty-plus than they did in our twenties and thirties. While younger adults typically maintain sprawling networks and actively pursue new connections, research shows that we deliberately prune our social circles as we age. This isn't just about changing routines—it’s a psychological shift known as "socio-emotional selectivity." As our perspective on time changes, we instinctively prioritize meaningful interactions over casual acquaintances. This winnowing down isn't a sign of withdrawal or isolation, but rather a sophisticated emotional strategy reflecting our deepened understanding of what truly matters in life.

The benefits of this focused approach to friendship are well documented. Studies reveal that in later life, friendship is a stronger predictor of happiness than family—likely because these bonds bring joy without obligation. As many women discover, a smaller, intentional circle offers more satisfaction than the large networks we once chased. Research suggests that four close friends represent the optimal number for psychological well-being; beyond that, benefits tend to level off. It is estimated that it takes 50 hours to form a casual friendship and 200 for a close one—underscoring how valuable our emotional investments are. These bonds support cognitive and physical health and often spark more positive emotions than family interactions. One study found that people with strong social ties have a 50% greater chance of survival compared to those without—making friendship quite literally life-extending. Additionally, recent AARP research shows that women over 60 maintain an average of 13 social connections outside family, highlighting how essential community remains.

While our natural instinct may be to settle into established friendships, staying open to new connections brings distinct advantages. Experts caution against narrowing our social worlds too much, as different relationships fulfill different roles. As we age, it’s not that we stop wanting new friendships—it’s that we grow more risk-averse. But every old friend was once a new one. Even as we prioritize intimacy, remaining open to new connections can prevent over-pruning—something researchers now warn may limit the support we receive beyond emotional closeness. The good news? We're better equipped for friendship now than ever—our personalities become more agreeable with age, and emotional intelligence deepens. We're simply more skilled at navigating relationships than our younger selves. Community programs and technology help bridge the gap, while recent demographic trends show that newer generations are spending more time with friends in later life than previous cohorts. The future of friendship after fifty isn’t just vibrant, it’s vital.

🔗 The Extras - Fun Stuff We Had to Share

🌿 Sage Reflections

“For every minute you remain angry, you give up sixty seconds of peace of mind.”

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

What did you think of today's newsletter?

Loved it! 😍

Liked it. 🙂

Needs improvement! 🛠️