The 40 Over 40 Project
Sharon Petersen,
Age 54
Tell me about yourself and how you feel about being a woman over the age of 40.
I am very comfortable with my age and I have learned a lot about myself over the years. I have a better understanding of what is important to me at this stage in life than I ever had in my younger days.
When do you feel most confident?
I feel the most confident when I am with my family. I have been married to the same loving man for 34 years. I love watching my daughters become successful women, great moms, and wonderful sisters. My Grandchildren are the best blessing. Seeing the world new through their eyes is thrilling. A loving family is by far my greatest success and gives me confidence knowing that I managed to succeed in the most important parts of life.
How did your painful times give you the gift of resilience?
Through difficult times I learned to trust myself and my own instincts. . I believe in “go with your gut!”! It took a few times of being treated poorly by people who were supposed to be loving caring adults to realize that. It was a difficult season in my life. There are some bad people in this world, I believe most are sincerely good. Learning to trust my instincts was a big part of my being able to move away from harmful situations.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Shake off the past. It molds you but doesn’t define you!
What would you tell other mature women about stepping out of their comfort zone and doing a photo shoot?
Do It! Being in front of the camera was definitely outside my comfort zone. Walking in and seeing a wall of myself was very uneasy but ultimately it was a great experience and I accepted the fact that is it okay to be pampered and placed in the spotlight on occasion. Kelsey did a great job to help me to feel relaxed.