44 Comments
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Shawna Starkman's avatar

Nothing could make me happier in this dark scary time then to have access to true inspiration. Wow, I can't wait to hear it all Jane.

Gloria Horton-Young's avatar

Welcome! We have kept the light on for you. I’m so glad you’re here.

The way you put it, the older we get the more we become both the student and the syllabus: looking back with sharper questions, looking forward with a fiercer sense of what matters. And yes, the Ted Turner line made me laugh. That’s the kind of honesty that keeps the room breathable.

I love your emphasis on the essentials: stay curious, keep the mind sharp, and most of all keep the heart open. That last one is the hardest and the most radical right now. An open heart in a loud, cynical world is not sentiment. It’s strength.

I’ll be reading, and I’ll be listening. And since you invited questions, here’s mine: what’s one small, repeatable daily practice that helps you protect your open heart without letting it get battered? I think a lot of us are trying to build that kind of muscle.

Leah Baer's avatar

I’m looking forward to all you have to say here! My focus is also on mental, emotional & physical health as I resist this regime & write my open-hearted novel!

joanna windham's avatar

I’m so thankful for Jane Fonda

Julia Foster's avatar

I love this! I work with women 50+ who are going from setbacks to comebacks…learning how to overcome fear, talk to strangers, find opportunities and envision a positive future…it’s never too late! Thanks for being a beautiful, shining example of what’s possible!! ❤️🎉

Ellen's avatar

So grateful you are here Jane! Looking forward to your shared wisdom.

Leah Baer's avatar

Thank you for being here Jane!

I start my 82nd year in March!!

Ruth Davison's avatar

Thank you for this, Jane! Looking forward to seeing (and learning from) whatever you share here. Keep on keeping on 💕!

Barbara Ferrara's avatar

Very excited to hear your thoughts and ideas.

@hotcoffeeandpie's avatar

Glad you’re here! I’ve also looked down the list of people commenting and followed many of them because it’s really nice to be able to connect with positive elder women. I turned 80 in July and I’m hoping my 80’s will be some of my best years.

Clare McGinn's avatar

Fabulous. I loved your Hamnet reflections. Great to see you here.

Liz Lewis's avatar

Love you! This was exactly what i needed to see this morning!

joanna windham's avatar

I am actually breathing better.

Pat Clough's avatar

Can’t wait Jane!! Thank you for sharing your knowledge and advice! ❤️😍🌹

YaYa's avatar

Sailing fans loved Ted Turner because he won the America's Cup on Courageous!

I've seen both documentaries (5 Acts/Call Me Ted) - would love to hear more about that period - in hindsight?

blue girl's avatar

I am so glad you are doing this. As a 67 yr old woman who has followed you and loved you since I was a kid I think you have so much to share in every category of life! A lot of us no longer have "elders" that we can learn from, I know I have lost mine and also as someone who has a lot of younger friends I appreciate what someone can share when asked. I look forward to your continued wisdom and I have hit that part of life that no matter how healthy I have tried to be my body is telling me a different story. :) We would all benefit from being a bit more like JANE FONDA :)

Jennifer Black's avatar

Greetings from Portland, OR! Yay! I’ve always admired you— even attended one of your fitness classes at Foothill College in the Bay Area when I was a young mom in the 80’s. I look forward to inspiration as we do our best to stay emotionally and physically healthy while fighting for our democracy (I’m part of an 80’s aerobics protest group here— and your team has amplified a couple of our events— thank you for that!) Welcome to Substack!