We spoke to the women about maintaining confidence while aging.
If you’ve been watching The Golden Bachelor, there’s a good chance you’ve felt a kinship with at least one of the contestants. Sure, Gerry’s great, but for us, the most profound part of this show has been seeing these women form bonds with each other. We’ve felt inspired watching the contestants strut their stuff with confidence (albeit budding in some cases), and represent a version of aging that can be exciting and enriching. These signs are proving that your “golden years” can truly be an adventure — and that there’s plenty of fun to be had in your 60s, 70s, and beyond.
Whether or not you watch the show, we think there’s something to be gained from the way in which these women over 60 put themselves out there for new opportunities. They’ve been unafraid in their search for love, and we’ve often wondered where and how they got the gumption to do so. Going on The Bachelor sounds intimidating as hell for a 20-something, but going on a new iteration of the series after experiencing everything these women have been through? That takes guts.
Want a little more inspiration? We spoke to the gorgeous ladies of The Golden Bachelor to get a few words of encouragement for those of you looking for love later in life — or anyone who’s anxious about aging. Let us just say, we’d happily watch any of these women on The Golden Bachelorette.
Joan:
I had a wonderful life with my late husband, and I loved being married. I wanted to experience that feeling again but finding a match later in life seemed impossible to do organically. We live in a world of couples and the chance of meeting someone while going about your normal day is very unlikely…believe me, I tried. My mantra is that if you want something, you need to make an effort to affect that outcome, so I pushed myself to date. And I did it in a big way by going on The Golden Bachelor. Oddly, I felt that it would be easier for me to do it with these other women as support and I didn’t think of them as my competition. I thought of them as my friends and that’s what gave me the confidence I needed to date again.
Leslie:
I would put myself out there and then get tired of trying and fall back into just being with family and friends. It’s not easy. It takes a lot of energy, but then not wanting to be alone takes over and you’re out there again. Not wanting to give up takes courage.
Susan:
I’ve always had the confidence to get out there, regardless of my age, because I’m comfortable in my skin. What made me uncomfortable was people who aren’t who they say they are, and being ghosted.
Kathy:
When my husband died by suicide in 2019, I was devastated. When I felt ready to date, I saw the ad to apply for The Golden Bachelor and I jumped at the opportunity. Dating apps really hadn’t worked for me, so why not apply? I knew at a minimum I would meet good people and make great friends — which I did! — and I could possibly meet the second great love of my life. I never say no to opportunity now; You never know what amazing people may be waiting around the corner.
Ellen:
I found the confidence to put myself out there by having a best friend who pushed me out of my comfort zone and didn’t give up. I started believing in her words and it gave me the motivation to just do it.
Anna:
With age comes valuable life experience and wisdom. I realized that I have much to offer based on the lessons I’ve learned. Embracing the richness of my experiences and the wisdom gained allowed me to approach dating with a newfound confidence, knowing that my journey has shaped me into the person I am today.
Christina:
I put myself out there at this stage of my life because I truly believe we are not meant to live alone. I miss having someone to share my life and experiences with. It’s for sure challenging and can be discouraging but I believe there is someone who’ll look beyond my age and want to join me in this fun future I see before me.
April:
I actually had never watched The Bachelor, but when they were casting for The Golden Bachelor, a lot of people sent me the application, saying that I’d be great for it. After a while, I threw caution to the wind and sent an application in. As the universe often does unexpectedly, it opened a door and I joyfully walked through into this whirlwind experience. I have learned through many mishaps of growth to follow signs. This definitely was a great one. PS: Thank you universe — I’m humbled and filled with gratitude.
Sandra:
I’m a pretty confident woman, so age is not a factor in my dating pursuit and never was. I still deserve my special guy to spend my golden years with. I’m still viable, fun, and active — and my libido is intact. Yaaaay!
Peggy:
I always had confidence in myself, and I’m a hopeless romantic, but I was just getting too comfortable not having to bother. I knew I was in a rut and needed a change if I wanted to find my special someone to share my life with. It’s never too late. I’m so happy I’m back in the game!
Renee:
I’ve never lost my desire to be in a meaningful relationship. If anything, I’ve gained more confidence in myself as I’ve embraced my age with all of its curves and edges. I truly believe that being older and having more life experience means I have more to contribute to a relationship. I also believe that men in my age group have as much trepidation as women do about dating, which results in a lot of missed opportunities. Knowing this, I’m more apt to approach men, rather than wait to be approached.
Maria:
I found the confidence to put myself out there again because I truly believe life was meant to be shared with someone you love. If God gave me love once, he could absolutely do it again. It took courage to come to that conclusion because of all the challenges life brings but I know what’s meant for me is coming, absolutely.
Marina:
I think the first step in dating or looking for a partner is knowing oneself. As we get older, wiser, and smarter later in life, we know more about who we are. We’re able to be honest not only with ourselves but with men we want to date and not be afraid to express our desires, wants, and needs. On the flip side, as we age, life becomes challenging. Society pushes older women into a corner. This experience has taught me that we can fight back; I saw all these women in the audience at the “Women Tell All” support and cheer for us. My dream and desire would be to see men, regardless of how old they are, support their mothers, sisters, daughters, and wives to be visible, and stand up for themselves every day! This is the mantra I raise my 27-year-old son Roark. As an immigrant who has been here in the U.S. for only 30 years, raising kids as a single mother, now I realize I need to make time for myself and take charge at 60. I need to put myself first. This opportunity at 60 gave me a chance to look into the future, take ownership, and do things a little bit differently. The Golden Bachelor was my confidence builder.
Edith:
I feel I’ve always had confidence. I had to believe in myself and know that age doesn’t matter. What matters is your beliefs. Plus, at my age, I had nothing to lose.
Natascha:
Confidence has never been a problem for me. It’s knowing where or how to find eligible, quality men looking to be in a committed relationship at this stage of life. Especially here in NYC. Honestly, I haven’t dated in eight years. Before my granddaughter came to live with me, I found myself in situation-ships. The other six years I dedicated to raising my granddaughter. The opportunity to be on The Golden Bachelor was great.
Sylvia:
I’ve been single all my life so for me, dating is a part of my lifestyle. I feel more confident when I’m fit and I look my best. As long as I’m physically active and eating healthy, I’m confident.
