Don't Get Older, Get Bolder
by Hedy Bass
A new group for women over 50 is writing the perfect script for the “third act of life”
What are you doing the rest of your life?
It’s the question at the heart of a growing women’s group called Getting Into Getting Bolder launched by Randa Marder, a professional life coach and former director of adult services at The Roth Family JCC in Maitland. If you’re a woman over 50 who is an empty nester, or a recent retiree, this may be just the group for you.
The idea for Getting Into Getting Bolder was inspired by a TED Talk Randa heard online, which was delivered by Jane Fonda.
“She talked about how getting older is often thought of like a bell curve,” Randa recalls. “You get to the top, and then you quickly descend. Instead, she suggested we think of aging like a staircase, ascending upwards into wisdom, wholeness, and authenticity. I immediately liked the idea of constantly growing as we get older, of ascending and evolving our human spirit.
“As we age, we have an opportunity to experience a new life cycle where we can think about making a difference and staying relevant. That’s why the TED Talk inspired me so much to do something positive for women.”
In 2018, Randa posted the TED Talk to Facebook asking if there were women over 50 interested in getting together to talk about their “third act of life,” as Jane Fonda called it.
“I saw the post and immediately responded,” says Carol Feuerman, development officer for the Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando (JFGO). “I wrote I’d been thinking of something like this for a long time, and this is perfect.”
“Carol was one of the first to come on board,” says Randa. “She wasn’t working for the Federation at the time, and she liked the idea of a women’s support group. We were so motivated. We wondered what it looked like to get older and how, as women, we could explore and find our identity and purpose going forward.”
Acting as the group facilitator, Randa invited women to monthly meetings at her Winter Garden home where they could discuss topics of importance to them in a positive, accepting, and friendly environment.
Carol says attending the sessions helped her make a bold decision concerning her career. Last April, inspired by the group to take on her own third act, Carol accepted her job at the Federation. Since joining JFGO, Carol has worked with Randa to bring the Getting Into Getting Bolder meetings to the JCC.
During a recent meeting at the JCC earlier this year, Randa spoke with a group of women about spirituality and slowing down to enjoy their lives more. Invited guest speaker Terri Spears led part of the discussion, talking about and demonstrating yoga and meditation techniques.
“It’s about taking on change and doing the things we always wanted to do,” says Randa. “I hear from people in South Florida all the way up to Connecticut who are interested in what we are doing. They want to start their own group like ours, so I am in the process of writing workbooks they can use to guide their groups and make it their own.”
Living by example, Randa used the occasion of her 70th birthday in January to invite family and friends to celebrate with her, surprising her guests with a bold move.
“I always wanted to dance like Meryl Streep did in Mamma Mia!” laughs Randa. “So, since the theme of the party was Getting Into Getting Bolder, I had the women from our group surprise my guests by doing a flash dance with me while singing a parody I wrote. It was fun watching everyone, especially my grandchildren, see us dance and sing for them.”
Getting Into Getting Bolder has a formal mission statement: We’re a motivated, supportive group of women who strive to grow with grace, wisdom, and radiance. We continually strive to learn, prioritize important things in our lives, and give freely to others. We live fearlessly with open hearts to what the future holds, learning from each other, and getting to know ourselves better in the process.
“Simply put,” says Randa, “it’s about getting out of your comfort zone and having a good time.”