For decades, society has told women that they should dread turning 50. However, the stigma surrounding the important milestone is slowly but surely shrinking. Here’s why Black-ish star Tracee Ellis Ross is excited about her upcoming 50th birthday.
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‘Wander, Ponder, Be’
Earlier this month, Tracee Ellis Ross stopped by Today to chat with Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager. Ross lamented the end of her sitcom Black-ish, which ran for eight seasons. However, the future is looking bright for the daughter of Diana Ross. “You are in the middle of something magical right now, aren’t you?” Kotb observed.
“It’s a good time,” Ross confirmed. “It feels like the beginning of a chapter … I end Black-ish with so much joy and pride, and so it feels like we did it. It’s not like something where there was anything missing, and I’m walking into my 50th birthday. So, the combination of that, I feel like I’m in this time of wander, ponder, be, and kind of figure out what’s the next dream, what do I want in this next chapter of my life?”
Ross then elaborated on her philosophy of “wander, ponder, be,” explaining that it’s just her way of stepping back from distractions like social media so that she can take stock of her life and what she wants out of it. She also notes that she’ll have plenty of time to “wander, ponder, be” during the two weeks she’ll be taking off for her 50th birthday.
‘I’ve Always Loved Getting Older’
“Let’s talk about 50,” Kotb began. “Because that can mark a big milestone. So, how does 50 feel when you say it?” Ross had the perfect response.
“It feels like this,” she declared, standing so everyone could get a view of her stunning floral jumpsuit. “It feels like flowers! I’m very excited about it. I have always loved getting older, I really have. There are certain things that are really strange. I am in perimenopause, and hot flashes just come up like a personal summer just enters from the inside,” the High Note actress jokes. “I feel like I am wiser, I’m more comfortable in my skin.”
We just can’t get over this interview. Ross is the perfect embodiment of age-positivity, and her outlook is not only refreshing but contagious as well. Tracee Ellis Ross turns 50 on October 29, and we wish her a very happy birthday with plenty of time to wander, ponder, and be!