Pulelehua Play School, Owner

What are your thoughts on aging?

I embrace aging with passion and purpose now. I’m happy to be alive. Having a near death experience is the best kick in the ass and makes you appreciate life even more! I lean in towards hope, meaning, and joy. I have learned to trust my intuition and heart and I consciously choose to live my life with pono intentions. I’ve lived through unimaginable hardships and rose from the ashes by picking myself up off the ground and dusting myself off with a new found confidence.

What wonderful things can younger women look forward to at your age? Younger women and girls, might think that it's scary getting older. Let's inspire them!

Share tips on how you celebrate yourself, what you do for fun, and self care.

Self care has always been a challenge. Massages at Ku Spa in Manoa brings me joy. Sumi, Kori, and Nobue will release old blockages in your muscle memories that therapy can’t reach. The mountains and oceans also make the best playgrounds for me. Listening to live music with friends, adventuring with my grand daughter, Summer, traveling to different countries. Yoga with Debbie.

Share one experience/story. We all have life struggles. But the big share is how did you over come and lift yourself up? Advice to other women to empower them.

What would you tell your 14-year-old self?

If I could tell my 14 year old self anything, it would be for me to be comfortable with my body. To be comfortable with who I am as a person and to ignore our cultural obsession with impossible beauty standards. The everyday woman doesn’t have a make up artist, nor hair stylist, nor time to constantly go to the gym. We need to have more compassion towards ourselves. A body with stamina is worth more than Botox, fake lashes, and plastic surgery. I would tell myself to stop apologizing for not being perfect.