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As a country girl from Grapeland, Texas, the slow pace of life fostered creativity and entrepreneurial skills. I picked peas, sold’em and mowed cemeteries to earn extra coins, for Coach, Cole Haan, and Dooney & Burke ☺. Yes, I was that boisterous and inquisitive girl with expensive taste who spent hours talking to herself in the mirror planning a picture-perfect life. My upbringing taught me the importance of hard work, you get more flies with honey, and to never forget where you come from.
“Cessily, be decent!” was my mom’s favorite saying. So, for the first part of my life, I strived for just that and did what my parents expected. I was crowned Ms. Peanut Queen my senior year of high school and graduated with honors. I attended college, graduate school, and got a job shortly after graduation—that I wound up hating!
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Life is beautiful, yet complicated and unpredictable. In his late 40’s my dad received a cancer diagnoses that hit my family hard. This gut-wrenching turning point illustrated the truth that life is short. Determined not to live unfulfilled, I took charge of my life, quit my job, and moved to New York City, the place of my dreams at 27.
For me, NYC was all that and a bag of peanuts! I was thrilled to be working as an actor, in plays, soap operas and commercials. I also went from Ms. to Mrs. - I was feeling myself and loving EVERY minute. Despite not yet being 30, I began to hear the chatter of industry ageism. The thought of being categorized as “past my prime,” was frightening because I was just getting started - and still wanted to test the waters in LA. Divine intervention stepped in and within a couple months my husband received a job offer in Southern, CA. The pressure in LA to look young and beautiful was 10 times worse than NYC. My agent constantly coached me on how to wear makeup and dress youthfully. Casting directors told me I looked “too old” for parts at auditions. You can only hear so much before you believe Father Time has spoken.
The next chapter in my life would return me to my entrepreneurial roots. In 2008, The Scoop Bakersfield, a lifestyle blog and TV show, was born. The work was tough, but I enjoyed every milestone of creativity before relocating to Chicago with my husband.
While living in the Windy City, as high-tech opportunities evolved, in 2013, my sister and I opened Walker & Walker Funerals and Cremations in my home town. Starting and running a successful brick and mortar business proved more challenging, but we welcomed the chance to learn and grow together.
My professional life was on a roll, but at 38, I longed for a family. After a year of trying to conceive, my OBGYN broke the tough news: IVF would likely be my only option for getting pregnant. At 40, I started several rounds of fertility treatments in Beverly Hills. When none of the IVF cycles worked, depression and fear set in, as I saw my dreams of motherhood fastly fading. I spent years gridlocked in prayer, books, internet articles, doctors, hydrotherapists, shaman, energy healers, and psychics - you name it - I’ve tried it!
After many years of counseling, I realized I couldn’t continue to live my life this way. I am still learning to cope with the possibility of not having a child, but I will not let age define me. My heartfelt advice to you: do not give in to what society tells you you’re not capable of doing. I’m here to inspire ANYONE who has ever been told they’re too old (or too anything) that it’s simply not true! You deserve to live life to the fullest at any age - Let’s GET STARTED! Because life don’t stop until the casket drops!
I invite you to join me on this journey. My podcast, Too, Old? Nah, will motivate you to uncover your dreams at any age! You’ll discover how others revamped their lives and stepped into true happiness.
I spend my time between Palm Springs, Grapeland and New York City. I love trying new health fads, scary movies, vintage shopping, mid-century architecture and cooking South African food.
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I can’t wait to connect and look forward to hearing your stories! You can follow me on Instagram, and sign up for my monthly newsletter - where I’ll share encouragement, motivational strategies, and tips for you to get started living and creating the life you deserve at any age. Or you can drop a note anytime to say hello or share a victory. We are winners in every stage in life!
xoxo,
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