Woman Defies Aging Fear-Mongering by Sharing 72 Is Her ‘Favorite Year Yet’

A 72-year-old woman has gone viral on TikTok after declaring this stage of life her “favorite yet,” delighting viewers with a video that challenges the negative stereotypes around aging gaining traction online.

The clip, shared on September 2 by fashion designer and artist Sigrid Olsen (@beachtobistro), has been viewed more than 996,000 times. It shows Olsen in an aspirational setting aboard a boat, dressed in breezy coastal clothing, surrounded by fresh food and tranquil scenery.

“For all the fear-mongering around aging, I never imagined 72 would be my favorite year yet, and yet, here I am,” an overlaid text read. Her show of pride has been applauded by viewers online; some of whom shared they are used to seeing people as young as 30 being shamed for their age on the platform. Olsen has offered them a fresh perspective.

Olsen, a mother of two, grandmother of three, and stepmother to what she calls “countless more,” told Newsweek she is living life on her own terms. Based in Palmetto, Florida, she spends summers with her partner Mark on their 48-foot offshore yacht in New England.

Her career, too, has evolved. After more than 40 years in fashion, Olsen relaunched her self-titled brand independently five years ago.

“All my prints and embroideries are created by me, with pen, brush or block-print, and translated onto fabric by artisans in India,” she said.

She also teaches yoga, leads women’s retreats, and hosts weekly online sharing circles. Olsen credits much of her personal and professional flexibility to her small team at home.

“I would not be able to do this if my business at home was not so well managed by two young ladies, Kelly G. and Jessie S.,” she told Newsweek. “Kelly has revitalized my social media and improved our website exponentially…We are a team, where I film content from my travels and she creates wonderful videos to post on to all my social media outlets, especially to our growing audience on TikTok.”

The enthusiastic reaction to her post, she said, is proof of how badly “positive messaging” around enjoying life in older age is needed.

“We need to hear the true story of what it means to age with grace and gratitude,” she said.

Redefining Aging

Olsen believes her story resonates because it offers a counterpoint to what she sees as harmful media narratives.

“Beauty standards have always been unrealistic in the media, but now we are faced with performative imagery at any given moment that creates anxiety and fosters unkind comparisons,” she said. “It is hard for women these days to feel good about themselves, especially as they age.”

Her mission, she explained, is to encourage “individuality, creativity, healthy living and a connection to nature” for people of all ages.

Older women, she argues, bring something essential to the table that is often overlooked.

“We have hard won wisdom, more self-awareness, heightened compassion, less envy and more sisterhood,” she said. “And life can be filled with a sense of wonder, self-love and quiet satisfaction.”

With her viral clips and career revival, Olsen has reminded thousands of younger viewers online that aging does not have to mean fading away—it can mean stepping into a new, vibrant chapter instead.