Last week, we wrote about a key difference that emerges between women and men as they age.

• Studies show women's confidence and self-esteem rises after they cross 50.
• Men plateau.

We asked Finish Line readers who are women over 50 to tell us about their experiences. Here's a slice of their wisdom:

💪 At 67, "I am enjoying the fruits of my accomplishments. I have a tech job I adore. For a hobby, I am a senior adviser to local candidates and elected officials. My garden shows the benefits of years of attention, and it is as glorious and mature as I am. My daughter is grown, standing on her own two feet, married to a terrific guy and, trust me, grandbabies rock!"

• "What gives me the most confidence are the things I've survived. My first husband and our son were killed by a drunk driver. I am in remission from Stage 4 cancer. I am the matriarch of a family who has lost the entirety of the generation above mine. 'Bring it' — I can survive it, fix it and make it better." —Jessica Weingarten, Wayne, Pa.

💡 "I'm 55 and have definitely noticed more confidence in myself and my girlfriends this age. … In my 20s, I was consumed by self-doubt and fear of not measuring up. In my 30s, I was raising active children and not super confident that I was doing it well. Then in my 40s, things began to shift."

• "Maybe it was a realization that I had done a few things right, that everyone else is just trying their best too, and that some of the people whose judgment I feared weren't really worthy of that kind of power after all." —Margot Smith, D.C.

📚 "When I approached 50 a couple of years ago, I knew I wanted to mark that milestone with a new dream, goal, forward-looking decision. So I applied to seminary to start a Doctor of Ministry degree. I received my acceptance letter a week before my birthday, and started a few months later."

• "The last two years have been different from the last 20. I always have something to look forward to — ha! Homework! But I love it. My kids are proud of me, my husband supports me, and I have a whole new set of friends to share my excitement with. It's never too late to step into your calling." —Kelley Mathews, Anna, Texas

🎨 "As a woman who will soon be 80 (January 2025), I have definitely seen this occur in myself. Even into my 60s, I was always comparing myself to others and feeling inadequate. Now I am much more at ease and comfortable in my own skin. I take pride in my small accomplishments, be it pickleball or dabbling in watercolors." —Marcia Sorensen, Kissimmee, Fla.

🏋️‍♀️ "I have gotten more confident especially since I turned 60. I got tired of carrying extra pounds, so I started working out hard, upped my fiber and protein, and started pushing the sled like a football player. I've watched my lean body mass increase and my body fat percentage go down. Nothing like progress to give you incentive to keep it going!" —Ada Churchill, Raleigh

💃 "I have absolutely experienced an uptick in confidence, as have my friends around the same age. We jokingly call it 'no f***ks 50' because a lot of it hinges on no longer feeling beholden to societal expectations or the 'should dos' that surround womanhood. We're more able to say no to unreasonable requests, feel less guilty about letting people look after themselves, and prioritize self-care activities. Very freeing and pretty awesome overall." —Genevra Gallo-Bayiates, Chicago

Geese fly over the Hudson River in this early-morning snap of the Manhattan skyline, captured from Hoboken, N.J.