40 Over 40: Meet Holly
At 48, Holly embodies peace, growth, and understanding — three words that capture not only what she’s accomplished, but who she’s become.
For most of her life, Holly admits, she worried about what other people thought. Her mantra for this season, inspired by Mel Robbins, is “Let them.” Let them have their opinions. Let them do what they do. “I can’t keep functioning under what other people think,” she says. “Time is our most precious asset.”
That clarity has become her peace — a calm confidence rooted in boundaries, self-acceptance and the freedom to simply be herself.
A Life in Full Color
Holly laughs about branching out from her usual wardrobe. “My husband wanted me to wear pink, so I bought some pink clothes,” she says. “If I wear dark colors, I won’t stand out.” Now, her closet includes three red dresses — and when she wears them, she feels like a rockstar.
Her new love of color reflects her vibrant, multifaceted life. Holly has broken 38 bones, earned a second-degree black belt, and once taught self-defense. She’s been skydiving, ziplining, rappelling, paddleboarding — the kind of woman who’s lived boldly, fully, and without apology.
The Heart of a Connector
These days, Holly serves on seven different boards, including as a board president for Charlie Golf One, a nonprofit supporting veterans. She describes herself as a “connector,” someone who can rally people to come together and make things happen. “I like people,” she says simply, and it’s clear she means it.
Her life has been defined in part by motherhood — raising children shaped her identity for decades — but this new chapter is about rediscovering herself. Newly remarried and blending a family of 11 children, she’s learning to embrace both structure and spontaneity. (Her planner still comes out daily — she’s traded her Franklin Planner for a notebook with “three starts and three stops” for each day.)
Confidence and Clarity
When asked what’s most rewarding about being over 40, Holly doesn’t hesitate: “Being more comfortable in your own skin.”
Her photo session was full of laughter, color, and confetti — the perfect celebration of a woman who’s learned to live life on her own terms.
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I used to think there were bad photos,” she told me, “but really, it’s just how your face looks sometimes.” That insight — simple yet profound — speaks to everything this project stands for: self-acceptance, grace, and seeing beauty exactly as it is.
Holly was not new to being photographed. She doest it regularly for her business, but she says that this session captured her more like herself than ever before. As a photographer - that is all I could ever hope to achieve. Thank you for trusting me Holly!
Holly’s portrait will be featured in the 40 Over 40 Exhibition at Studio North Collective this winter — a celebration of women embracing every chapter with power, joy, and authenticity. Stay tuned for more details on the show.
