Today we celebrate International Women’s Day 2026, a global day recognising women’s achievements and progress towards equality, and this year it feels especially meaningful to me. Not only is it a day dedicated to celebrating women across the world, but it also happens to be the official launch day of my new book, The Enchanted Midlife. I honestly couldn’t think of a more fitting moment to release a book that’s all about embracing who we are as women, particularly in midlife, and recognising the magic that can unfold when we start listening to ourselves a little more closely.
What Is International Women’s Day 2026?
International Women’s Day has been celebrated for more than a century. It began in the early 1900s during a time when women were fighting for fundamental rights such as fair pay, better working conditions and the right to vote. The first official International Women’s Day was held in 1911, and over the decades it has grown into a worldwide day of recognition, awareness and celebration. Across the globe people mark the day with events, campaigns and conversations that highlight women’s achievements while also drawing attention to the areas where equality still hasn’t been fully realised.
International Women’s Day 2026 has a theme that encourages action and reflection: “Give To Gain.” The idea behind it is simple but powerful: when we give, we gain. The campaign encourages a mindset of generosity and collaboration, recognising that when individuals, organisations and communities give their time, support, knowledge or resources, opportunities for women increase.
Giving is not about losing something; it’s about multiplying possibilities. When women thrive, the ripple effect benefits everyone. That support can take many forms, from mentoring and sharing knowledge to offering visibility, advocacy, education, encouragement or simply standing up against stereotypes and discrimination. Even small acts matter. Calling out bias, celebrating women’s achievements, lifting each other up and sharing opportunities all contribute to a more supportive and connected world.
International Women’s Day may have a new theme each year, but its message remains timeless: when women support women, incredible things happen.
One thing I’ve noticed over the years is that conversations about women’s empowerment often focus on younger women building careers or starting families. And of course those conversations are important. But there’s another stage of life that deserves just as much attention: midlife.
For many women, our forties, fifties and beyond are when something quietly powerful begins to shift. We start questioning old expectations, trusting ourselves more deeply and caring far less about fitting neatly into other people’s boxes. Instead we begin leaning into authenticity, creativity, and intuition. Yet society sometimes treats midlife as though it’s a fading stage of life, when in reality it can be one of the most transformative chapters we experience.
That belief is exactly what inspired The Enchanted Midlife. This book is for women who feel that little whisper inside telling them life isn’t finished evolving just because they’ve reached midlife. If anything, it might only just be getting interesting. Inside the book I explore things like rediscovering creativity, reconnecting with intuition, embracing individuality, weaving spirituality into everyday life and finding magic in the ordinary moments that often pass us by. It isn’t about becoming someone new; it’s about remembering who you’ve always been beneath the expectations and roles that life tends to pile on.
Launching The Enchanted Midlife today feels especially meaningful because International Women’s Day 2026 celebrates women’s voices, wisdom and experiences — and that’s exactly what this book is about. It’s about recognising that life doesn’t shrink as we get older. If anything, it expands. Midlife can be the moment when many women finally step into their power and begin living more intentionally, creatively and soulfully.
If The Enchanted Midlife resonates with you, the book is now officially available. It’s currently available as an ebook and paperback, and in the coming months it will also be released as an audiobook narrated by me, which I’m very excited about. However you choose to read it, my hope is that it reminds you that growing older doesn’t mean becoming less of yourself. Quite the opposite. It can be the beginning of a deeper, wiser and more enchanted chapter.
I’m also delighted that The Enchanted Midlife is available in Portuguese (A Meia-Idade Encantada). Since Portugal has been home to me for most of my life, it felt only right that the book should be accessible to Portuguese readers too.
So today, on International Women’s Day 2026, take a moment to celebrate the women around you and the woman you are becoming. Every stage of life has its own kind of magic, but midlife has a very special enchantment all of its own.
