Book ~ "160 Things Women Can Finally Stop doing at 60" (2026) Mina Karr

From Goodreads ~ After forty years of saying yes, apologizing first, keeping everyone else comfortable and quietly carrying the invisible load ... maybe it's time to stop.

"160 Things Women Can Finally Stop Doing at 60" is a witty collection of observations every woman over sixty will recognize. From saying sorry when someone bumps into you, to keeping gifts you never liked on display, to explaining why you're tired, to reminding your husband to call his own mother, each short entry offers one small permission to let something go.

Warm, sharp and laugh-out-loud relatable, this isn't a book about becoming a different person. It's about dropping the habits, expectations and obligations that no longer deserve your time.

To be honest, I wasn't expecting much from this book. But since I'm over 60, I thought I'd check it out. 

There are 160 bite-sized things we can stop doing and the chapters cover a wide range of topics:

• Forty years of being nice is plenty
• You can't negotiate with your knees
• You are allowed to sit down
• He's standing right in front of it
• You've been the one calling for thirty years
• You are are standing right there
• You already raised them
• Nobody is coming to inspect the grout
• You have worn enough uncomfortable clothes
• The coupons expired in 2019
• The yes you regretted immediately
• You are not the one keeping track
• Eat it while it is hot
• You walked in and forgot why
• Everything needs a password now
• Nothing falls apart

I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. I will say, though, I'm not a fan of the cover. It's a fun quick read yet a reminder of the things we do to accommodate people but often we get nothing in return or no one even notices. So why are we doing them?

Most I could relate to (not so much the adult children advice since I don't have any). I will try put to use many of the things. I especially liked and will use the advice on stop softening every "no" (instead of rambling on, just say, "I can't but thank you for thinking of me").

Some things I'm already doing like ...

• Stop watching the shows he chose - Gord watches a lot of sports and scifi ... I read or watch something else on my laptop or find something more fun to do
• Stop being the one who always texts first - you will find out what a friendship does and goes when you're not carrying it
• Stop feeling guilty about the friendship you let drift - I didn't feel guilty but I made peace that we were good for each other at the time and they are now just someone I used to know
• Stop doing full make-up for the grocery store - since I retired 4 years ago, I've worn make-up maybe 3 times