8 Women Over 70 Years Of Age Who Are Giving Us Rocking Goals

"Age is just a number." We often hear this phrase in the context that number of years need not make you old. Age is not your enemy, it is only a three-letter word. It can take nothing away from a person, but only adds dividends to our strength, sagacity, and dignity.

We cannot stop living with growing age, but what we can do is overlook a few wrinkles and a little absent-mindedness that comes with increasing age. Even if we grow old, we can keep on living our lives to the fullest, for every single day is the first day for the rest of our lives.

With growing age, you are even better equipped to deal with life and its many surprises like the ups and downs, joys and sorrows, as you have completed the art of living.

Many women found their dreams and passions after the age of 40 or even later. A lot of women keep on following their dreams and pursuing their careers even after reaching the later years of their lives and inspire others.

Here are 8 women over 70 years of age who are giving us rocking goals:

Iris Apfel, 99

Iris Apfel, who is a 97-year-old American fashion icon, is celebrated for her fearless sense of style. Apfel often combines bold hues with statement jewellery with her signature oversized glasses. The self-described "geriatric starlet" still continues to influence design and fashion.

Apfel's collection of garments and accessories was shown at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She was also a subject of a 2014 documentary "Iris", which was also nominated for a slew of awards.

When Apfel was asked about her age in an interview with CNBC, the fashion icon said that she never thinks about her age. “It’s just a number … I love what I do and I put my heart and soul into it", said Apfel.

Usha Soman, 81

Usha Soman is an 81-year-old fitness guru who has been hailed as an inspiration for her social media posts in which she can often be seen skipping, running marathons and doing pushups.

When Soman turned 81 in July last year, she celebrated her birthday with pushups. Milind Soman, who is the son of Usha Soman, shared a video of her doing fifteen push-ups on the occasion of her birthday.

Along with the video, Soman also shared a selfie of his mother saying,  "July 3, 2020. 81 amazing years celebrated with a birthday in lockdown. Party with 15 push-ups and a jaggery vanilla almond cake baked by Ankita. Happy birthday, Aai. Keep smiling!."

Soman is described as a "fitness addict" by her son and is also an inspiration for several people including Shilpa Shetty and Arjun Rampal.

Margaret Atwood, 81

The Canadian literary icon Margaret Atwood is not only an acclaimed novelist, poet, and essayist, but he is also a professor, book critic, environmental activist and even an inventor.

Her 1985 novel The Handmaid's Tale has been adapted into a television series not long ago. The show won Emmy Awards in four categories and was nominated in ten other categories. In 2019, Atwood released a sequel to her dystopian classic titled The Testaments which was loved by the readers.

In an interview with CBC News, Atwood said that she is at a point in her life where she is remarkably spry for her age. She said that being of her age also gives a certain advantage because she remembers a lot of things.

Waheeda Rehman, 83

Veteran Bollywood actor Waheeda Rehman is now discovering what it is to be behind the camera. The actor has decided to pursue her passions like wildlife photography and scuba diving. Most people spend their entire lives wanting to chase their passions but seldom actually pursue them. The actor although is proving that there is no age to switch professions.

Rehman recently held an exhibition of all of the wildlife photographs that she took from all around the world in a group show.

About her interest in photography, the actor said that she wanted to learn photography for a long time. But there weren't any schools or teachers to learn photography earlier, so she used to do it in a haphazard manner. But she had enough time to learn and pay attention to the art after she retired.

Recently, the actor turned photographer was recently seen snorkelling in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands with her daughter and was applauded for defying stereotypes and not letting her age dictate her life.

Waheeda Rehman learns photography in her 80s

Carmen Dell’Orefice, 89

Carmen Dell'Orefice is the world's oldest working model. She posed for Salvador Dali at just the age of 14 and was featured on the cover of Vogue when she was 15. Ever since Dell’Orefice has been considered a timeless beauty.

In the last 25 years of her career, she has modelled for most of the magazine covers.

When asked about being a model at her age, she said that she is in a territory that business considers unremarkable: age and white hair. But she slowly started to own the territory little by little because she stood up for her age.

Girija Venkatesan, 70

The 70-year-old Chennai resident Girija Venkatesan often starts her day with a 50 km bike ride. Venkatesan is also a champion swimmer, successful artist, and lover of the outdoors. She recently auctioned a series of her paintings to raise money for charity.

Venkatesan loves to dress up and stand out in a crowd, shop and travel and make at least two trips a year. The champion swimmer who likes meeting new people and making friends does not believe in stereotypes. She believes that we have only one life and should live it just the way we want to while following our heart.

Ernestine Shepherd, 84

Also famous with the name “the bench-pressing golden girl,” Ernestine Shepherd is an American bodybuilder who was named as the world's oldest competitive female bodybuilder at the age of 74.

She developed her interest in the sport when she was in her late 50s and believes that age is nothing but a number. Shepherd has now stopped competing in tournaments but is still an active bodybuilder and works as a personal trainer. She motivates people and educates them about keeping in shape.

Shepherd said in an interview that if there were an anti-ageing pill, then you'd have to call it to exercise.

Phyllis Sues, 98

Former Broadway dancer and Musician Phyllis Seus developed her interest in trapeze at the age of 75, tried doing yoga for the first time at 85, and practices it every day. She also took up skydiving when she turned 90. Sues published her first book My Trip to a Healthy, Active 96, in the year 2019 and hopes that the books will inspire people who want to live a healthier life.