When Sherry Grossi enters a room, she doesn’t just disappear into the crowd.
“I’m 81 years old,” she says, “and fabulous!”
The fashionista influencer with over 150,000 followers on Instagram says she’s feeling great in her 80s. Grossi posts short videos on social media that offer lighthearted advice and inspirational messages for other older adults. She’s got tips for finding bargain fashion finds at thrift stores and recommendations for challenging yourself to get out on the town, even when it feels easier to stay in and watch TV.
Grossi started her work as a social media influencer about a year ago, but her love for fashion goes way back. She studied fashion merchandising in New York City in the 1960s, a time when she says there was no better place to be.
“We all lived and breathed fashion at the time,” Grossi says.
A nice pair of pants and some lipstick offer more than just a new look for the day. Grossi believes pulling yourself together and finding a reason to look nice, even at an older age, can help boost confidence and inspire you to seize the day.
“It takes 5 or 10 minutes to put yourself together in the morning, to brush your hair, put on some lipstick, and put on something decent before you go out,” Grossi says.
Grossi is intent on aging well and taking care of her mind and body so she feels good at every stage of life. She loves getting together with others to play mahjong, which helps challenge her brain.
Regular walks are also a must, an excuse to get outside and kick that heart rate up a notch. She takes care to eat whole foods as much as possible and looks carefully at ingredient lists before making purchases.
She’s no stranger to health complications. Grossi had cancer when she was in her late 30s. Forty-some years later, she’s still alive and kicking.
These days, she lives with dry age-related macular degeneration, an eye condition that can lead to poor or blurry vision. She works with her doctors to take preventative measures that will help slow the progression of the disease and keep her vision from deteriorating as quickly.
Navigating complex health conditions has taught Grossi to always be her own best advocate. Doing careful research and coming up with questions before doctor’s appointments has helped her make sure she understands what’s going on with her body and the treatment options available to her.
It can be tough to get older and face the new changes that life brings. Grossi takes care to spread kindness whenever possible. She loves knowing that her influencer videos might help others feel a little bit better about themselves or make a positive change in their lives as they get older.
“There are so many people that say, ‘You inspire me’ or ‘I really needed this today,’” she says.
After all, being social and fostering friendships as you age is also great for your health. It can be difficult when longtime friends pass away or mobility challenges make it harder to get around like you used to.
Grossi recommends doing whatever you can to get out in the community.
“Sometimes you really just have to make an effort to get out and meet new people because many of our friends, either they've moved or they're just no longer with us,” Grossi says.
Grossi, for one, certainly knows how to keep herself occupied. Whether she’s talking to thousands of Instagram followers or spending time with a grandchild, she’s always got something on the agenda.
“I'm always busy,” she admits.
Still, the life of an influencer at any age isn’t always glamorous. There are the outfits to choose, backgrounds to decide upon. Making viral videos can be a grueling process.
“Sometimes you have to do them 10 times,” Grossi says of the videos she makes. “Then you're getting a little annoyed with the camera and with yourself. We have some funny reels, some funny outtakes.”
Grossi tries to keep a positive, can-do attitude.
“When I wake up every morning, I say, ‘This is going to be a great day,’” she says.
In a recent video, Grossi sits at a desk and smiles as she talks to the camera. She’s got a reminder that might just offer you a little boost:
“You can find joy in the smallest things,” she says. “A sweet conversation with one of your children. A walk on a beautiful day. A warm cup of coffee.”
It might just be the little bit of inspiration you need.
