Lauren Sánchez Used to Think 'Life Is Over at 50.' Now She Says 'It's Just the Beginning'

Mar. 15, 2025

Lauren Sánchezhas so much to look forward to in the years to come.On the Wednesday, Nov. 20 episode of theTodayshow, the philanthropist shared that her philosophy about aging haschanged a lot over the years.“I never thought at 54 – I’m going to be 55 – I’d be an author, that I’d be getting married,” Sánchez gushed toHoda KotbandSavannah Guthrie, referencing hernew children’s bookand her upcoming wedding to Amazon founderJeff Bezos.“I mean, life is just beginning,” she continued. “When I was 20, I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, life is over at 50.’ Let me tell you: It is not, ladies. It is not over.“Lauren Sanchez at the Diane von Furstenberg: Woman Before Fashion Exhibit on Oct. 15, 2024 in Los Angeles.Michael Buckner/WWD/GettyThe former journalist went on to say that life “just gets better and better.““When women are like, ‘Oh, What is it like turning 50?’ I was like, ‘It’s just the beginning,’ " she added.As for her upcoming nuptials. Sánchez admitted that she’s been a preoccupied with the release of her debut children’s book,The Fly Who Flew to Space, and her charity work — including a$110 million contributionto 40 groups working to combat homelessness — but she is “very excited.""[I’m] thinking about the dress,” she said. “Ido have a Pinterest. I’m just like every other bride.“During the interview, the mom of three also discussed her upcoming trip to space which will see her on anall-female flightto space on Blue Origin.Although she remained hush on who would be joining her for the historic flight, she did say that it’s a group full of “explorers.““When we think of women, a lot of times, we don’t think of them as explorers,” she said. “We think of [Ferdinand] Magellan and Jacques Cousteau, but we’re explorers.“Lauren Sanchez at the TIAH 5th Anniversary Soiree on Aug. 26, 2023 in Los Angeles.Stefanie Keenan/Getty for This Is About HumanityShe said her fiancé, who has alreadytaken a trip to space, once used that word to describe her, which changed the way she thought about herself.“He goes, ‘You’re a pilot. You like to see the world.’ And I never thought of myself as an explorer,” she explained. “And when he said, ‘Okay, why don’t you take an incredible group of women up?’ I was like, I’m picking all explorers so that they could come back and tell their story about how going to space changes them.“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Earlier this year, Sánchez told PEOPLE that she learned to fly when she was 40 after having grown up around aviation due to her parents owning a flight school.“I was always around aviation,” she said. “One day I told my dad, ‘I think I want to learn to fly.’ It may have been the best day of his life.“Sánchez shared that she hoped telling her story wouldinspire more women to get into the cockpit.“I just think that growing up, women don’t see a lot of female aviators,” she said. “I hope women might see me as a pilot and say, ‘Hey, I want to do that!’ It’s really an incredible experience, and I love it.”

Lauren Sánchezhas so much to look forward to in the years to come.

On the Wednesday, Nov. 20 episode of theTodayshow, the philanthropist shared that her philosophy about aging haschanged a lot over the years.

“I never thought at 54 – I’m going to be 55 – I’d be an author, that I’d be getting married,” Sánchez gushed toHoda KotbandSavannah Guthrie, referencing hernew children’s bookand her upcoming wedding to Amazon founderJeff Bezos.

“I mean, life is just beginning,” she continued. “When I was 20, I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, life is over at 50.’ Let me tell you: It is not, ladies. It is not over.”

Lauren Sanchez at the Diane von Furstenberg: Woman Before Fashion Exhibit on Oct. 15, 2024 in Los Angeles.Michael Buckner/WWD/Getty

Michael Buckner/WWD/Getty

The former journalist went on to say that life “just gets better and better.”

“When women are like, ‘Oh, What is it like turning 50?’ I was like, ‘It’s just the beginning,’ " she added.

As for her upcoming nuptials. Sánchez admitted that she’s been a preoccupied with the release of her debut children’s book,The Fly Who Flew to Space, and her charity work — including a$110 million contributionto 40 groups working to combat homelessness — but she is “very excited.”

“[I’m] thinking about the dress,” she said. “Ido have a Pinterest. I’m just like every other bride.”

During the interview, the mom of three also discussed her upcoming trip to space which will see her on anall-female flightto space on Blue Origin.

Although she remained hush on who would be joining her for the historic flight, she did say that it’s a group full of “explorers.”

“When we think of women, a lot of times, we don’t think of them as explorers,” she said. “We think of [Ferdinand] Magellan and Jacques Cousteau, but we’re explorers.”

Lauren Sanchez at the TIAH 5th Anniversary Soiree on Aug. 26, 2023 in Los Angeles.Stefanie Keenan/Getty for This Is About Humanity

Stefanie Keenan/Getty for This Is About Humanity

She said her fiancé, who has alreadytaken a trip to space, once used that word to describe her, which changed the way she thought about herself.

“He goes, ‘You’re a pilot. You like to see the world.’ And I never thought of myself as an explorer,” she explained. “And when he said, ‘Okay, why don’t you take an incredible group of women up?’ I was like, I’m picking all explorers so that they could come back and tell their story about how going to space changes them.”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Earlier this year, Sánchez told PEOPLE that she learned to fly when she was 40 after having grown up around aviation due to her parents owning a flight school.

“I was always around aviation,” she said. “One day I told my dad, ‘I think I want to learn to fly.’ It may have been the best day of his life.”

Sánchez shared that she hoped telling her story wouldinspire more women to get into the cockpit.

“I just think that growing up, women don’t see a lot of female aviators,” she said. “I hope women might see me as a pilot and say, ‘Hey, I want to do that!’ It’s really an incredible experience, and I love it.”

source: people.com