VMP Covergirl - Jennifer Coblin

This week’s VMP Covergirl is……Jenn Coblin! 🎉

There’s something especially meaningful about photographing someone whose story has crossed paths with mine for so many years.

I first knew Jenn when we were both part of Mothers & More, back when our kids were little and so much of life revolved around raising them. Somehow, all those years passed, those little kids grew up, and here we are.

And I love who she has become on the other side after all these years.

At this stage of her life, Jenn talks about slowing down, but not in the sense of doing less, but of noticing more. Savoring the coffee while the sun comes up. Watching the ocean rise and fall. Really listening to a friend. Traveling not simply to see new places, but to share the wonder of them with people she loves.

She told me that when she was younger, she looked for external acceptance and assumed other people had life figured out. Now she understands that we are all living this life for the first time. There is something incredibly freeing in that.

One of my favorite things she said was this: “Youth is supposed to be frantic about accomplishing, but post-50 is about savoring.”

And I’ve found that is one of the gifts of this stage of life. We’re definitely not settling, but we’re finally being present enough to fully inhabit it.

Meet Jennifer Coblin, this week’s 50 Over 50 Covergirl.  ❤️

On November 5th, Jenn will be one of the 50 women featured in our second 50over50 exhibition as we celebrate all 100 women photographed over the course of this six-year project. Get your tickets here

Here's what Jenn had to say about this season of her life...

💎 Did you have any older female role models when you were younger? 

My mother was the most vibrant role model in my life. She welcomed everyone with the same open arms. Everyone was family and she balanced that warmth with a strong sense of self-respect.

One piece of her wisdom I didn’t fully appreciate until adulthood was her reminder that “every minute is filled with sixty glorious seconds.” She said it once to calm my frantic preteen worry about being late for something, but I return to it often now, especially when I need to slow down and stay present.

In truth, the lessons she gave me could fill pages. But above all, my favorite is this: joy is reciprocal. When we create it for others, it returns to us tenfold.

💎 How did you mark turning 50? How did that feel to you?

I took a trip! In both the best- and even some of the harder- moments, stepping away and traveling is such a gift. It creates space to slow down, reconnect with loved ones, and with ourselves. Breaking the everyday routine allows for us to be present. It was the perfect way to celebrate this milestone.

💎 What advice would you give your younger self?

Petta reddast. It is an Icelandic phrase that reflects their cultural mindset. It is the calm trust that things sort themselves out. I chose it for my first tattoo at 54.  I still need the reminder, but now I have the life experience to know it’s true.

💎 Do you feel like you've changed since you've turned 50? 

Absolutely! I've put into practice that if you approach the world with curiosity and genuineness you can chase experiences that previously seemed unattainable. Younger me looked for external acceptance and believed other people had things figured out. Realizing we are all just living life for the first time has freed me to listen to myself more and give grace to others. I've come to perceive beauty as living fully rather than to any particular social determined standard. I value surrounding myself with people who are engaged and present.

💎 What positives have come from being over 50?

Slowing down and appreciating things. I don't mean slowing down in acquiescence or in a "life is almost over way" but in a relishing way. Enjoying the coffee in the morning when the sun is rising, watching the ocean rise and fall, really listening to a friend rather than rushing to what's next. Youth is supposed to be frantic about accomplishing but post-50 is about savoring.

💎 Do you have any goals or projects you're working on? What dreams do you have for the future?

I have always been buoyed up when I'm sharing wonder. My focus with my travel business has shifted toward "come with us" experiences. There's never been a trip I've been on that I haven't at some point wished I had more people sharing the adventure. Now, it is woven into every plan---who would want to join us? Who do we know that would just love this place? Travel always enriches your life, sharing that enrichment makes its bounty exponential. I still love curating individual travel but it is the shared experiences that I truly appreciate.

💎 What is your best advice for other women who are coming up on turning 50? What do you 'know' now?

Listen and wonder. See the beauty in vulnerability. Don't review what has or hasn't happened with anything but gratitude. Grief means you loved. Mistakes mean you risked. Realizing the true joy is being in the moment.

💎 What do you most want people to remember about you?

I suppose I want people to want to be around me. I want people to remember I made them feel seen and comfortable.

💎 Why are beautiful photos important to you right now?

Photos are just a snapshot in time. It is important to capture where you are along this journey of life. Why do you take a photo? Because you want to remember something, it has value to you. Too many women are behind the camera and don't have anyone reminding them that their story has value.

💎 Have you ever been professionally photographed? If yes, how was that experience for you?

My mom wanted me to try modeling in my teens, I think she always wanted to do it herself and availed the experience to me. I indulged her with a photoshoot but it wasn't for me. Then several times as a young mother, I would try to capture those elusive moments with my children. I'm grateful for those because they really did stop time when life seemed to pass in an instant. And then the headshots--look professional, present an image--you try the best you can. With the 50 over 50 photoshoot, I felt like it was just for me, how do I want to be seen? Do you see my joy? Can you capture all the highs and lows that made me who I am? Well, that's a big ask but why not ask!

Congratulations Jenn! It’s an honor to help you celebrate YOU and your journey and I’m so glad you said YES to yourself! 🎉

NOTE: If you've been enjoying these stories, I'd love for you to join us at the 50 Over 50 Exhibition & Celebration on November 5th, 2026, where you'll be able to experience the portraits and stories of these remarkable women in person. Get your tickets here