Questions around emotional steadiness, shifting identity, and the internal changes that emerge in our sixties are central themes in The Sovereign Self by Stacey Dutton. The book examines how this chapter invites a recalibration of presence, boundaries, and self-trust, offering a closer look at the inner architecture of our third act.
The Sovereign Self explores the internal transitions women face as they enter their sixties, a decade marked by refinement, emotional perspective, and a reorientation toward what truly matters. Stacey Dutton examines how long-standing patterns—people-pleasing, overextension, inherited roles, and quiet emotional burdens—begin to loosen, making room for clarity and anchored selfhood. The book discusses the evolution of identity, the shift from reaction to intentional response, and the quiet power that comes with emotional mastery. Dutton blends lived experience with reflective guidance, offering insight on changing relationships, the body’s transformation, the pull toward stillness, the role of solitude, and the emergence of joy as a deliberate practice. Through this lens, she positions the sixties not as a decline, but as an unfolding—an opportunity to live with internal alignment and grounded sovereignty.
Stacey Dutton is an entertainment executive, creative producer, and emotional mastery advocate with more than three decades of experience across the music, television, and film industries. She was the original on-air host of TLC/Discovery’s Clean Sweep and later the casting director for the Emmy Award–winning Clean House on The Style Network. Through her developing platform, Live Sovereign Self, she guides women in their third act toward clarity, boundaries, and emotional sovereignty. Stacey lives in New Preston, Connecticut, with her husband and their rescue dog. Visit Stacey at her website and on Instagram.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/48rD71T
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/243569125-the-sovereign-self
Author Q&A
How did you research your book?
The research for my book came straight out of self-reflection and my own lived experience—the good, the bad, and the downright ugly. Every phase of my life, from childhood to this newest chapter, has taught me something worth examining. I also read philosophy every day, especially the Stoics, which at this point is like a form of therapy for me.
Where do you get your ideas?
This book was literally born from the journaling I’ve been doing over the past couple of years. I jot down notes after reading passages that hit me in the gut, and I’m constantly writing little reminders to myself about the things I still need to work on (lots of material right there!). So what began as my own personal manifesto—basically a handbook for keeping myself sane—eventually had me thinking, “Why not share it?”
What sets your book apart from others in your genre?
My book isn’t coming from a clinician, a guru, or someone pretending to have all the answers. It comes from someone who has lived through the transitions, reinventions, losses, joys, and identity shifts that women experience in their 50s, 60s, and beyond. Most books for women in midlife lean heavily into reinvention, “you go girl” energy, or vague self-help slogans. In mine, I’m offering a more refined approach: emotional intelligence, discernment, self-reflection, boundaries, and presence, speaking to women who are smart, self-aware, and tired of superficial advice.
Why did you choose this setting/topic?
I don’t think I chose this topic as much as the topic chose me. As I worked on my own personal growth and journaled about it, I saw this book begin to take shape.
Which author(s) most inspired you?
I’m most inspired by The Stoics. Stoic philosophy originated in ancient Greece and Rome and teaches one essential idea: you can’t control life, but you can absolutely control your response to it. At its core, Stoicism emphasizes emotional steadiness, self-mastery, perspective, and the ability to stay grounded even when life is chaotic. It’s about separating what you can influence from what you can’t and anchoring your peace in that distinction. Most modern therapeutic frameworks, especially Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) (which is the most widely used form of therapy today) are directly built on Stoic principles.
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