Being 50

Do we need to change when we get to 50? I look around and see lots of active, engaged 50-year olds, who are grabbing life by the b***s and getting on with it. I also see some ladies stuck in a rut, bogged down with the changes that being 50 brings. And let’s face it, 50 is a time for change, especially our bodies and sometimes our mind-set. Do we groan and trudge on, or do we embrace the next stage of our lives and do something extraordinary?

I’ve opted for the extraordinary

I’ve been lucky. From what I saw as a horrendously sad end to my ‘career’, I was able to take time off to reflect last year and then take my life forward. In two months from ending the career I had (and had loved), I was setting up a new business in the same area, but on my own terms. I had decided to manage my own working life and ultimately my own well-being. It was a risk. I could only do it because I had support and enough savings to keep me going for a while. It’s also been hard. Going solo takes time. It’s been 10 months since I had the idea until I have finally got booked for 11 weeks work. It’s certainly not a quick process.

However, it’s also been exciting and stimulating. It’s put me situations I would normally avoid but also put me in situations I can deal with because of the experience I have now had. I couldn’t imagine (but have complete admiration for anyone) being 21 and starting on your own. I have read so many positive stories of young women like this – setting the world alight. I also read about established older women who are inspirational and that is what helped me decide it was ok to head out on my own and make my way in the world. It wasn’t too late. Some of these women have had businesses for years, some are established in a career that isn’t their own. But all have made something of themselves. In retrospect, that is what I did at age 33, when I dropped everything to go to University – I realised it was ok to do what I wanted. Maybe there is a bit of drive in me that pushes me to do what I want to better myself. In finding myself in a situation not of my making, I did a double turn and started again…

Inspiration is all around us

Photo by Thought Catalog on Unsplash

Reading these inspirational stories has given me more confidence in myself and not just a direction, but a planned one. I plan every day now, so I don’t miss a chance to do something, and it helps me keep on top of everything. I will write more about this in a later post on Planning and Goal Setting. It’s not something to be afraid of, but it’s a useful tool, whatever your situation. Planning supports my growth – yes, I am still growing. It keeps my mind actively engaged on my goals so that this next decade will be productive and fulfilling. I don’t want to reflect on my fifties and realise I stopped and drifted.

Being 50 has given me some freedoms. My children aren’t at home and don’t rely on our support so much; I have been financially astute through my life, so have less of a burden; I have time for me – and importantly time for others. I had a career that sucked my life. I lost friends over it, I struggled to see family… that has been an issue. Now, I have (make) time to enjoy the company of the close friends that stood by me through thick and thin. Now, I put family first. I learned the hard way, as often is the case.

By reading about other women, I keep my motivation levels up. I aspire to do what they are doing or have done, no matter what their age. Age has no barriers, but I manage what I can do at my age. So, when I exercise, I do what I feel comfortable doing, whilst pushing myself slowly to improve. It’s about managing your life, rather than looking at younger women and thinking ‘Well, I won’t manage that, so I won’t even try’. It wasn’t until I had time to reflect and think about what I was not doing, that I chose to change my lifestyle – in small steps.

Take note of the things that inspire you and think about how you could adapt them for you. What is it that you want over this Golden decade?

Do you have an inspirational story you’d like to share? I’d love to hear it! It will help the rest of us to find and keep the motivation 😊

"Age is no barrier. It's a limitation you put on your mind..." - Jackie Joyner-Kersee.