If 30 is the new 25, why can’t 50 be the new 30?
For some people, the age of 50 can be very daunting. You’ve lived for half a century. What have you done with that time? What have you accomplished? For women especially, the pressures of having completed certain societal tasks such as having a successful marriage, a successful career, and having children can be nerve-racking for those who haven’t reached these milestones. And for those who have, it can be tiring being made to feel like you’ve done what you’ve needed to do, to feel like your life revolves around them, to feel like you’re “too old” to have fun. But just like how 30 is seen as a reprieve from your roaring 20’s, the same can be said for 50.
It’s time to say goodbye to midlife crises and to start seeing 50 as the beginning of a new chapter in your life. At 50, you’re likely to know even more about yourself than you ever have before. You’re more likely to feel secure and not care what people think of you. So why not take advantage and try new things and take some more risks.
Here’s why being in your fifties is the new golden age to thrive!
1) You’ve never known yourself better. No one misses those days at 20 of being unsure of the type of person you want to be. At 50, you already know. And if you don’t know, then you probably don’t feel too pressured to figure it out. You know what you like, and what you don’t like, so it’s easier to focus on the good things without stressing out about everything else.
2) You have a new sense of clarity. With your comfortable sense of self, things like landing that great job, or drama between friends, and relationships, don’t seem to plague your life anymore. You’re past most of that now and have become well-versed in separating what truly matters from things that’ll only hold you down. You truly are living your best life.
JLO looking fab at 50
3). You can take the time to appreciate what you’ve accomplished. Within these past 50 years, you’ve done a lot! Big or small, it probably took a lot to get to where you are now. You probably have a better appreciation of your own effort and that feels good. You feel more satisfied with what you’ve been able to accomplish so far. Pat yourself on the back.
4) You’re more confident. You might be hit with that sudden realization that you don’t have to care what people say or think about you. You’re 50, your opinion is the one that matters the most to you. You feel more free to make choices and decisions that you might have second-guessed on when you were younger, and you probably feel more comfortable saying no to things that you don’t like or don’t want to do. You can be less fearful, and more outspoken. Take that confidence and run with it.
5) Age-related discounts. You might be able to take advantage of some “senior” discounts now that you’ve reached the big 5-0. No one has ever said no to discounts no matter how old they are. And being id’d to make sure you’re actually as old as you say you are, probably feels a lot better at 50 than at 21. You will also be able to take part in 50-and-up events or experiences. When you do, you’ll be the new kid on the block, which can be exciting.
6) Your wisdom knows no bounds. You are older but you’re also wiser. People might start coming to you for advice, or start looking to you as a well of knowledge. And they’re not wrong! You’ve lived through many things and dealt with the growing pains of your 20’s, 30’s, and even 40’s. You have a lot of experience to share, and you’ve probably got some great stories to tell. You’re better equipped than ever to deal with some of the hard stuff still coming your way. At this point, you don’t need to take life too seriously, or stress about every little thing. You’re more likely to go with the flow and your wisdom helps you do that. Whatever comes next, you can handle it, and make it look easy and effortless.
7) It’s the best time to start treating yourself! At this point in your life, things have probably settled down a bit. Whether it’s your responsibilities to your family or your career, your relationships with friends or a partner, the whirlwind of life has most likely started to calm down. Now’s the time to take that trip you’ve always wanted to go on! Now’s the time to go on long family vacations! Now’s the time to buy that thing you’ve always wanted but never actually needed! Start treating yourself to things that you never had time to do, that you were worried would interfere with something else, try new foods, try new hobbies. In your midlife, the possibilities are still endless!
Halle Berry (Photo by Gabe Ginsberg/WireImage)
8) Start the second chapter of YOU! Going off of the last point, just because you know yourself better than you ever have, doesn’t mean you can’t get to know yourself even better. While you’re treating yourself to new things or hobbies you never had the time to do, let these new experiences lead you to new places. Take more risks, learn new skills, make new friends. The wisdom and the confidence that you’ve acquired at this age will allow you to pick yourself up if you fall and be more adventurous.
9) But what if you don’t want to be more adventurous? That’s the other great thing about getting older. You don’t have to worry too much about what comes next. If adventure happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t. You are on your own path in life, and your path is not going to look like someone else’s path. You are more content with this than you’ve ever been. You are at peace with what you’ve done so far and are at peace with what might come next.
10) Your Fifties are Fabulous! Live out your best life the way you would at any other age. Being in your fifties doesn’t suddenly change who you are or who you have to be. You can be just as fabulous, just as fun, quirky, and just as charismatic as you were before. Maybe even more so.
Enjoy your fifties, because they won’t happen again.