I am normally not one to boast about my birthday but this year I find it in my heart to share my thoughts at this stage in my life to empower all of you as you get close to hitting the half-century decade or you are already there!
When I turned 50, it was life-changing. Not only was I entering a new decade of my life, but I was on a journey to exploring my future and what was my true purpose in life. My 40’s were life-changing when I made the decision to take charge of my health and released 130 pounds. More than 10 years later, I found myself celebrating the healthy, active and vibrant life I am living.
No life is ever perfect, and you will always face adversity, but it’s the way you look at adversity that changes the projection of your life. A famous quote that I always keep in my mind is “If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” Dr. Wayne Dyer.
Turning 50 and feeling content and thinking that wow, I found the career that I love. I was confident that I was moving in the right direction, and I made the decision to stay the path and move forward to plan for the life of retirement.
And boom, 90 days later out of left field I was downsized AGAIN from a career I truly was passionate about and worked so hard to build. Yes, I had a moment of breakdown it’s a scary thing initially because all of our life we are building a life for someone else instead of building a life for us and you find yourself at 50 having to start over again. It was uncomfortable but following my heart, I changed the way I looked at my situation and I made a life-changing decision to NEVER go back to build a life for someone else!
Today as I turn 55, I have no regrets and I truly have a sense of freedom. What I have discovered in the years since turning 50, is that my life has actually become better, richer, healthier, and more satisfying than I could ever have imagined. I no longer live my life based on others’ expectations. I live my life based on how I want to live my life. I’m grateful for the time and freedom I have now being able to do what I do from anywhere. That is priceless — living my life on my terms. Living in my 50s means being grateful for every breath I take and every moment I get to be with those I love, especially my new granddaughter, Alania. Fifty-five means not having anything to prove anymore. It means not being terrified of change but accepting its inevitability and, oftentimes, welcoming it. I have found a new fearlessness in my 50s that is accompanied by faith and the knowledge that I have a well of inner strength to draw upon.
Living in my fifties is an exhale. My fifties are my new HIGH FIVE! I feel more like my authentic self. There is so much to look forward to, especially through the lens of doing it just for the sake of experiencing something new – not because it’s something to be added to the CV. More and more, I do things just to have the experience. I am a lifelong learner. I know that showing up and participating keeps my mind and my inner spirit alive.
The older I get, the less concern I have about being judged, cautious, or whether I am making the right decision about anything in my life. This comes with experience and perhaps wisdom. It is my time to play and play freely. Life gets wider as it gets shorter! I’ve got more years behind me than I do in front of me. I am going to embrace it. Most importantly, I am truly embracing my health because, without it, I have nothing!
So today, I will say HAPPY 55TH BIRTHDAY to me!
If you want to learn more about this incredible journey I’m on, I welcome you on my journey. Let’s make our lives more meaningful.