That dreadful number . . . 50! Is it really so dreadful? It’s just another number after all. I have always kept a positive outlook on everything all the time. Always looking on the bright side. Why is this any different? Turning 50 is no biggy. How is keeping a positive outlook during midlife any different?
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just another number
Growing up I never thought of my parents as “old”. Being 20 and 30 years older than me, I never considered them to be “old”. Turning 50 was just another number. We always did everything together. We were very close.
My parents always kept a positive outlook on things. They were never distracted with something like midlife issues. They went about their daily routines as nothing changed.
If you give in to the number, of course, it will change you. Don’t give in. You need to stay positive. There is so much more to do in life than waiting for midlife mind games to set in. There is so much more waiting for us. This is just the beginning.
With age comes certain life circumstances like midlife changes that we must deal with, yes. We eventually have to face it. But why not keep some faith and have a positive outlook on the wonderful life you still have ahead of you.
How to make a smoother transition
Here are a few tips that I thought might be helpful in making your transition to the next phase of your life a little bit easier and smoother. Entering your midlife is in no way a hardship and I just wanted to take a moment to emphasize that.
1. Stop calling it a midlife crisis – the first thing you can do to stay positive when entering your midlife is to stop calling it a midlife crisis. I remember when I was a young girl and always hearing the term “the midlife crisis”.
Why was it a crisis? When I was growing up, it made me feel like people who turned 50 and beyond were old and in the midst of some kind of crisis. Like turning 50 was a taboo. Well, when I turned 50, to me it was like any other birthday. It is just a number.
Don’t stop doing the things you used to do just because you turned 50. You would be surprised at the things that lay ahead of you.
2. Don’t Let Age Limit You – don’t let turning 50 stop you from doing something or not doing something just because of your age. Create a bucket list. List the things you want to learn or what books you want to read, or places you want to travel that you were not able to do when you were busy raising your family.
3. Try not to brand yourself negatively – yes, turning 50 can start showing on the body but refrain from voicing about any aches and pains. Saying those kinds of issues out loud so many times, you may start thinking “old and brittle”. And I’m sure that you are not. Yes, I too have a few aches and pains now and then but I refuse to give up doing everything and anything I want to do.
4. Friendships (New and Old) – I am more than happy and appreciative of the old friends I have in my life. I don’t know what I would do without them. It’s also great to make new friends.
With old friends, unfortunately, when you start a family there might be a chance of relocation. You then don’t get a chance to spend that much time with them.
So making new friends is so ideal to be able to share life thoughts and memories with. It is just a healthier lifestyle to have close friends you can rely on from time to time.
5. Invest in your physical and mental health – especially in dire times that we face in our lives, staying physically and mentally sound is so important.
I know when I work out more often it keeps me motivated and I feel more productive. Just working out makes me feel happy to know that I am keeping healthy and active.
Just by going for walks and breathing in the fresh air will do you a world of good, both physically and mentally. Reading a book, learning something new, all good motivators to keep you mentally intact.
6. Think positive and stay optimistic – My motto is to always think positively. My husband and children have heard me tell them many times. Everyone’s happiness is important to me. I always keep my family on a positive path.
Having negative thoughts will not benefit anyone, least of all you. There is no reason for it. Yes, times are tough some of the time but we have to find a way to turn it around.
Constantly thinking of your age is holding you back from something you want to accomplish, which is a negative thought. Get out of this negativity rut and live your life to the fullest. I know I am. No matter what age I am.
7. Think young – you are as young as you feel. When you start to think that you can do whatever your heart desires at whatever age you are, you will start to believe you can do it.
Thinking young will motivate you to do the things you wished you had done when you were younger but didn’t. Perhaps it wasn’t the right time in your life to pursue it.
You were starting a family and were too busy otherwise. Well now is the time to look back at the things you should have done and make a plan to accomplish those things.
8. Stay busy and active – there is nothing I hate more than hearing my kids say that they’re bored. “Mom there’s nothing to do. I’m so bored.” There is always something to do. Even for you and me.
You must find something in your life that you love to do or once had a passion for but didn’t pursue. Do you love to read? I’m sure when you were raising your children, you could never find the time to read a best-selling book, or go online and learn something new or try a side hustle.
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9. Find a life purpose – now that the children are all grown up you will have more time to dedicate your time to a well-worthy cause that you have always wanted to do. There are so many formidable causes and organizations to be involved with.
10. Keeping learning and growing – when the kids were a little older and could manage to do a few things on their own, I got myself a more professional camera and learned so much more about photography and started to do it as a side-hustle. And then I also discovered blogging. I always loved to write. I love learning new things. We need to keep our minds active.
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11. Laugh often and have fun – yes, it is important to laugh as much as you possibly can. It’s a healthy lifelong activity that everyone should participate in. But I think it is important now what with the mood swings for some women of our age develops . . . lol !!
My husband makes me laugh quite a bit. Like just the other day, I was helping my husband fix one of the drawers in the fridge. We were trying to put it back in the track that wheels back into the fridge. Well, we looked like a comedy act.
We just couldn’t get the drawer to sit in its track. The more my husband tried to lift it, he hit the water dispenser not realizing and the water spouted from it. He didn’t know where the water was coming from now. He was soaked.
We started laughing so hard we were in tears. Kids came running wondering what was going on. They looked at us, smiled, rolled their eyes and went about their business. My husband and I were left laughing hysterically for a few minutes. We fixed the fridge.
12. Keep being social – it’s hard to plan a dinner party when the kids are young. There is so much planning that goes into a dinner party. Now that the kids are older they either have their own activities to tend to or they just lock themselves in their rooms and sit on their laptops, phones or PlayStation. Having the company of other adults is a welcome event for you. We all need a life outside of our families.
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13. Sleep well – I have to be honest, I’m a true night owl. I have become used to it. But in no way is that healthy. We all need at least 8 hours of sleep. Perhaps drinking a cup of tea before bed will be helpful. Getting a good night’s rest every night will create a happier environment for yourself throughout the day. If you go on little sleep you will be crabby and unhappy the whole day.
14. Accept and trust whatever the journey brings – the thing to remember is you are not alone in this. It is a progression of life into the unknown. Yours is to accept how you came to this point in your life and be happy with how it has unraveled.
There may be ups and downs along the way, yes. Have faith in yourself that it is the best path you have taken and your eyes are now open to all the possibilities I have presented you with.
No matter where your journey takes you, know that it is the right path for you. Remember this: we are on this journey together.
