Ok, so I’ll admit there are some bummers about being over fifty, but let’s not focus on those today.

Instead, let’s celebrate five big reasons it’s flipping fantastic to be over fifty!

1. Clarity.

We are now at the top of the hill where we can see more clearly the stuff that matters in life and the crap that doesn’t. We’re old enough to have lost loved ones and to have watched friends suffer through diseases, divorces and tragedies.

We clearly understand that with a few decades of life left in front of us, our to-do list is getting a little shorter.  Only the important things are going to make it on the list. We’ve begun to understand the meaning of the saying don’t sweat the small stuff.

2. Gratitude.

Having the clarity to see what really matters in life makes it so much easier to sit in a bowl of gratitude. I mean truly sit in it. Bathe in it. Glow in it. We are so blessed in so many ways and at this age, we start to really feel it.

The valued friends we’ve had for years. The family we adore that brings us such deep love and satisfaction.

The life we have, even if not the one we dreamt we’d have, is still so much more full and wonderful than it might have been. Our journey through these years has gifted us with gratitude for all that we’ve worked for, for memories and experiences we’ve enjoyed, for the people, pets and special treasures in our lives that have brought us joy.

“There is no joy without gratitude.” – Brene Brown

3. Fearlessness.

Being over fifty comes with a certain fearlessness we didn’t quite have a few decades before. With clarity and gratitude helping us see what matters in our lives, we’re not so afraid of losing the other stuff.

Our kids are nearly grown and some have already gone off to college, jobs, even marriage. We don’t have the same fear of losing everything we once had.

We also don’t have the same fear of being judged. We’ve come far and accomplished quite a bit by now, even if we fell short of our twenty-something dreams.

We can see the path in front of us that leads to the next chapter of pursuing passions and interests we haven’t had time for before.

We generally don’t care what people think anymore. The people whose opinions matter stand beside us, and the rest can go to hell. We’re not trying to be anything we’re not anymore. It’s fearless and liberating.

“You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.” – Mae West

4. Focus.

After we get past the realization that we’re over fifty, we gain a laser-sharp focus. With the wisdom of what doesn’t matter to us, we can focus on what does.

Family. Friends. Health and wellness. Our bucket list. The things we want to do, see, feel, experience, and accomplish before our body refuses and our focus blurs.

Fifty is a sharp slap in the butt, a cold splash of water in the face – a wake up call to get serious about where we want to focus our time and energy. And with that kind of focus, we intent to get sh*t done!

5. Simplicity.

The first four reasons lead to this one. The crazy busy complicated lives we’ve been living are starting to simplify. The kids are older and becoming independent. We’re still working and pushing ourselves (any maybe paying college tuition to help our kids), but we’re not so intent on killing ourselves working anymore.

We have a new appreciation for wanting to own less stuff and experience more life. We’re cleaning out our closets, getting rid of things we don’t use or need, peeling away from commitments that aren’t time well spent.

The urge has arrived to clear out the nest, pare down our material belongings – an instinctual call to simplify. We realize we really don’t need a lot of things to be happy. There’s satisfaction in moving toward having fewer responsibilities rather than more.

At fifty, most of us aren’t dreaming of bigger houses, more furniture, clothes, dishes, jewelry, tools… Instead we’re fantasizing about that little two bedroom condo at the beach or cabin in the mountains or RV by the lake we’d like to someday move to.

A simple life with a few special things, feeling healthy and planning lots of new memories with the people we love – that’s what we’re dreaming of. Aaaaaaah, simple.

More?

Yep, I could name quite a few more over fifty gains – but these are the biggies!

Did I miss any?

– Marlene

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