Life Begins At 50

Lori Osterberg is coming up on a big birthday and she has a few thoughts about it. Read more from Lori on her blog, Vision of Success.

Just a few more months and I’ll hit the big 5-0. And I haven’t quite decided how I feel about that.

20 was welcoming. I was finally out of my teens, and was ready to celebrate. I was never happy about being so young in the first place. I was an old soul, as they say. I related much better with people 10, 20, even 30 years older than me, so no longer having “teen” in my age was fine by me.

30 was difficult. I had massive change going on in my life. My father had recently passed away from a heart attack. I had given birth to my daughter two months before. Life was filled with change, and 30 reminded me of my own mortality.

40 was inspiring. I set out to enter my 40s in my best shape yet. I signed up for a triathlon at the beginning of the year, and committed to being able to finish all three phases in record time. Okay, my record time, but who’s counting. I finished the race, and I accomplished my goals. I blazed on and continued to focus in on every aspect of my health.

And then there’s 50. As I approach it, I’ve thought about it over and over again. What does it mean? What do I want to do now? When I look back at turning 50 years from now, what will I want to say about the experience?

50 is definitely a milestone. By the time you’re 50, you realize how fast time flies. I think I’m hyper aware of time because my father passed away at 54, and with every year that age gets closer and wakes up my senses just a little bit more.

I think of the song by Five For Fighting, 100 Years.

I’m 45 for a moment
The sea is high
And I’m heading into a crisis
Chasing the years of my life

Half time goes by
Suddenly you’re wise
Another blink of an eye
67 is gone
The sun is getting high
We’re moving on

What should 50 bring?

I find myself asking questions about where I’ve come from and where I choose to move towards in the future.

• What do I feel I should have accomplished in my life by now?
• What’s the most important thing I can contribute in the future?
• What do I want more of in my life? What do I choose to release from my life?
• What can I do to realize my true potential in the coming years?

So many questions; so little time.

At 50, I know every moment counts. I know I’ve achieved a milestone of sorts, and I know I have so much left to do. I’ve learned how to focus in on things I want, and to say no to things I don’t. While I don’t have all of the answers, I am more confident than ever that as each new day unfolds, I’m more prepared than ever to make things happen. To experience things simply for the joy of what they have to bring.

What do I want to say about my 50s a few years from now?

50 was life changing. That’s what I want to say.