What 50 Years Has Taught Me…and My Predictions for the Future!

This week, I'm celebrating my 50th birthday and sharing some of my biggest lessons with you. 

First, here are some interesting stats about age:

• 200 years ago, the global average life expectancy was approximately 30 years. Even then, only about 4% of the population lived to be older than 65 years.

• 100 years ago, life expectancy was around 54 years.

• Today, people are expected to live around 79 years. Circumstances such as access to healthcare, nutrition, vaccines, and clean water and sanitation have significantly improved infant mortality and overall health.

These days, people are not merely hoping to survive. We want to thrive! 

There's an art and a science to thriving in our current culture without feeling completely overwhelmed by the weight of all the expectations.

For many of us, our 20s are a time for figuring out who we are, both personally and professionally. Many people find their spouse during this decade. And then, when we reach our 30s, we're often climbing the professional ladder and raising children.

The decade between 40 and 50 has been a journey that I wasn’t prepared for. 

It’s hard to say which came first, like the chicken or the egg, but changing hormones and burnout dominated the last 10 years. Turned out I'm not the only one. Most of my clients report having similar experiences.

On my 40th birthday, I felt like I was on top of the world. I still had a strong metabolism, felt like I looked good, had achieved new professional heights, and my kids were a great source of joy. Because of my kids, I enjoyed having many mom friends from various schools and activities, and I had the time and energy to get back into some old hobbies. 

It only took four short years, though, for me to stop sleeping, feel unsatisfied with my life, and feel so much brain fog and exhaustion that I needed to retire. I called it "Freedom 44!"

I tried to get help, but no one was able to pinpoint the real issues. Today, I'm thankful to be on the other side of these significant challenges. 

Here are some lessons I'm grateful to have learned in my 40s.

1. Stop caring what other people think. You don’t actually control what people think of you anyway, so do what’s good for you and makes you happy.

2. Prioritize your health and wellness.

3. Move your body every day. 

4. Eat a balanced diet that includes plenty of protein and plant-based foods. 

5. Get lots of sleep and water. 

6. Have people that you can talk to.

7. Rest when you’re tired.

8. Get clear about your priorities, and spend your time and energy accordingly.

9. Instead of doing what you think other people expect, do more of what lights you up. 

10. Give up control so that you can delegate or hire out the tasks that drain you.

11. Act according to your values. It’s not always easy, but you will always feel proud of yourself when you live your life with your values as your guiding light.

12. Set boundaries over and over (and over) again. It’s not up to other people to abide by your boundaries. It’s up to you to set them and hold them. Communicate your preferences, and then react accordingly.

13. Dream big. Keep asking yourself what an amazing life would look like and work towards creating it. Have goals and dreams that stretch you, because we can’t create what we can’t imagine. You just might amaze yourself!

My Predictions for the Future

This decade, I'm the priority. I quickly realized in my 40s that the line between “fine” and “not fine” is thin, so noticing the red flags that warn me that things are heading downhill is essential. I no longer wait until I hit my breaking point before addressing them, and I tackle them head-on.

While I will continue to work on my health and wellness habits, I don’t expect myself to be perfect. I will keep investing in the relationships that are most important to me and let go of the situations that do not serve me in a positive way.

I continue to enjoy my career, and learning new things and picking up new hobbies is going to make life fun. I look forward to watching my children launch into independence and create a life for themselves.

Navigating the highs and lows of my 40s has taught me a great deal, which I hope to continue refining in the years to come. My focus will no longer be on performance and accomplishment, but will shift towards how things feel and what's most enjoyable. 

My prediction, and this is a big one — is that overwhelm will be a thing of the past in my life because the routines and skills I've learned make it very unlikely to resurface. 

I'm looking forward to continuing to share these learnings with you!

If you enjoyed this article, read these next:

• The Power of Celebrations: Why They Matter More Than You Think

• A Year of Lasts — Making Sense of Empty Nest Syndrome

• The Exhaustion Epidemic — 10 Small Steps for More Energy