Midlife’s A Trip

Thoughts on the Big 5-0

Posted on 21. May, 2008 by Karen in Family and Friends, Inspiration, Reflections

I’ve been thinking about birthdays lately, in part because mine is coming up in a couple of weeks. And no, I’m not turning 50 — been there, done that. But I have a number of friends who are facing that mega birthday of midlife.

One of them is my longtime friend Marva who I met almost 15 years ago when we were both lobbyists in corporate America. Recently we were talking about the paths our lives have taken and Marva brought up that her 50th birthday is this year. Here are her thoughts on that milestone:

So, how does it feel to turn a half century old? Excited, yes — that’s the only way to be. What’s the alternative? Depressed? That feeling won’t serve me well.

For my 40th birthday, I game myself the gift of exploration. I took a leave of absence from my job and went back to school for a year. During that one-year hiatus, I hired a life coach who taught me to think with my heart instead of my head.

After graduation, I developed the courage to sever the umbilical cord — leaving the company where I had worked for more than 20 years. I moved to Washington, D.C. and started my consulting and coaching business. It was a transition that seemed to make sense as I was faced with a new decade (my 40’s) of action and possibility.

Now with wisdom, grace and wonderment, I approach my 50th birthday. What gift will I give myself for this decade? I am excited about all that is associated with the ripeness of this age. I’m excited about exercising the wisdom and fearless vision of my fifties.

For me, 50 is the age of legacy-making. The gift I plan to give myself is more of myself — developing a lasting legacy for my family, my nephew (who I adore), my community and the world.

My motto for this year (and probably beyond) is ‘if not now, when?‘ That means taking care of myself, eating more chocolate, taking bigger risks, enlarging my focus, sharing more, mentoring more, finishing more and simply taking more time to just BE.

So for those of you, like Marva, who are approaching the big 5-0, what gift will you give yourself to celebrate this significant decade of midlife? If you’re already past 50, what gift would you give to a friend who’s reaching this milestone?

Related posts:

1. Did I Fall Off a Cliff Between 50 and 60? Is it my imagination or does anyone else feel almost...
2. 1951 Was a Very Good Year Everyone gets pretty excited about turning the big 5-0. ...
3. My Son’s 33rd Birthday   #1 Son, Chip turned 33 years old yesterday.  It really...
4. A Gift for Madeleine Have you ever had someone cheer you on in...
5. What Fresh Hell Is This? — A 10 Year War in Iraq “What fresh hell is this” when a political candidate promises...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.