15 Things You Must Do for Yourself When You Turn 50

We all turn 50 once. Okay, some of us repeat that birthday many times, because for some reason 50 is a magic number. It’s not magic because you become a better version of yourself (or maybe you do) or because you are all of a sudden wiser (or maybe you are). When you turn 50 you know how to take care of yourself. We hope that when you reach the intersection of 50 and the best of your life that you take care of you. So, with that in mind, we have put together a list of 18 things you can for yourself after you turn 50. And, hey if you are bold, you can do these things after you turn 40 too.

15 Things You Can Do for Yourself After You Turn 50

Love the good and the bad. You have lived 50 years on the planet and you have learned from that. So, with that love the good things you now know about yourself and the bad things that come with age. None of us want wrinkles, but dang it, we’ve earned them, so love the ones you can’t afford to get rid of! Menopause and hot flashes? They suck, but we will never have another period and we will never have to worry about getting pregnant again. The good and the bad. Love them both and never doubt who you are.
Listen to your mind, body, and heart. So, this one is part good advice and part medical. We don’t have to slow down, but even if you are still going a million miles an hour, listen to your body. If your mind is telling you to take a break because your body is tired, just take a break. The best thing about 50 is we can do what we want. But, the most important thing is to listen to your heart, and not in a romantic way. Heart attacks are most common for women over 50, as is heart disease and it is the number one killer for women in midlife. Ladies, listen to your heart and make sure it is healthy.
Alleviate the stress by prioritizing. We are 50! You know that saying, don’t sweat the small stuff? Let’s not sweat it. Life gets stressful, we know this, but if we prioritize and live our path, then we won’t stress over the things we can’t control.
Laugh, laugh and laugh some more. Laughter is the best medicine. Be silly and keep laughing and smiling. It keeps you young and vibrant.
Keep your dreams alive. Start a journal or a vision board that has your bucket list of dreams. Work on it once a week. Just because you are at a milestone doesn’t mean your dreams end.
Take care of your finances. If you are in debt, it’s time to get out and if you aren’t, it’s time to start saving. We are all at different places in our lives, but no matter where you are, think of how you can live the rest of your life without worrying about finances.
Date night. No matter how busy you are with work, family and life still make time for date night. It gives you a time to reconnect and rekindle together. It will remind you why you want to be married. If you aren’t married, find someone just to share a meal with. Male/female interaction provides things you can’t get anywhere else.
Don’t give up your friends. Girls night is still important, whether you are married or single. Pick up the phone, text, and share a bottle of wine or three with your besties.
Compliment yourself. This might sound ridiculous, but look in the mirror and compliment yourself. Find those things that you love about yourself and be sure to tell yourself daily.
Dress for success. This might sound 1950’s to you, but every once in a while, you should get out of your sweats and get dressed up and go out on the town. First, it makes you feel better and second you will look at yourself in a whole new appreciative way.
Keep moving. Let’s face it, it’s not an apple a day that keeps the doctor away, but a walk a day will. It’s not only vital to smell the fresh air to keep our sanity, it keeps the stress level low, helps with sleep, and keeps those menopause middles tighter.
Sleep, Sleep, Sleep. I realize that when menopause hits, a full night’s sleep goes out the window. I don’t think I’ve slept all night in the past 10 years! But, with a good exercise program, no screen time before bed, a nice cool and dark room you will have a better sleep, because it does do a body good.
Pamper yourself. You know that bottle of wine in your fridge? The dusty candle on the mantle? Take them both upstairs and draw yourself a warm bubble bath and have a good soak and sip. You deserve it.
Find your happy. We don’t always have our happy or even know where or when we left it, but if we can find it and hang onto it, we will feel so much better. We are too old to not have our happy, so find it and hang on tight to it.
Show gratitude every single day. I know. This is cliché, but it does work. When you look in the mirror and give yourself a compliment (#9), say something you are grateful for right after. It could be as big as being healthy or as small as sleeping well. But, do this every single day. Good things come back to you when you do.