With my 50th birthday just around the corner, I wanted to share fifty things I’ve learnt over the last 49 years that may inspire and motivate you to make changes that lead to feeling potent, excited and fabulous at 50!
And so, in no particular order…
- Get clear on your personal core values and make changes to any parts of your life that don’t align with these values.
- Walk barefoot regularly on grass or sand to feel more grounded.
- Spend time in nature every day.
- Drink around 2 litres of filtered water every day. (Your skin will look so much more radiant!)
- Remove alcohol from your lifestyle – future you will be so happy!
- Get regular eye examinations, especially if hereditary conditions run in your family.
- Before bed, swap phone games or scrolling for a good fiction book.
- Take a Vitamin D supplement (D3 + K2 is a great combination).
- Spend 20 minutes in the early morning sunlight after waking.
- Take a sunset walk – even for 10 minutes – to prepare your brain for sleep.
- Try to go to bed at around the same time every day (and always before midnight!).
- Always remove make up, cleanse your face and apply a night time moisturiser before bed. (Consistency matters more here than expensive creams and serums.)
- Wear clothes that make you feel great, regardless of trends, fashion or body shape.
- Invest in clothes that are well made and fit beautifully.
- Move your body every day, however you wish. (Walk, run, swim, dance, have sex!)
- Start strength training. If you’ve never lifted weights before, now is the time. Pay for a couple of personal training sessions so you know how to work out safely and effectively at home or in the gym by yourself.
- Stretch your body. Try yoga, pilates or a simple stretching routine to counteract the modern day sedentary lifestyle.
- Start journalling every day. It’s a great way to get to know yourself better and to slow down to tune into your intuition and inner wisdom.
- Learn about digestion and the symptoms of poor gut health. The answer to many health problems can be found by exploring gut health, diet and lifestyle.
- Eat more plants. Forget diet labels, just add more vegetables, especially leafy greens, to your diet. Pulses, beans and lentils, rice, quinoa, nuts, seeds and tofu all count as plant foods – eat more of these! (Need some help? Check out my Eat More Plants ebook)
- Educate yourself about inflammation in the body and its connection with painful joints and autoimmune disease. Try a low-inflammation or low-acid diet to support your health.
- Learn how to accept compliments gracefully. Practice complimenting others.
- Travel with the mindset of curiosity, exploration and adventure.
- Put down your phone and look up! There’s an incredible world out there…
- Never stop learning. Your neurons will thank you later!
- Say hello and smile to people when you’re out walking. It’s amazing how much a simple smile can brighten someone’s day.
- Get your clothes tailored to fit you perfectly.
- If you use social media, connect with people who inspire and motivate you and make you feel good.
- Try a new sport. If you’ve always wanted to learn to play tennis, compete in a triathlon or start sea swimming, now is the time! (There are so many other sports that might be available in your area too – like cricket, football, archery, sailing etc.)
- Share your knowledge. With 50+ years of experience, wisdom and knowledge, you have so much brilliance to share with the world. You could teach, write, speak, create, paint, sing or bring people together in community.
- Join a community group. Our fifties can be a lonely time for many women as children leave home for university, work or to rent their own homes. Being part of a community or volunteer group can be a great way to give something back and gain lots of social interaction. Try an exercise class, rent an allotment, volunteer with a charity, or join a group such as the WI.
- Walk every day – it’s a great way to support hormone balance and weight management, reduce mental stress and feel more relaxed and grounded. (Read about the power of committing to daily habits in this blog)
- Express your desires. If speaking them aloud to another person sounds scary, start by writing them down every day in your private journal.
- Find ways to deepen intimacy with your partner. Be open, honest and kind. Share your fears, sit in your vulnerability and express your love in ways that feel good to you.
- Single but unsure about dating? Spend time getting to know new people in a variety of ways (through volunteering, sport, work, hobbies, art classes etc.) with no pressure to actually date. Chat over a coffee, take a walk along the beach, try a new fitness activity or visit an art gallery.
- Work on feeling great in your body – however that looks for you. More physical self-care like getting a manicure, haircut or a facial treatment, or inner self-care like therapy or counselling, working with a coach or starting meditation or yoga.
- Spend time in a sisterhood circle with other women. Find a space where you feel safe enough to open your heart and bare your vulnerability and deepest fears.
- Learn how to cook. If you’ve never been much of a home cook, learning how to create delicious, healthy, nutritionally complete meals will support your physical health and emotional wellbeing for the next 50 years.
- Bring some plants into your home and learn how to nurture them, take cuttings and grow new plant babies. (It’s sooo satisfying!)
- Learn a new skill. Immerse yourself into learning a new language, graphic design, sewing, video editing, photography, garden design, watercolour painting, astrology, herbal healing… Literally anything that lights up your heart and makes you feel alive!
- Reduce the amount of chemicals in your environment. Eat fresh food instead of processed, packaged items. Swap harsh cleaning chemicals for less toxic versions. Choose beauty products that are made with natural ingredients and aren’t tested on animals.
- Boost your heart and lung fitness by including some regular activity that raises your heart rate and makes you sweaty!
- Enhance your feminine energy: Buy yourself flowers. Burn the expensive candles! Wear your favourite, prettiest underwear. Use your ‘best’ glasses, plates and bowls. Add a splash of colour to your outfit with accessories that make you smile. Indulge in a deep bath and use all your favourite products.
- If you aren’t where you thought you’d be financially at 50, take action! No more burying your head in the sand. Learn about money mindset and abundance manifestation. Take action with your daily finances. Save money regularly, even a small amount (it’s the habit that counts). Read books about wealth management and financial freedom. Ask for help. Make a debt-repayment plan and stick to it. No more hiding. Be honest with yourself and open with those you love.
- Let people LOVE you! Open up and allow the love and kindness to flow to you. Learn the art of receiving. (This isn’t easy right?! Read more about vulnerability in this blog.)
- Sink into gratitude. Write a daily gratitude list (start with 3-5 things). Watch how your energy shifts as you practice daily gratitude. (The people around you will shift too!)
- Embody your femininity through dance, music and movement. (Bonus points for dancing in your lingerie around the house)
- Laugh! Find more ways to bring joy and laughter into your life. Nothing cures stress better than a good laugh!
- Learn to say NO! If you’re constantly feeling overwhelmed, stressed or like there’s never enough time for you, start implementing better boundaries with family, friends and work colleagues.
- Say YES to the things that light you up. No more living life on autopilot. Follow your heart and deepest desires. Buy the plane ticket. Kiss the guy. Climb the mountain.
What words of wisdom would you love to add to this list for other women turning 50?
Pop your comments below.
With love,
Lorraine xx
Ps. If you’d love to leave me a birthday message, or buy me a birthday drink (alcohol free!), you can help me celebrate my birthday here! 🙏🎉✨
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