Turning 50 Doesn’t Suck – Here’s Why

Aging increasingly has a negative connotation. Here are some of the reasons why being fifty brings benefits, a source of pride, and let’s face it, why this milestone is fraught with irony. Read on to see the 50 reasons why turning 50 doesn’t suck.

You can use some physical changes to your advantage

Yes, physical changes occur during this time but not more than at any other stage in life. The difference here is that these changes while potentially distressing, are also something to respect. Some assets to consider:

1. Pretending you didn’t hear your significant other may no longer be necessary

2. You are a cheaper date because you can’t drink like you used to

3. Ladies gain new multi-tasking skills never mastered before (laughing and peeing at the same time)

4. The high school reunion is less about seeing your crush and more about who aged best

5. Your ability to predict the future is developing (look at your parents: you’ll turn out just like them)

6. A creative memory makes for entertaining story telling

7. Can you say fewer chores? What was once a lazy excuse may now be a plausible reason for not cleaning the rain gutters.

8. You no longer have to pretend flattery when being carded for buying alcohol

9. Label warnings, package instructions, maps: “I can figure it out” transforms into “I can’t read them anyway”

10. Your brain might not be as fast as it was, but your knowledge and experience more than make up for that.

You have an excuse to get introspective

Your mental state affects how you live your life on a daily basis. Despite what some people may say, this significant time is not a time to declare, “I’ve hit mid-life; it’s all down-hill from here.” No, it’s quite the opposite. Positive thoughts of your aging another year:

11. 50 is only a number

12. You are that much closer to knowing it all

13. Achieving an athletic feat is 30% physical and 70% mental. Just tell yourself, “I don’t need no stinking cartilage!”

14. Feeling “old” is better than the alternative (not feeling at all)

15. You can still remember what you were supposed to do today

16. You have a longer life expectancy. Perhaps it was all the preservative-laden food from the past?

17. Mistakes, opportunities missed; they are never as bad as you think.

18. This birthday prompts you to once and for all, stop eating as if you were twenty

19. You couldn’t be this confident if you didn’t first experience multiple successes and failures

20. No matter how old you are, you’ll always have the nostalgia of the ‘80s

21. Age brings perspective

Relationships develop more significance

We’ve all heard it: money or your career do not provide happiness in the long run. It’s relationships that give lifelong happiness. Perhaps the best gifts of turning a year older fall within this category. 50 doesn’t suck if:

22. Lifelong friends still see you as your younger self

23. Your YaYa girlfriends are your safe harbor and are walking this journey alongside you

24. You consider yourself lucky if both your parents are still around

25. The other half of your pairing is moving in the same direction as you

26. You remember those parents that have departed with all your senses; they are the gift you never fully appreciated until now

27. You are more interested in who people are rather than what they are

28. Your kids are becoming pretty kick-ass people and you get to sit back and watch

29. Hearing your family’s oral history isn’t an eye roller but a genuinely exciting conversation

30. You get to embrace the sandwich phase: You are the meat and your kids and parents, the bread

31. Annual trips with friends are still in the mix

32. Your pet worships the ground you walk on and vise versa

33. You reach out to someone now, rather than later

You see your priorities begin to shift…again

The 50th birthday celebrants are members of Generation X. We are the generation who predominantly grew up in dual income households and for the most part, watched our parents work too much. As a result, we have always sought a balance between work and life; especially now. Happy Birthday because:

34. The kids are becoming more independent; You can start dating your spouse again

35. The cops won’t be called on you for loud, late night parties because you’re already in bed

36. You’ve seen that fit people live longer, so you get moving

37. Ladder ball is becoming more important than the career ladder

38. You can go on a cruise and be the youngest people on board

39. Childcare is morphing into self-care

40. Summer break will soon come anytime of the year

41. You can see the future when the funds, time and ability to travel coincide. Yippee!

42. “Playing hooky” is a temporary term

43. You have a fantastic excuse to throw a party for yourself

It’s a reminder to enjoy the moment

Living with intention is admirable (and recommended). However, sometimes you just need to live where life is happening. Turning 50 in-the-now means:

44. Shouting “YOLO” preceding fun or bad decisions minimizes regrets

45. The instant gratification generation of today might be on to something

46. There is always enough time, in the moment

47. You can embrace your crazy with no apologies

48. You may as well reap the AARP benefits

49. You recall judgement is a waste of time

50. Your legacy is right here, right now

PEACE

This post originally appeared on Sarcastic Shorty.

Missy Hunter goes by many labels; mom, wife, friend, sassy lady, book lover, an athlete. She is extremely attached to her dog and often contemplates knitting a dog-hair sweater with the fur that permanently lives on the hardwood floors. Missy has spent more than 20 years working 60+ hours a week (depending on the year) while attempting to balance personal, family and career aspirations. She has a passion for healthy living and feels laughter is the cure for all ills. Visit http://sarcasticshorty.com/ or connect with her on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/sarcasticshorty68/