Well, actually I think there are many great things about turning 50. I like my wrinkles, I think they give character to my face and my silver streaks in my hair are just coming too slow! I think silver hair looks awesome – plus, it is easier to dye purple or green or both.
However, the best thing about turning 50 – and if you turned 50 you might nod affirmingly to this – is to suddenly not give a f… about other’s opinion of me. Of course I always value feedback from the people close to me, but from people who don’t know me, like really know me, I stopped giving a f… about their opinion right after I turned 50. I didn’t do anything to make it happen, I just woke up one day – and I’m pretty sure it was within a week of turning 50 and felt SO relieved, because I could feel I had stopped giving a f…
It’s not like I woke up and suddenly had become a psychopath, it just becomes very clear to me that if I were to care about how people see me through their own life’s filter, I would have to adjust my behavior all the time.
And I have. Most of my life, I have been codependent and invisible and I can tell you right now if you’re interested; it wasn’t worth it. It did NOT give me more love or success. On the contrary, it made me more lonely, angry and sad. And it made me stay in relationships that weren’t good for me for waaaay too long.
I wish I could have gotten this awesome gift long ago – I have been working on it for 20 years, but better late than never. I am pretty sure that it’s a 50 year thing, because I have talked to other 50+ women and more have said the same thing. And while they give less fu… about what people think, they have become less judgmental.
There are other benefits, like I give myself permission to not read the news, because I don’t want to be affected by drama and negativity. It’s easier to eat healthy just because I want to and I get things done. I’ve always been good at getting things done, but now it’s even things I would normally have postponed with some lame excuse.
How have you experienced this after 50?
