Tag Archives: 50

To all my friends Turning 50!

Roughly ten years ago I wrote this blog: Turning 40

As I sit down to write this blog post, I can’t help but feel a little bit amused at the thought of dispensing advice to those who fear turning 50. You see, most of my friends are ten years younger than me, my wife is 12 years younger than me, and I remember vividly how they used to poke fun at me when I turned 50. Now, here I am, ten years later, still standing and feeling pretty good!

Turning 50 is a bit like hitting a milestone in a video game. You’ve made it past the beginner level, and you’re ready to take on the big bosses. Sure, you might have a few more aches and pains than you used to, but you’ve also gained a lot of wisdom and experience along the way.

One of the benefits of being in your 50s is that you’ve had the chance to try a lot of things and figure out what you really like. Maybe you’ve discovered that you love to travel or that you’re really good at baking pies. Whatever it is, now is the time to do more of it. Life is too short to waste time doing things you don’t enjoy. In my case I love to play golf, travel and spend time with family and friends. I have been very fortunate to have the means, the friendships and the family to allow me to do a lot of the things I love. I got to play Pebble Beach, watched my daughter become a second degree Blackbelt and celebrate her sweet 16, and got to travel and enjoy time with my wife, family and friends.

Another benefit of being in your 50s is that you no longer care so much about what other people think. You’ve been around the block a few times, and you know that it’s impossible to please everyone. So why bother trying? Instead, focus on doing what makes you happy and let the chips fall where they may.

Of course, there are some downsides to turning 50. For example, you might find yourself struggling to read the small print on restaurant menus. But fear not! This is what reading glasses were invented for. And who cares if you look a little bit like a librarian from the 1980s? You’re still a badass in your own right. Oh and cell phones have an option to increase the font size, some of my friends use that option and you can read their messages from across the room 😂.

As you get older, you’ll also notice that your social circle starts to change. Some of your friends will move away or become too busy with their own lives to hang out. But fear not, by this stage in the game you have your forever friendships that distance nor time can’t break. You’ll most likely start thinking about retiring in the coming years and you’ll start to ponder where you’ll end up. A lot of those conversations revolve around where your forever friends and family will end up. For me it revolves around being close to my kids and hopefully somewhere warm where the cost of living is not insane like here in the tristate area.

In conclusion, turning 50 is not the end of the world. It’s simply a new chapter in your life, filled with new opportunities and experiences. So embrace it! And to those of you who are younger and still teasing your older friends about their age, just remember that your time will come. And when it does, I’ll be here to give you the same advice. Cheers to another decade of living life to the fullest!

Happy Birthday to all my peeps turning 50!