How to Kick Start your Life After 50: 5 Life-Changing Ideas
Reaching the ‘big 50’ and arriving to mid-life can be a great time to reassess what your life looks like. When we reach our 50’s (or beyond) there are two ways we can live. Settle in and get comfortable with where we are or make changes and have a second wind in this new phase of life. I’d like to challenge you to the latter with several ideas that can kick start your life after 50.
It’s easy to settle for the same old routine. It’s comfortable, clean, safe and simple. It doesn’t take a lot of effort and it can be less fearful. But is that how we want to live the for the rest of our lives? Now, don’t misunderstand, routines can be very good. Creating productive habits and routines that further goals and tasks is effective. But when your whole life becomes a routine; or you find yourself doing the same things day in and day out; when dullness and sameness sets in, it may be time to make some changes, and maybe major changes, and mix things up.
When we reach our 50’s (or beyond), many of us can feel like it’s time to rest, time to ‘cruise’ through the rest of life. But can I just say…that can be seriously boring! However, I want to challenge you to think differently. Instead of settling in, let’s shake things up. Let’s make some changes. We can use our mid-life as a starting point to be adventurous, to be different, to begin a new chapter and have a second wind in life. So let’s go through some ideas and hopefully spark some thoughts on how to kick start our life after 50.
1. Start a new business & kick start your life after 50:
Have you always wanted to be an entrepreneur but haven’t had the time or ability? Do you have an awesome idea for a new business but need to get over the fear of maybe failing? It’s time, my friend, to make that idea a reality. You can do it. Being over 50 has its benefits when it comes to starting a business. We are more experienced; we’ve already been working in business and careers; we are more business savvy; and our finances should be better than when we were 20 or 30.
There are so many ideas and ways to build a business now. And it doesn’t have to be the traditional brick and mortar business either. Online businesses are thriving. And if you have skills with computers, proofreading, copywriting, designing etc., you can create a freelance business working when and where you want to. Maybe you love to communicate with people and like to write. Starting a blog like I did can be another idea that can easily turn into a business.
The point is to get out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself. Take your business idea and run with it. Now is the best time to take that step. Don’t let the old routine, or fear, get in the way. Not only can creating a new business help reach your financial goals, but it will also add vigor, energy, drive and new motivation to your life. And this will help to kick start your after 50 life.
2. Renovate your house:
This idea will cost money instead of making money, but the rewards can be awesome. How often do we look around our houses and say, “Someday, I’m going to fix that, or change that, or add this…” Well, it’s time to make those changes. It’s so easy to put those house updates on hold while we go through our routine. But by taking some time (and a little money) and making some changes to the house, it will bring a breath of fresh air and new life into your home.
So go paint your house that bright color you’ve always wanted. Redo your bathroom so you can pamper yourself in the big soaking tub. Love to garden? Create a landscape plan to redesign your yard and then spend some time making it happen. The added bonus is you also get some great exercise and spend time outside, both of which are excellent to keep us fresh and healthy.
3. Face a fear and overcome it:
We all have certain fears we’ve had for awhile. They could be a big fear, like public speaking, or something smaller, like spiders. Or even emotional or mental fears that keep us from taking action. Fear is very real, and I am not here to analyze or give professional advice on dealing with your fears. However, I do want to encourage you to find one fear that you can face, and work to overcome it once and for all.
For me, I’ve always had a fear of precipes. Not the fear of heights but the fear of falling off any cliff, overhang, edge, anything that has space between me and the ground below. So I want to overcome that fear. One way I plan to overcome this fear is to go to beautiful places that I want to see and photograph, places that have some cliffs or overhangs. And with my husband by my side, I’ll traverse that cliff so I can get the photo and prove I can overcome that fear. I’ve done it several times already, and although the fear can still well up when I reach a cliff, it’s getting better.
Overcoming a fear is not an instant thing. It will take some time and effort. But the feeling of success and strength you’ll receive will be so rewarding. Overcoming a long held fear is another way to kick start your life after 50.
4. Move to a new location to really kick start your life after 50:
This one is definitely more of a life change. Maybe you have moved a lot throughout your life, or maybe, like me, you’ve been in the same town for most of your life. Making a major move to a new town, new state or even a new country is a huge thing and a big kick start to your new life after 50.
I’ve always lived near the mountains. I lived in the foothills of the Sierras in Northern California my whole life, up until three years ago. Now I live in Colorado, also near huge mountains. But I’ve always wanted to live near the ocean. So….it’s time to make the move. Northern Florida, here we come. Yes, it is a little scary. There are obstacles to overcome. Yes, I will miss friends and familiar sights. And we will miss our home. But making this move will help change things up in our life. Break up the dull routine. Force us to get out of our comfort zone and meet new people, try new things, and create a new life.
Where’s your dream location?
Where have you always wanted to live? Is there a part of you that has wanted to live in a big city where culture, art, dining and entertainment is right outside your door? What about a cabin in the woods where hiking and kayaking is 5 minutes from your house? Have you dreamed of being an expat and living on a beach in Costa Rica. Well, my friend. It’s time to make the move. Do your research. Find out what it will take. Maybe create that online business that will allow you to live wherever you want to. Making a major move will take planning and time, but you will break out of that comfortable, albeit boring, routine and grab your after 50 life by the horns.
Fear of change is another very real fear. But making a move like this will really help to face that fear head on. And another benefit of moving and living in a whole new place…your relationship with you spouse has the great potential to strengthen and improve. You will have to rely on each other; trust one another; listen and communicate; try new things together. All of this can help to add spark and vitality to your relationship. And that is a wonderful thing!
5. Travel for a year (or 6 months):
This idea is my dream way to kick start my life after 50. As with the other ideas, traveling for an extended period will take planning, research and money. But don’t let any of those deter you. If you’ve dreamed of traveling for 4 months, 6 months, or even a year, then there will be ways to make it happen. Remember, nothing worth doing will be easy. But boy, will it be worth the effort.
Although I don’t have all the how-to answers for year long travel, I know it can be done. It starts with a plan. Begin setting money aside specifically for travel. Begin working on ways you can earn an income while you travel. As mentioned previously, online freelance work could be a good option for you. Check out Upwork for some ideas on the kind of jobs out there.
As part of your planning and research, look into ways to save on lodging. Avoid staying in fancy hotels and shoot for less expensive AirBnB’s. Or better still, there are free options like home stays, house swapping or pet sitting. A great site for pet sitting is Trusted Housesitters.
‘Trusted Housesitters’
Trusted Housesitters is a membership site for pet owners who need loving and trustworthy people to watch their pets and pet sitters who want to travel for free while enjoying the company of pets. There is no money exchanged between owner and sitter. It’s a win for both sides. We have used this service several times when we have gone on trips and the experience has been absolutely fantastic. I can not recommend this site enough and if you use this code, you’ll receive 25% off the membership fee. I would definitely check them out, either as the sitter to stay in places all over the world for free, or as the pet owner who needs great care for your furry friends while you are away.
While traveling for an extended period may seem like a huge undertaking, if it’s a dream of yours, then make it happen. I will keep you updated on our progress and what we learn as we plan and research our own extended travel adventure.
Well, my friends, those were some really big life-changing ideas. But if you want to kick start your life after 50, using one or more of these ideas could be just the thing to get you going. Whether you start a business, renovate your house, overcome a long-held fear, move to a new location or even go on an extended travel adventure, making a big change will help to start this new chapter in your life. Let’s be different. Don’t settle for the same old routine. Be gypsies after 50. If you want a few simple ideas for getting out of the daily rut, check out my post here.
Have you made any of these big changes? Do you want to? Let me know. Leave a comment and let’s encourage one another to keep living and make this chapter in our lives awesome!
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