As you consider the years ahead, keep these four tips in mind for living a healthier, longer and more joyful life.
1. Spend Time Reprioritizing
In the book How Do I Get There From Here? Planning for Retirement When the Old Rules No Longer Apply by George H. Schofield, Ph.D., says there are three stages to your second half of life. Each one deserves its own considerations and prioritizing.
First Period: New Freedom
What marks the beginning of this first period is becoming an empty nester, often occurring in your 50s. Suddenly, your time, expenses, and space open up. There are less people relying on you to continue fulfilling certain roles. You may find that you no longer have the same reasons for keeping the job you have, whether that’s inside or outside the home. It can be disorienting, to say the least. This is the time to slow down a little and reprioritize. Work with a coach who specializes in midlife career changes, or spend some time asking yourself what it is you can and want to do now that you have more freedom. Is there a hobby you’ve always been interested in? A job you’ve always wanted to try? Places you’ve wanted to visit? Something you’ve always wanted to learn? This can be an exciting period of rediscovering your own wants and needs. It’s also an important time to reprioritize your retirement savings plan. Is the plan you’ve had in place still working for you?
Second Period: New Horizons
This second stage usually occurs in our 60s, when you’ve settled into having less demands on your time. You’ve put in the effort to rediscover yourself and what is truly important to you. This is when you take what you’ve learned from the New Freedom period and put it into action. Make that major career change, network with new people, buy that RV. Whatever you do, take the leap.
Third Period: New Simplicity
When you find yourself well into your golden years, your priorities might once again shift. The house is too big and the commitments too many to keep up with. In your 70s, you may realize you need to downsize and simplify. Shifting priorities and focus is key. Who and what you devote your time to is more important than anything and your lifestyle should reflect that.
2. Invest in Your Future
What becomes important to you may change when you reach 50, but the need to invest in your future should not. Your future is still as vital to plan for as it was in your 20s, maybe even more so with changing finances. Consider these dos and don’ts when it comes to investing in your future.
Do Get Affordable Life Insurance. As we get older, affordable life insurance is more difficult to find. The need to find life insurance policies for seniors may still be years away, but you don’t have to wait until an affordable life insurance plan becomes out of reach.
Do Not Retire Just For The Sake Of Retiring. The biggest mistake a lot of folks make is retiring simply because they think that’s what they’re supposed to do. But having purpose is directly related to health and quality of life. Find yours, and keep finding it as your priorities change.
Do Continue Your Education. When you learn new things, you grow new brain cells and you reshape your view of the world. Be a lifelong student of life and you will continue to flourish.
Do Not Stop Making Friends. Being lonely is akin to smoking two packs of cigarettes a day, it’s that impactful on your health. Stay connected by continuing to nurture and develop relationships.
3. Take Care of Your Health
Reaching 50 is a milestone, one that could have you realizing the body you took for granted for so long suddenly requires a bit more TLC than before. It is never too late to get healthier and starting in your 50s will sustain your energy and vitality. It will also cut down on the medical expenses that can easily derail even the healthiest of retirement accounts. Here are the top tips for getting and staying healthy:
- Stop smoking and curb alcohol consumption.
- Start working out. Join a gym, a cycling group, or grow a garden.
- Strength train and keep moving.
- Focus on your posture. Foam rollers may be your new best friend.
- Balance your sugar intake.
4. Embrace Your Inner Child
There are many frustrating aspects to getting older. In your 20s, 30s, and 40s, you may have spent a lot of energy on being taken seriously as an adult. Family, careers and society requires adults to appear mature and reliable. Now, though, all bets are off. It’s easy to embrace your inner child once you know how!
Think in a simplistic way and live like obstacles simply don’t exist. Retrain your mind to focus on the good and embrace your creativity. Take the opportunity to speak to new people wherever you go. Just be yourself and you will soon see your inner child emerge again.
Check Off Finding Affordable Life Insurance with Americo
There are certainly many things to consider about your future when you reach 50. Finding a senior life insurance policy should rank high on your list. It’s easy and quick to apply for Americo Senior Life’s range of affordable life insurance options, including term life and whole life insurance policies. A medical exam may not be required and there is no lengthy questionnaire to fill out. Get a no-obligation online quote today, or reach out to one of our trusted agents to help answer your questions.