How to Get More Out of Life After 50

Midlife is not the end, it’s an amazing new beginning. Learn how to get more out of life after 50 with practical steps, mindset shifts, and inspiration

Whether you’ve spent decades caring for others, following a path you chose long ago, or living by someone else’s expectations, now is the time to reclaim your desires.

Midlife isn’t a dead end; it’s a new beginning. And going after what you truly want is not only possible, it’s essential for your health, joy, and sense of purpose.

Real-Life Example: What’s Possible When You Stop Living on Autopilot

A few years ago, I worked with a successful woman who was so exhausted that she often kept her Zoom camera off during our early sessions because she felt like she looked “too tired.”

She was working 60+ hours a week, carrying extra weight, and had no time left to enjoy the life she had worked so hard to build.

At first, she couldn’t imagine that anything could change. Old programming told her that her worth came from being available 24/7. But as we gently unpacked those outdated beliefs, new possibilities started to emerge.

She began to set work boundaries, close her laptop at a reasonable time, and use that time to garden or play with her dogs. She started eating dinner at the table with her husband instead of in front of her computer.

Over the weeks, her energy returned. She lost over 30 pounds, rekindled connection at home, and genuinely enjoyed her life again. And here’s the beautiful part. By reducing her hours, her performance didn’t drop. In fact, she was promoted and received a significant raise.

This transformation didn’t happen because she “fixed everything” overnight. It happened because she allowed herself to imagine a different way of living and then took small, consistent steps toward it.

Why It’s So Important to Go After What You Want After 50

As you’ll discover if you spend anytime reading my posts, I am a firm advocate of women creating lives that are aligned with their own values, desires, and inner spirit.

Most of you are on a path that you started when you were much younger or you feel stuck living out other people’s expectations.

I believe this is why midlife women feel invisible, feel like something is missing, or are battling health, eating, and weight problems.

Yes, we are grateful for our lives! But that doesn’t mean something is not off. I think the number one killer of women is giving up on ourselves.

I see it all the time. Women who are living what they believe is the “right” way to live. They look happy (or miserable) on the outside but inside they are dying.

By this point, you don’t even know what’s happened, because you believe you are doing everything right.

But guess what? Right doesn’t get the juice or sparkle going. Health is way more than just “eating right,” exercising, and getting enough sleep.

Your mental, emotional, and spiritual life is just as important!!!

I’m passionate about this and I want to challenge your beliefs in all the best ways. This isn’t about blowing up your current life.

This is about adding life-affirming activities to your life. This is about getting to know your authentic self. This is for YOU, so you can feel better.

You Are Not Past Your Prime — Midlife Is a New Beginning

I truly believe that life after 50 can absolutely be the best time of your life. Heck, if you are over 50, this is your only time you have left.

Why not make the best of it?

If you’ve been thinking you are past your prime, I want to encourage you to tweak the way you think about yourself. Many women believe that they can’t change their lives after a certain age.

It doesn’t matter where you got this idea—it’s simply not true. It’s a big lie that we’ve all thought so much until we actually believe it.

Not only can you change your life, but you can also get what you want out of life after 50 or any age!

Many women have this belief that there is a certain age that once you get beyond, life is just a downhill slide, with no chance of long-term fulfillment.

I believe that is absolutely untrue and if anyone is telling you differently, then I suggest, strongly, that you ignore them, especially if it’s your own brain telling you this.

These days, a 50-year-old woman has the potential to live another 30–50 years! Your well-being depends on being able to go forward and grow in all areas of your life.

You get to take control of your life! There is so much more to life than taking care of basic needs. 

Seriously, you have at least a third to a half more of your life to live. Why would anyone just want to put that on autopilot?

What’s Possible After 50

There are so many things to experience in our lives. I don’t know why we think if we haven’t done them all by 50, we’re done for.

Perhaps it’s a holdover from when life expectancy was much lower?

But friend, you have time. Not only do you have time, I believe the more we experience in life, the better we feel, the more fun we have, and we might even live longer.

When I work with my clients, within a few weeks, they look more relaxed, less tense, and lighter. Being intentional about doing things that make you feel alive also makes you look even more beautiful.

Over my lifetime, I have seen way too many women just quit living beyond the life they created at a certain age. I’m offering that this might just be the prime of your life.

There are just so many possibilities! (Okay, as you read the list, a lot of “yeah buts” might start popping up. Ignore them. This is only for fun and to start planting little seeds of possibility.

So, what could you do?

Fun and meaningful experiences to explore

This is your push to explore and try new things. As a bonus, as you do things that make your feel more alive, it literally affects how you look and feel.

On purpose and with intention, mix it up a few times a week. Go to a different coffee shop or restaurant instead of your usual. Take a bit of time and go check out that shop that caught your attention as you drove by.

I recommend trying to fit a few fun things in each week. These don’t have to be big or serious, but they can be meaningful. Having fun is one of the best things you can do for yourself.

• Take a fun class
• Join a local group that does things you enjoy doing such as hiking or pickleball
• Update your home with things you love and give or throw away the stuff that doesn’t work for you
• Explore local antique, art, and thrift stores

Creative and personal growth goals to consider

So many women worry about what they eat and how they look. Here’s what I consider to be just as essential to your health and beauty: your personal growth and creativity. Expanding your self is life-giving and helps you feel more vibrant and alive beyond just diet and exercise.

• Do all those good things for your body that you know you should be doing
• Get serious about that creative thing you’ve been dreaming of
• Learn to dance, sing, play an instrument
• Go to college or do an online program to learn new skills
• Start your own business a few hours a week

Relationships, travel, and adventures

• Make time to be around people you enjoy and love
• Travel to a place you’ve never seen in person, but you feel it calling
• Make new friends
• Explore the world around you, close and far
• Go to lectures, shows, concerts

Notice that most of these lists are fun, interesting stuff that is available to most of us. I added the healthy habits because most of us seriously neglect our health beyond agonizing over extra weight.

Of course, the above list reflects more of my preference, so feel free to ignore my list and make your own!

What “Getting More Out of Life” Really Means

Getting more out of life after 50 isn’t about hustle or huge to-do lists; it’s about rediscovering your desires and making small, intentional shifts that bring more joy, meaning, and possibility into every day.

To get more out of life, you don’t have to create a big to-do list. In fact, I strongly recommend NOT doing that. The action part of this will come later but, in the beginning, this should feel fun.

A few years ago, my life coach told me that I was a super manifester. I had never thought of myself that way, but it turns out that I am.

Some things I have brought into my life are big, like finding and being able to buy the most perfect-for-me house.

Somethings are small, like finding out today, that some bushes outside my house are going to be replaced with exactly the kind of bushes I’ve been wishing they were instead.

Some things are magical, like running into an ex-boyfriend, after a series of timing things, that unexpectedly led to us being in the same spot at exactly the one minute, where we would see each other. Seven months later, we are so happy that we gave ourselves another chance.

I’ve also created a life and work I really like that includes a sense of purpose and positive experiences. 

Here’s the thing my friends. The one thing that makes all the difference, is to allow yourself to grow the belief, you can have more. 

Your more is going to be different than mine.

I’ve had clients who have great jobs, gorgeous homes, and a loving partner. And guess what? They still want more. Why? because the quality of your life is more than accumulating things. 

Your more might be to feel better in your body or eat better and have time to exercise. You crave less stress at work. You want more intimacy with their partners.

You want time to enjoy all the stuff you’ve accumulated. You want time to write the book, start a passion-driven business, or spend more time with people you love.

You crave more accomplishments or growth in their careers.

One of the things I’ve realized is that we probably won’t have everything, all at a given time. And we will often decide we want different things as we grow older. It’s all good.

But the one thing I want you to know, is that it is okay to want more. More is growth and more makes the world a better place. Your more is important not just to you but to everyone around you and all aspects of life.

Steps to Getting What You Want After 50

When I think about the things, experiences, and people that have come into my life; I recreated the steps I took.

One thing you can do is reflect back on something you made happen and see what your own process is. But in the meantime, here is what works for me.

Imagine What’s Possible

Everything we want starts in the mind. Sometimes you’ll have a clear idea and sometimes it won’t be as obvious.

I’ve noticed for some women; they aren’t comfortable even imagining things they really want. You might even feel some shame about what your desire.

Instead of feeling delicious anticipation; you might feel worried or resistant.

Often this is because, we are so afraid of being disappointed ourselves or disappointing someone else, that we aren’t even comfortable thinking about what we want for ourselves.

So, the first thing is to begin to let your mind go there. Imagine the home, the partner, the career.

You can simply let your mind imagine how you’d like things, or you can write about them in detail.

I use magazines a lot for this. I will go through magazines and tear out pictures or words that resonate with me. I believe this is one of the way I stay in touch with my inner most desires. Sometimes I organize them and put them on small boards and sometimes I thrown them into a box to look at later.

It is amazing how I have created the spirit of the life I first saw in magazines. I share how I got my dream house in the “there’s a cost” section.

But here is my one of my vision boards where I start imagining having my own home back in 2019. The vision board on the right is my most recent one.

Deal with the “Buts” and Doubts

The people, places, and things you dream about are your future-self calling you forward. This is your true authentic self.

However, you first have to deal with all the buts, doubts, and uncertainties. Almost as soon as you dream it, all these thoughts can clamor for your attention.

• It’s impossible
• I’m too old
• That’s too expensive
• People will think I’m crazy
• My husband will hate it
• People like me don’t do that
• Who am I to even imagine that?

First of all, none of those statements mean anything is wrong or that you should not dream about having more in some way.

Whatever comes up is meant to hold you back for sure. It’s kind of like when the smoke alarm sends annoying beeps. It’s to keep you safe but there’s no immediate danger.

You simply need to change the battery or in the case of all the buts, you need to change your thoughts by putting more attention on what you

If you find yourself, telling yourself it won’t happen, acknowledge yourself and also keep on visualizing.

Build Belief One Step at a Time

You don’t have to believe something 100% to make it happen. As a life coach for midlife women, I often believe in what is possible long before my clients do.

All you need is a little belief to get started. Just a glimmer of, “this just might be possible” is a great beginning.

To build belief you can do any of the following things.

• Journal all the things you love about the ide
• Remind yourself of other things that you’ve had success with
• Ask yourself, why this is so important and write down all your reasons
• Look for stories about others who have done something similar
• Just allow for the possibility. Tell yourself, “It’s possible…”

Use Your Feelings as a Guide

Your feelings are a barometer of your thoughts and beliefs. They are an indicator, a thermostat, and the check-engine light of your being.

Your feelings are never bad or wrong, they are simply something you feel in your body when you experience something and what you think about it.

Here’s the key. A lot of times we get stuck in our heads, thinking about our feelings and trying to change them.

Feelings are not absolutes that something is to be avoided or bad. For example, when thinking about something we want to do, we might feel scared, resistant, or worried.

These feelings are often based on our past experiences or things we imagine could go wrong.

In the spring, I was invited on a two-week trip to Europe. My initial response was an excited yes.

Then all the feelings came rushing in: fear, worry, apprehension…

I had a lot of thoughts that were creating these feelings.

• I don’t know what to wear!
• I can’t speak any of the languages.
• I’ll look stupid.
• I don’t know what to pack.
• I’ve never been away for that long.

Most of my uncomfortable feelings were my fear about the unknown. I didn’t try to chase my feelings away or override them; instead, I tried to understand them.

When I realized that I was just afraid of not knowing things, I set out to learn what I could, and give myself some grace. I couldn’t know what I didn’t know.

The result? I ended up having a great time and I truly expanded my ability to do things that are out of my comfort zone.

Be Patient with the timing

Putting our dreams on a timetable can sometimes slow them down. In general, I find it most helpful to commit to consistent behavior as opposed to doing something by a certain time.

I’m not anti-deadline. Of course, there are things that have to be done by a certain time. But in the self-improvement, personal-growth area, there doesn’t have to be an arbitrary deadline.

For example, when it comes to weight loss, I see women, all the time, give up on eating nutritious food, because they can’t lose weight fast enough.

So, instead of eating food that is good for them, moving their body, and really taking care of themselves, they go in the opposite direction, thinking it doesn’t matter.

The result, they don’t lose weight. They often keep gaining. And they chip away at their overall health, ending up with health conditions that maybe could have been avoided.

All because they let their frustration, disappointment, and impatience (feelings) get the best of them.

In my experience in working with my midlife clients, it can take months to adjust your eating, clear up overeating, under-eating, binging, snacking, and any individual eating problems.

You don’t just one day eat in a healthy-for-you way without any resistance or the old habits pushing back.

If you’re consistent though, it will happen. One day, you’ll be different. You’ll be at the least maintaining while feeling so much better. You’ll have more energy and more confidence. Most likely you will also be losing weight.

So, while you might not lose those 20 pounds in time for a special occasion, but you will be well on your way to living better for the rest of your life!

Other areas that need some leeway in the timeline are job hunting, starting a business, finding love, writing a book. These can all feel like failures until you are successful.

Here is the important thing. It’s doing something almost daily, even if it’s just 15 minutes, that will steadily move you towards your goal and help you get more momentum.

Conversely, sometimes you can get your dream by asking for it, putting it in writing, and forgetting about it, trusting that life will lead you in the right direction. This happened to me with my house I bought two years ago.

Accept the Cost of Change

One of the biggest misunderstandings about getting what you want, is that there is always a cost. Sometimes it is financial and sometimes it means a change of some kind in your life.

After my divorce, 10 years ago, I spent eight years renting various houses and apartments in different parts of the city.

I craved a home of my own, but I just couldn’t see how it could possibly happen. For one thing, housing seemed really expensive. Even when married, my husband and I had never had a house that came close to the prices in the city where I lived now.

So, I never even explored buying a house, though I would include it in my dreams about my future. Honestly for most of those years I thought it would happen because I fell in love, got married, and my wealthy husband would provide a house.

Life had a different and as it turned out, better idea.

Two and a half years ago, I got a text from a friend, who told me that a friend of hers was going to be selling her house. I had seen that house about seven years before and remembered it was beautiful and that I would never be able to have a house like that.

Well, I still told my friend I was interested, and she connected me with her friend, and I went to see the house.

I loved the house. I wanted the house.

The owner wasn’t ready to put it on the market and she intended to put it on the market. She wasn’t going to offer it to me until she knew the most she could get for it.

In the meantime, I found a mortgage broker who walked me gently through the whole process of getting financing. I’ll never forget our first phone call when he asked what I did. I’m a blogger and life coach.

Because of the way I had handled my money since my divorce, I was able to get a traditional mortgage and a good rate even though my income sources were not considered reliable.

In the end I got my house, and it had a significant cost. It wasn’t given to me, I had to buy it at the going rate.

I accepted that and went for my dream. Every single day, and I mean every single day, I wake up there and feel so grateful. I tell my home every day how much I love it.

Another kind of cost is that you will change in some way. I was ready to be in a relationship and it was my biggest hope for 2024. And it came to be.

And, after being single for over two years, I had to adjust to the realities of being in a committed relationship.

Say Yes to the Reality of Your Dreams

At some point, you will have to say a clear yes to something. It’s all fun and games until your dream starts happening.

I’ve written a couple of times about my granddaughter who manifested a Corgi. I first wrote about it three years ago when she was seven.

She wanted a Corgi and she set a clear intention to get it when she was 12. Yes, she gave herself five years to make it happen.

In the meantime, she drew Corgis, talked Corgis, and collected stuffed Corgis. By the time she was eight, everyone knew there was going to be a Corgi.

It actually happened when she was nine. The little Corgi was adorable, but my granddaughter was initially terrified. Puppies will be puppies!

I was sitting with her one day while we watched her mom playing with the puppy in the yard, and I said, “AB, it’s amazing how you made your dream come true.”

She said to me. “Grammy, this is no dream, this is reality.”

Over the next few weeks, she accepted that the reality of having a real puppy was quite different than her experience with stuffed animals and she got busy with learning how to have a pet.

Now she naturally plays with the puppy, loves on him, takes him out to do his business, and takes him for walks. She successfully merged her dream with reality. But it took a little time.

A few months back, my boyfriend invited me for a two week trip to Europe. Of course I said yes, who doesn’t dream of going to Europe?

When I went to Europe, I was expecting a dream vacation with lots of romance.

The reality is that international travel is difficult.

Totally worth it, but it’s hard at times. The reality is trying to figure out everything in different languages and different customs. Finding food and bathrooms was a daily challenge.

Navigating planes, trains, busses, boats, and other means of getting around was very challenging.

Yes, there were some romantic moments but there were mostly challenges we were navigating together. And while it wasn’t all postcard romance, it ended up strengthening our relationship and bringing us closer.

While reality won’t be exactly what you imagined; it will overall be better for you. It will be a part of your overall growth, create more confidence, and be so much more than you could have even dreamed.

It’s Okay to Have More of What You Want Out of Life

My wish for every woman is that she believes that dreaming about and getting what she wants is okay. It’s not just okay, it is so good for you!

When you have dreams, even ones that seem selfish, you have to grow, develop, and change in some significant way to make it happen.

And that is the real magic!

Getting the thing or experience is exciting. But most exciting is who you become in the process.

FAQs About Getting More Out of Life After 50

Q: Is it too late to change my life after 50?
A: Not at all. Many women reinvent their lives, careers, and relationships after 50. Midlife is the perfect time to rediscover what you want.

Q: How do I figure out what I want at this stage of life?
A: Start by imagining without judgment. Reflect, journal, or create a vision board to uncover what truly lights you up.

Q: What are some ways to start living more fully?
A: Small, consistent actions like exploring new hobbies, connecting with others, and shifting your mindset can create powerful change over time.