The Best Is Yet to Come! Enjoy it!
Question: Why is being over 50 the best time of life?

Question: Why is being over 50 the best time of life?

Answer: Because unlike previous life stages—college, career, parenting—“middle age” is all about two words, “Me” and “I”.

“Middle age is a time when the kids are probably on their own, your career may be winding down, and you can finally focus on you,” says Barbara Hannah Grufferman, author of The Best of Everything After Fifty .”It’s a time to take stock, make changes and pursue your passions.” Just how do you seize the day exactly? Try These simple items!

1. Be Selfish—In a Good Way
After years of taking care of everyone else’s needs, it’s time to make you a priority. “You need to take charge of your physical, financial, and emotional health,” says Grufferman, “or you won’t be operating at peak performance.”

What to do: If exercise isn’t part of your routine, commit to it—even if it’s only in 10-minute sessions. (You’ll have more energy and feel healthier.) If you haven’t done serious financial planning, it’s not too late. Make an appointment with a financial adviser. And, lastly, dedicate time each day or week to doing something that brings you pleasure. Say "No!" to anything—other than an emergency—that threatens to interrupt that time. (Seriously!)

2. Hang Out With Younger People
”The world is changing rapidly, “says Grufferman, “and the best way to understand change is to be around young people who ‘get’ it.” And who also get joy out of explaining it to someone genuinely interested. (Bonus: it’s not a one-way street. Younger people can learn a lot from you, too!)

What to do: Spend time with your grandkids! If they’re not close by, consider hiring a neighbor kid to help you with a big task, like cleaning out the garage or organizing photos. Call the admissions office at your local college to see if they offer “senior audit,” the chance to sit in on an undergraduate class for free or a nominal fee. Or sign up to mentor a high school student who needs some extra attention. (Contact VolunteerMatch.org.)

3. Reignite the Flame
You’ve been married or with a partner for years. You love each other. But intimacy got lost somewhere between the kids and the grandkids and the demanding job. Now is the time to rekindle the passion between the sheets, especially since time and privacy are on your side.

What to do: Barring any physical problems (which you should handle together), the solution, according to Esther Perel, a family and marriage therapist and author of Mating in Captivity, seems initially counter-intuitive. Though you have more time to spend together, carve out time away from each other to develop your “otherness.” Her research suggests that separation creates erotic desire. If this approach doesn't work for you, try these tips for firing up your sex life.

4. Guard Against Falls
If you can only commit to one health change, vow to prevent falling, the leading cause of injury among people 65 and older. Even a non-injury fall can having devastating psychological implications, causing you to be fearful of activity and thus…. prone to falling again.

What to do: Exercise (think yoga and tai chi for balance and flexibility, weight bearing exercises for strength), and make sure you’re getting plenty of calcium and vitamin D (to protect against osteoporosis). You also might want to check with your doctor if you feel like any medications you are taking are making you dizzy or light-headed. And get a vision exam to see if you need a new prescription. (Of course, low-heeled shoes with rubber soles are best—and watch where you walk!) To learn more about how to protect yourself against falls, click here.

5. Seize the Day!
You’ve saved for retirement and are putting off travel, for example, while you’re in your prime until you feel totally secure—maybe in 10 years or so. Smart move? Not really. You have to seize the day, but do so wisely.
What to do: First, gather the facts. Do you have enough disposable income to travel without seriously impacting your future? (To calculate, go to a web site like T. Rowe Price or MoneyChimp.com.) Factor in any current or possible health issues (based on family history.) Then ask yourself: "How important is this to me/us?" If money is a little tight, look for places to cut back on daily spending and start a travel fund. Or take a part-time job to earn extra money. The key here is to dedicate time and resources to enjoying life now—not later!

6. Simplify, Simplify, Simplify
Who of us at this age needs a 30-minute makeup routine? Or a house full of clutter? Or a list of meaningless obligations or non-nurturing friend’s Middle age is about letting go of non-essentials. And letting go allows us to move forward. That’s where we should be headed.

What to do: Ask yourself this question: "What is my vision for my best future?" Write down your answers. (Example: to see family and friends at least three times a week, to be in good enough health to play tennis and golf, to tend to and enjoy a beautiful garden, to take my grandkids to 10 national parks, to look my best.) Everything you do should line up with the realization of the vision. Anything that doesn’t support it? Bu-bye!•

Jonell Kirby Cash, author of “A Ring A Dance A Second Chance” writes about a couple experiencing a second chance at marriage after the death of their spouses. It is Katie’s and Taylor’s love story, high school sweethearts, reunited after the death of both spouses, 40 years later. The two learn how to rid themselves of their old memories and expectations and learn to accept the years of change that has taken place. The story is a blending of families and courting at a senior age of life. The novel is a real Romantic Fiction: "Slice of Life Story"