What’s Next and Thoughts on Turning 62
Today is my 62nd birthday. How did that happen so fast? Just yesterday I was turning 49 and feeling a little old. Imagine my surprise that I now feel younger turning 62!
I’ve spent some time reflecting on my current challenges and blessings and feel thankful that I’m ahead of the game. I’m not naïve enough to think my challenges won’t get harder as I get older, but I want to meet them with grace. Focusing on the positive keeps me moving in the right direction.
Of course, my body can’t do many of the things it used to, but that’s ok. My mind and the wisdom I have acquired more than makes up for it. I feel sharper than ever and am eager to learn new things.
I’m not an overly adventurous person, never have been. But I am lucky that my children continue to challenge me to push the boundaries of my adventure/comfort zone.
Two years ago our family traveled to Iceland to celebrate my 60th birthday. We explored the small towns, hiked into remote canyons and soaked in ancient hot springs. Below is the Secret Lagoon which was amazing!
Last summer our whole family went tent glamping in Montana.
I am terrified of horses but got back on a horse for the first time in decades.
This was before the horse ran me against a tree and ripped a big gash in my arm… so I may pass on horses for the foreseeable future, but I did it!
I am not a water person but was encouraged to go Kayaking and try paddle boarding. Both were fun and I will do them again.
This year was a bit hectic with our recent move and trailer trip to Canada, so my husband and I have opted for a quiet birthday. We’re spending it among the trees and on the shore of Lake Tahoe. My daughter will be visiting in a few weeks, so we will have a bigger family celebration then.
I find birthdays are a natural time to pause and reflect on what’s working, what’s not, and what I want to change in the year ahead.
It’s so easy to continue doing what we’ve always done. But it’s important to me to keep an active mind, to stay challenged, and most importantly focus on living a fulfilled and happy (most of the time) life.
What changes are you looking to make in your next year ahead?
Happy Birthday!
Thanks Linda
Happy mutual birthday! It’s my birthday, too, only I’m a bit ahead of you. I’m 66 today!
Happy Birthday Wendy!!!
Happy Birthday! I’ve found that as we get older, we are naturally more adventurous. Maybe because if we have kids, they are also older and we feel they don’t need us as much as when they when they were young. I’m now 71 and thankful my family still encourages me to be adventurous. My son and his family invited on a cruise with them last April. Wonderful! They trusted me to go parasailing with my then 7 year old grandson. They also went parasailing, but I had their precious cargo. I’m not a fan of heights, but no way would I disappoint my grandson. Scared the entire time, but he never knew it. He’s a big daredevil, so Grandma was brave, at least on the surface.
Love following your adventures! I just returned from a rail trip through the Canadian Rockies with 2 high school girlfriends (husbands would rather golf & fish). We decided years ago we’ll just leave them to it & go without them. So, every year we do a trip together. Anytime we run into snags or find it difficult to work around schedules we remind ourselves that “TIME IS A TICK’N!” and figure it out. BUT having said all that, I know we need ot be thinking about downsizing from our huge yard and house too, but my husband & I are both so happy right where we are. We have lived the same small town for 40 years where everybody knows everybody. We live close to the lake, golf course, and hunting areas. BUT our son and family live in Dallas 12 hrs away & are urging us to move before the kids get any older. I don’t really know how to proceed – it’s frightening….. I so admire you for having that part settled and behind you…..
Good for you Patty! Time is flying faster every year.
I wish we were as settled as you make it sound. Sadly we are only renting and still hunting for where we should live. It’s a tough decision. Your current location sounds wonderful but conventional wisdom suggests we should live close to our children as we age.
We but the bullet and sold but are still in limbo. It is frightening. Take your time and the answer will show itself to you.
Oh my gosh Norma you are my hero!! Congratulations! I’m in awe of your guts and stamina. Go you!!!
Happy Birthday Jennifer! I love reading your blog. I hope you continue:)
Thank you so much Tracy! And thanks for sharing this journey with me
A very happy birthday and many blessings to you, Jennifer! I started reading your blog shortly after you went to Iceland and have found it inspirational and full of fun and good advice. I look forward to reading your blog every morning! But, I’m happy to see you occasionally take a well deserved break.
Thank you so much Susan!! I’m so glad you’re here too. Xx
Happy Birthday Jennifer!
Thanks Deborah
Have a wonderful birthday and a great new year ahead!
Thank you Jen
Happy birthday!! Hope it’s a relaxing, but joyful one! I relate to you on your fears of certain things… the horse experience, especially! You’re right, kids can challenge us to do many new and exciting things and I appreciate mine for that! Keep up the wonderful posts and helping us all along on this life journey!
Thanks Sheri! She’s challenged me to so many things. She keeps me young.
Happy Birthday, I ,too, celebrated this monrh, the big 60! I can hardly believe it. But, I’m glad I made this far, looking forward to the next chapter, and what I’ve learned is to enjoy the present, every single day. Love your posts!
Happy Birthday Karen!!! Thanks for sharing the journey with me.
Happy Birthday, Jennifer! You look wunderful, my darling!
I loved seeing the pictures of you trying new activities and enjoying them. I think your daughter is a positive influence. They tend to do that, believing we’re still young. And, we don’t want to disappoint?
I just turned 65 and still feel young inside. Don’t believe my shell. It lies! ????
Lol, I love that! My shell is lying too. I would so love to live closer to my daughter. She’s the very best there is and I miss her terribly.
I hope you are having a very happy birthday. You look beautiful, as always. I admire your sense of adventure. XO
Thank you Jen! XOX
Happy Birthday! I’m right behind you – going to be 61 in two weeks.
Aren’t we so very lucky!
Suz from Vancouver
Yes we are!! Early Happy Birthday wishes Suz!
Happy Birthday, Jennifer! I will be 62 in October and have been retired from teaching for two years. I’m still trying to figure out my retirement style, and your blog is helping me do that. I, too, like to keep myself challenged and am learning to play golf. Both my husband and younger son like to play, and it’s another way to spend time together. We enjoy traveling to Tulsa to visit our older son and daughter-in-law, as well as trips and eating out with friends. I am blessed to still have both my parents. I realize that challenges await, as they say getting old isn’t for sissies! Enjoy your special day!
Thanks Barb! Good for you taking up golf. My husband doesn’t play but I’ve always been curious about it.
My urge is to see more of the world while I can. Making memories for and with my family is what this is about. We really enjoy these holidays together.
Yes!! Memories are priceless.
Happy Birthday. I turn 61 in September and have begun to contemplate what the next chapter may look like. I think new adventures is the word that is forefront. Whether that is locally or worldly. Have a great year.
Thanks Reba! Good luck and have fun
Happy Birthday Jennifer! Enjoy your day!????????????????????
Thanks Monica!
Happy Birthday! My goal for the next year is to move out of my comfort zone and start writing again. I just created Em’s Life After 40, having not written online for almost four years. The challenge will be to do that and still manage to keep my head above water with all my other commitments. Always good to be challenged! Hope you have a lovely day Jennifer, you’re blog is an inspiration.
Thank you Em! Good luck with your new venture. Blogging is time consuming but oh so rewarding.
Happy birthday! My birthday is This Friday and I will be 63! I’m not sure how that happened so quickly, either! Like you, I feel young, more confident, and most days wiser!
Love your blog…thank you for continuing to inspire us to be our best.
Thank you Sherri! Early Birthday wishes to you too! Xx
Happy Birthday Jennifer! wonderful post! Keep challenging yourself…you’re a great inspiration!
Thanks Debbie!
Happy Birthday, Jennifer! Maybe a quiet celebration is just this thing this year. You really stepped out of your comfort zone in the last two birthdays. We have those reservations in common; horses and water. IN the pictures you look like you are having a blast.
Thanks Donna! I have a blast no matter what I do with my children;)
Happy Birthday!!! You inspire me with your style and also because you took the big plunge to move. I am currently in the middle of all that, too. Temporary living in a small condo, with our one story house with wide doorways set to be ready in a couple of months in a new state. Taking new steps is a bit scary and time consuming, but so necessary if you want to get to a new place in your life! Good luck to us both in our next steps!
Thanks! Good luck Beverly. I think making the decision to
Move is the hardest part. Then it’s all about making friends and settling in. I envy that you know where you will settle. We still don’t know.
Happy birthday!
Thanks Eileen
Happy Birthday Jennifer! Enjoyed your Blog today. The changes we have been talking about is whether and when we should move from our two story house which we have been living in for 50 years. We are now in our eighties and stairs are a challenge. We don’t look our age and people take me to be younger. I love fashion and and new ideas. I do not want to move yet, but my kids say we should be looking for a place all on one floor.
You have recently moved Jennifer, how do you prepare yourself leaving a home that you love and being in it for so long. Maybe you could do a blog on this.
Just left a home, I had been in for 30 years. At Christmas, I had a local artist do an original pen and ink sketch of our house and then also made prints for my children. While I was decluttering, getting ready to get the house to show, I went through and organized so many family photos. Going through all of those photos and beautiful family memories, helped me with the letting go process. Good luck to you, Mollie in your decision making process. We are building a one story house and are excited about it. I feel like I spent a year saying goodbye to my former home and now I’m ready to say hello to the next season of my life!
Good advice Beverly. We just went through the ‘downsize’ and ended up with 3 flights of stairs, hah! But it’s a townhouse in the city which is an exciting change from the suburbs and feels like a new lease on life after 50 years in our house. It’s funny how a change that felt almost impossible emotionally became so easy once we started doing it. And we LOVE our new place, have never looked back!
I love this Mollie! Thanks for sharing.
Leaving felt like tearing off a bandaid because it happened so fast. I’m very happy to be in a one story house but don’t feel settled at all. Because we’re renting, there’s no chance of it ever feeling like home. Everywhere we travel we look and wonder, could we make this our home? It’s a struggle.
Happy birthday! I understand about continuing to challenge yourself. For my 60th birthday this year, my daughter and I hiked the Inca trail to Machu Picchu. It was a 7 day adventure of hiking and camping. I think we’ll try your Iceland adventure next. It looks fabulous. I hope your special day is filled with fun and surprises! ENJOY!
Way to go!!! That’s amazing Angela. Thank you
I forgot to wish you Happy Birthday! I hope you have a memorable day, Happy Birthday 🙂
What a great post. I appreciated it, since I am turning 50 this year. I think you are right, and that aging should be handled with reflection. After loosing a close relative to cancer this year (she would have been 50 this year too) I have come to see getting older is a privilege. I have seen to see first hand that aging is not something everyone gets to enjoy. Milestone birthdays make us take a close look at our lives & relationships. We become more introspective. I am glad to see you are living your life to the fullest. My birthday is approaching and my husband asked me last night what would I like to do to celebrate it. I have been thinking about it & realized myself that what I really care about is just being with my family. What we do isn’t important to me as long as we are together doing it.
As a breast cancer survivor myself, I see much wisdom in your post, Tracey. When I have my faith, my family and my friends, I feel like I have it all and I feel lucky!!!
Such a wise observation Tracey. Family and loved ones take on more importance the older I get.
Happy Birthday, Jennifer! This is my 62nd year also, newly retired and I am contemplating my next adventure! I really enjoy your blog and hope you continue it. My family stretches my comfort zones, but that’s ok, sometimes I stretch theirs! Hope you have a great day!
Thanks Ramona! It helps keep us young.
Happy birthday, Jennifer! And many more!
Thanks Lyn
Happy Birthday Jennifer .
Thanks Julie
Happiest of birthdays Jennifer!!
I think I’ve finally become more adventuresome now that I’m older. And it’s been fun to drag (uh..I mean invite) my moms along with us to explore the state we live in and have fun!!
XOXO
Jodie
Thanks Jodie! You’re so lucky to have them