For many of us, there comes a point when the kids are grown, you have your career behind you (or are winding down). Suddenly it strikes us that all this time is ours to use. That we may need additional adventure to boost our spirits and a little respite to our minds. The question is how do you manage simplicity and adventure after 50?
Linda (not her actual name), one of our beloved Retirefulfilled family, knows all too well what it’s like to be stuck. Now 54, she craved adventure when she turned 50, but also dreamed of simple living that provided half a bit more air. What she discovered was that the two aims were not in conflict, but wondrously interdependent.
She realised then that her experience was not a transformation but a series of small, mindful changes that had brought her back to connection to joy. Read our article on Reinventing Life After 50 for more information
Let Curiosity Lead Your Adventure After 50
Linda started with a powerful question: What am I curious about? Photography was something she always considered but never the time. So one nice summer afternoon, she borrowed a friend’s camera and went to the local botanical gardens and started photographing flowers, textures, light.
“This was bigger than the pictures,” Linda says. It was about seeing things differently, taking time to notice things she hadn’t noticed before. That short trip created an unforgettable passion that made her enrol in a beginner’s photography course. She also got involved with a local club that attracted other like-minded enthusiasts.
Take some time to reflect on the one thing that takes your fancy. It can be either gardening, cooking, art, music, history, nature. What is it? Use curiosity as your guide. Get a little taste of it: read a book, take a workshop, or just spend an afternoon indulging in that thing.
Intentional Simple Living & Rediscovering Adventure
Adventure is not always about climbing a mountain or crossing a continent. Linda wanted special moments, but didn’t want to complicate life. One of her favourite adventures was actually volunteering at a local animal shelter, she said. Linda was fond of animals, but she had not thought about volunteering until a friend mentioned it. She found great joy in spending an hour with the animals, dog walking or sitting petting cats.
“It was rewarding to give back, while also being able to do something I love, and every single day at the shelter was an adventure on its own.” she recalls. She had learnt how to meet the burning desire in her heart for something new and the simple life she had only ever wished for by seeing in a new light what adventure was for her.
Consider how you can blend your life with small doses of adventure, such as helping others, picking up a new hobby or getting involved in your local community. Always take part in an adventure that does not distrupt your life but rather enhances it.
Make Space for Adventure: Declutter Your Life
Linda was naturally someone who was willing to try new things but she knew that her cluttered home and hectic schedule were holding her back. She began with her pantry, the smallest space but one that could yield the quickest victory, because decluttering felt like a huge task. She threw out expired stuff, organised what was left and in under a minute felt this abiding sense of achievement.
That success encouraged her to take on other areas of her life. Slowly, Linda started letting go of what was no longer serving her, from things she didn’t use to commitments she felt she had to honour. Releasing the physical and mental burdens gave space to what mattered most to her, the new pursuits and adventures she wanted to pursue.
Start small, perhaps with a drawer or a corner of your living room. Use the “joy test”: If something you own doesn’t bring you joy, or serve a specific purpose, get rid of it.
The Beauty of Slow Travel
Slow travel was one of Linda’s (50+) favourite ways to combine adventure with moderation. She chose a visit to a little coastal village over the weekend, booking a cozy B&B rather than an overcrowded hotel.
Linda spent her days taking long walks on the beach, evenings reading by the fire and easy conversations with locals. She was not overwhelmed or felt rushed but she was connected with the place, the people and herself somehow. She liked slow travel because it made her feel the places she explored were reality, adding significance to her travels.
Plan to visit: Spend quality time there to actually get to know one place, instead of trying to do all in one. Look for places where you can relax and discover at your own pace; villages, country escapes or coastal getaways.
Investing in Experiences Instead of Possessions
Linda says she once believed happiness depended on what you owned. Shopping was a way to address a void; it wasn’t the most clear eyed pathway to enduring happiness. She had a shift in perspective when she started spending her time and money on experiences. Such as a full-day painting workshop, a family picnic, a guided hike at a nearby national park. “I decided I didn’t need more stuff; all I wanted was moments that made me feel good and alive.” Linda says. That was more than just being happy and a little positive. Because she would have memories that she would keep up forever.
Spend on experiences, not things, even small excursions, a neighbourhood course or a day journey, can add lasting joy. Document the moments which you have enjoyed the most in a journal.
Find Joy in Connection
Linda’s journey was made all the more rewarding by the like-minded people she would eventually meet, who also focused on travel and a more simplistic way of living. Linda’s friends had cheered her on through her community, widened her horizons and often toasted her successes. Linda views these connections as a game changer. “I wasn’t just living my own story; I was part of something larger.” she said.
Find your people (both online and off) where you feel most at home. It is experiences that connect us. Share your progress with others, it’s a present you give to yourself and those close to you.
A Simple Living Enthusiast Seizing Every Moment
Linda’s account is not one of radical change. It’s an approach to adventure after 50 that’s also about simple living and simultaneously adventurous.
What’s your next step? Whether that’s finding a forgotten thing in the back of the fridge, taking a corner of the home that needs some tidying up or just going for a walk to get familiar again. Whatever that thing is, you don’t have to do it alone.
Become part of the Retirefulfilled tribe of people. We are creating our best, most satisfying life after 50, one baby step at a time. So, join us on this new life adventure of life and simplicity. Or visit Age UK Official website for additional inspiration and resources.
