A few weeks ago while in Williamsburg I lost my cheese.
That’s not a figure of speech, I literally lost my block of cheese. I knew I’d had some the day before. I knew it was in the apartment somewhere, but it wasn’t in the fridge where it was supposed to be.
I turned the fridge upside down looking for it, but it absolutely wasn’t there.
Later the same day I found it in the drawer with the chopping boards and knives, because……of course, right?
I’d like to say this was an isolated incident, but I can’t. 😂
Over lunch with my lovely friends Caroline & Davina (from Retire to Thailand), we were talking about how our memories aren’t quite what they used to be.
These days, if somebody asks me to do something and I don’t write it down immediately, there’s a good chance it’ll never happen. The days of easy recall from earlier conversations are long gone.
And even writing things down isn’t foolproof.
There are times I look at a note I made and think, ‘what the bloody hell did I mean by that??’
My daughter keeps telling me to do brain training exercises, but bearing in mind I spend the bulk of my days running businesses, creating things and solving problems, (in between laying by a pool and having foot massages), I’d have thought my brain was getting a fairly decent workout already.
Move Like Jagger
The same can’t be said of my body.
I find myself wishing I was one of those people who’d prioritised sport and working out from an early age, because the thought of going to the gym (which I can see from my sun lounger incidentally), is something I’ve become incredibly good at ignoring.
But my knees have been giving me grief for years, my weight goes up and down like a yo-yo, and I know that if I want to be travelling the world in my 70s & 80s, I need to get into considerably better shape.
Unfortunately, knowing it and doing something about it are two entirely different things.
I was reading about Mick Jagger yesterday. He’s 83, apparently works out 5 or 6 times a week, doing everything from running and dancing to yoga and Pilates, and is focusing on longevity like a wellness influencer.
Well this is great news! If the man who spent a good portion of his younger years drinking, partying and generally living the rock-and-roll lifestyle, can turn it around at 83, there’s hope for me yet. 😎
But I'm Quite Happy to Look My Age
While I’m becoming increasingly concerned about what my body can do, I’m far less bothered about what it looks like.
Wrinkles, grey hair, boobs heading south, none of that particularly worries me.
Of course, I’d still like to look presentable. I’d like to keep myself reasonably neat, feel good in my clothes and maintain some semblance of control over my waistline, but I’ve never been a Cosmopolitan cover model, and I don’t intend to spend the next 30 years trying to become one.
I always remember Maggie Smith and Judi Dench talking about what an absolute relief it was that they weren’t born supermodels, because they couldn’t imagine how exhausting it must be to worry about looking beautiful all the time. I couldn’t agree more!
And there’s a fabulous gift age gives you, especially if you’re a woman, and that is your very own Harry Potter style invisibility cloak.
I bloody love it.
I can go about my day, nip to the shops, sit in a café or wander down the street, and nobody gives me a second glance. It is liberating.
(I suspect most women of a certain age know exactly what I’m talking about.)
The Not-So-Fun Bits
That said, there are a few things about getting older that I don’t love.
Even as a very capable and independent adult of 54, I still miss my Mum & Dad.
I don’t love the thought of losing friends, some of whom have already flown the nest.
And I have a love hate relationship with the fact my beautiful baby girl is now a fully functioning, grown, independent woman who doesn’t need her mum anymore and hardly ever picks up the bloody phone.
(I love that she’s living her best life, I hate she’s no longer my baby. Parents, you know what I mean.)
So Much to Do, So Little Time
But if I’m going to be honest, there’s one thing that frightens me more than anything else.
Running out of time.
I’ve been lucky enough to have a sensational life to date. I’ve travelled, raised my daughter in Phuket, built businesses, married a wonderful man and have a fantastic group of friends.
And I’m grateful for every bit of it!
But there are still so many places I haven’t been, things I haven’t tried, ideas I haven’t brought to life. There are books I want to write, businesses I want to build and adventures I haven’t even thought of yet.
And boy do I want to grab the next 10, 20, 30 years with both hands.
And you know, that’s what The 50+ Nomad is all about to be honest.
It’s not just about travel or just about funding freedom. It’s about grabbing life in our 50s and beyond. It’s about living bigger, braver, bolder lives, and when it is time to hang up the backpack and let the body rest, it’s about doing so with no regrets.
I’m so honoured to be sharing this journey with you and I hope some of my stories and adventures inspire you to grab your version of your best life, whatever that is for you.
In the meantime, I’m going to lay on my sun lounger, manifest that I’m working out and check my cheese is in the fridge.
Have a great Friday!
Jo 😎😁💪
Lost cheese and gym avoidance! I feel you. :)