So…. I turned 50 years old this past spring and well, it kind of threw me for a few weeks…. couldn’t say the word “Fifty” when anyone asked my age!    I got my AARP card in the mail and well, that made me feel old.

This fall, I took my youngest to college and became an empty nester and that was a big change too…. When you devote 18-20 years of your life to raising and taking care of your kids and then it just stops for the day to day routine, you have to find your purpose again and reconnect with your spouse and your friends!  Don’t get me wrong, the kids still need you but more as a mentor as they grow to be fully functioning adults. 🙂

Luckily I still love my husband and WE celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary this fall…. I hope for at least 25 more!    I’m proud of the marriage we created…. before the kids were born and during the process.   If there’s one thing I would advise younger couples to do is to nurture their marriage…. don’t use the kids as an excuse for not taking care of yourself… or your marriage because when the kids are gone, you’re alone again and you want it to be fun!

So I guess I say all this to say I’ve decided to OWN it… when it comes to my age and stage in life…. I have had a journey…. of raising kids, working, building a business, building a life, losing a job, a parent or two and having to move a few times…. In life you can always expect change and it’s truly how you deal with that change that defines you…. YOU can own it… and deal with it or you can mourn it and wish for the past.   The past won’t get you anywhere though….. Embrace change…. embrace your age and stage in life and Own it…. Enjoy it and come to peace with it!   Enjoy life to the fullest and meet new people along the way!  Life is a journey and I’m glad I’m on it!