I’m ready to embrace (rather than face) 2024. Are you?

How is 2024 going for you so far? Do you feel like you’re embracing or facing another year?   

Last week at the beach, I made some time and headspace to reflect on the past year and contemplate 2024. It’s been several years since I was brave enough to do that and I wondered how many other Second 50 women do annual reflections or make resolutions. 

I've long struggled with big January 1 goal setting, not for lack of intention, but because life has so often thrown unexpected curveballs to derail my plans. As well, for the last couple of decades “summer holidays” have been overloaded with elevated family duties and the accompanying emotional labour. 

Like a few of my women friends, I’ve begun most years feeling exhausted and with the primary goal of getting through it with my mental and physical health intact.   

However, something has shifted in my mindset this year and it’s made me feel more positive and self-determining with regards to 2024. That’s quite something when you consider what’s happening in the world around me! I’m not as focused on success or failure anymore. I’m more interested in making myself more accountable for how I spend my time - how much value it is to me, the people I really care about and the second half life journey I want to take.  

My growing agency stems from a few sources, including extensive reading, learning, and listening I did in the second half of 2023 to research and co-create the Second 50 community. Once I delved into the subject, I was (and continue to be) gobsmacked by the sheer volume of organisations, books, podcasts, videos, and individuals who are researching, discussing, and advocating for better second half living, conscious ageing and eldering.  I also had many conversations with women about their own situations, struggles, hopes and strategies. Whatever age and stage, many had a myriad of competing challenges and desires, and no one had a magic answer.  

One of the best discussions I had, though, was with myself. Taking the time to reflect on what I’ve learned, my own life to now, and my future. If this sounds a bit “woo-woo”, I have surprised myself too. Once loud and proud about waiting for life to get less busy, messy and unpredictable, I also celebrated being fearful of thinking too deeply about what I really wanted.  

In 2024, I'm no longer waiting or afraid. I have a clearer vision and therefore, it’s been easier to set intentions. Flowing from that I am also improving habits, which starts with realising I’ve developed some bad ones. For example, in the kitchen, I’ve found practical ways to save time by planning meals, getting my family involved, and motivating my teenagers to share more of the cooking. Embarrassingly, I have already reduced my kitchen overhead by more than 10 hours a week, without anyone going hungry or complaining. 

I won't delve into the specifics of my intentions here, but I want to highlight that I've discovered some tangible ways to prioritise significant time for myself after years of putting others first. I also have a plan for how I want it to spend it to make my current and future years better and more meaningful. 

The future will be my ultimate judge, but I’m confident that whatever curve balls 2024 hurls my way, I’ll manage them with more resilience and less stress because of what I know about myself and what matters most to me.  

I don’t know whether you feel like you are facing or embracing 2024?   

Whichever it is, I’d love you to take away one insight from my experience.  

Making the time for yourself to stop and consciously think about your future life; to listen to and share experiences with other women and to learn more about the science, systems and stereotypes that impact our own second half journey, is really empowering.  

I’d like to think that doing it within Second 50 will make it faster, easier and more enjoyable. Apart from connecting and collaborating with other women interested in these issues, the best of the external content we find and learn is growing in our member library.

I wish I had pursued my Second 50 before I turned 50. While I can’t turn back the clock, I’m grateful I am now investing in my current and future self. It’s never too late to embrace your future – just do it.