I have been preparing for this day since I lost my mom 27 years ago, which gave me a long time to think, grow and to get ready. And in the process, I rewrote the script of my life and made my 50’s, the best chapter yet!

So, how would you feel if I told you that living a fulfilling, vibrant life at 50 is not only possible, but exhilarating?

Let me explain why I say this…

My mom passed away in her early 50’s, only a week before my second daughter, Sol, was born. I was only 27 years old. My mom was my friend, my rock, my north. Devastated at first, soon enough I found the strength to keep on living my life in a way that honored her.

Even though my life looked very different than my mom’s, I internalized her values and repeated her milestones: married at 24, had my first daughter at 25, and my youngest two years later. I lived a full life, studied psychology, started businesses and moved abroad with my husband and two little girls.

But as I started getting closer to 50, I found myself incapable of committing to any long term projects. I lost the zest for life. I had no idea how to plan for the future…

It took me a while to understand that my inability to even imagine a life past 50 was because my mom hadn’t left a roadmap to show me the milestones I needed to reach next. Becoming aware of this was a huge breakthrough!

For the first time in my life, I found myself looking at life past 50 not as a black void, but as a white canvas in which I could paint my life the way I chose to. And let me tell you, this was exhilarating and scary in equal measure!

Even though I couldn’t rewrite my past, I still had a choice to make. I could focus on what I was leaving behind, which some days filled me with gratitude, and more often with sadness and nostalgia. Or I could focus on what lay ahead, I could get excited about my new found freedom and tap into the fountain of courage and creativity buried deep inside me. And the best part was that I could use it to embark on a new adventure. One that would give me back my zest for life and would honor my mom!

And the rest is history…

Today I am 55 years old and officially older than my mom. Until this day I often find myself wanting to call her to share my accomplishments: how I have found a new level of freedom, joy and fulfillment I never thought possible. How her shy daughter has finally found her voice and that I am speaking on stages. That I’m selling courses that are helping women transform their lives, that I have become a good writer. That Leo and I just celebrated our 30’s year wedding anniversary and that her granddaughters are making us so proud…

So, whether you lost your parents at a young age like me, or the roadmap your parents or caregivers passed on to you seems uninspired or even dreadful, 50 is a pivotal time in your life. A chapter that requires consideration and careful planning.

Why?

Because at 50 it becomes way too easy to give up your dreams and to settle for less than you want and deserve.

But I’m here to tell you that even if you’re dreading it, your 50’s could be your best decade yet. I’m a living proof that it is possible to tap into your unknown potential at this age! That once you start acknowledging your greatness and the depth of your wisdom, you will realize that there is so much more for you to give. That not living your life fully is not only a disservice to you, but to those you love. That the world needs more women with your level of caring and commitment!

You might be asking yourself, what’s the secret to turning this thing around?

Now listen carefully: when you want to take charge of a situation, you need to understand the root of the problem first…

So, WHAT or WHO determines how you’re going to live past 50?

Even though the culture in which you grew up and the society where you currently live have a huge impact in the way you view life, the truth is that we tend to live life the way we saw our parents or caregivers do it!

And the problem is that this usually happens unconsciously, leaving us feeling we have no control over the quality of our life: like this very important chapter was written way before you got here, and you were certainly not the writer!

So, if you want to be the writer of your own story, here is my advice to you:

1. First you need to identify what’s your personal belief about how life after 50 will go. Grab a notebook and write: “Life after 50 is…..” Be honest, don’t think too much about it and fill in the blanks how you would describe life past 50. Is it boring, all down hill, full of problems, lack of money, illnesses?

2. If your response makes you feel sad and discouraged, imagine how you would like to experience life past 50. Write it down with attention to detail, write it as if is is happening, feel it with every cell in your body. Perhaps you’ll write: life past 50 is a gift I need to be grateful for, sacred, fun, free, fulfilling…

3. Based on your findings, start taking action towards the life you want to have, even if it’s uncomfortable.

Seeing women my age not stepping into their greatness breaks my heart. Yet, knowing the vibrant and fulfilling life that awaits on the other side of your fear fills me with hope.

If you are a woman trying to figure out how to turn your life around past 50, please feel free to join my community, by becoming a member of my private Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/319955443394661

In it, I openly share my struggle to live a joyful life past 50 and provide the tools you need to come out of your shell, step into your greatness and start living a fulfilling life by design.

For more ways to stay connected click on this link https://linktr.ee/noelrippe