50 After 50: Reframing the Next Chapter of Your Life

199 Pages·2018·2.73 MB·English

by  Maria Leonard Olsen

50 After 50
PRAISE FOR 50 AFTER 50
“Maria Olsen has opened her heart in this deeply personal story that trav-
els from deep despair through an affirming journey to renewal and joy. A
compelling story that offers advice and encouragement for anyone seeking
purpose, passion, and happiness.” —Robin Gerber, author of Leadership
the Eleanor Roosevelt Way: Timeless Strategies from the First Lady of Courage and
Katharine Graham: The Leadership Journey of an American Icon
“Olsen is provocatively honest in her new book, 50 After 50, as she openly
talks about delicate topics from her past. I applaud her ability to re-create
herself and seek her bliss. This book shows how we can all change our mind-
set and transform ourselves if we choose. I highly recommend this book for
anyone seeking their best life.” —Trish Earnest, addictions clinician and
author of Blood on the Walls: A Woman’s Journey From Rebellion to Redemption
“I am so glad Olsen is mapping out her explorations and encouraging other
women to go on their own adventures. I work with a lot of women who
turn 50 and say What now? What’s next? Who am I? I love the idea of explo-
rations, experiments, and deep dives during this beautiful stage in life. What
a gift to have this conversation. Aging is really the privilege of a lifetime.”
—Pleasance Silicki, health coach, teacher, and author of Delight: Eight
Principles for Living with Joy and Ease
“Olsen has the courage and knows the importance of conquering fears, ful-
filling dreams, and taking new steps at every stage of life. I’d follow her any-
where!” —Iris Krasnow, best-selling author of relationship books
“It feels like a miracle! Just as I am entering the final countdown to 50 myself,
embarking on a career change, and as our youngest child has left for school,
Olsen, who I have long admired, sent me her delectable manuscript. This
book is now cherished reading and a guidebook to the next chapter of my
life. As soon as I put it down I’ll be starting my own ‘50 after 50’ list and will
get busy checking them off!” —Aviva Goldfarb, author and entrepreneur;
founder of The Six O’Clock Scramble
50 After 50
Reframing the Next
Chapter of Your Life
Maria Leonard Olsen
ROWMAN & LITTLEFIELD
Lanham • Boulder • New York • London
Published by Rowman & Littlefield
A wholly owned subsidiary of The Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, Inc.
4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, Maryland 20706
www.rowman.com
Unit A, Whitacre Mews, 26-34 Stannary Street, London SE11 4AB
Copyright © 2018 by Rowman & Littlefield
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any
electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems,
without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote
passages in a review.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Information Available
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Olsen, Maria Leonard, author.
Title: 50 after 50 : reframing the next chapter of your life / Maria Leonard Olsen.
Other titles: Fifty after fifty
Description: Lanham : Rowman & Littlefield, [2018] | Includes bibliographical references
and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2017052855 (print) | LCCN 2017054665 (ebook) | ISBN
9781538109656 (Electronic) | ISBN 9781538109649 (cloth : alk. paper)
Subjects: LCSH: Middle age—Psychological aspects. | Change (Psychology) |
Rejuvenation. | Aging—Psychological aspects.
Classification: LCC BF724.6 (ebook) | LCC BF724.6 .O47 2018 (print) | DDC
155.67/19—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017052855
™
The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of
American National Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper
for Printed Library Materials, ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992.
Printed in the United States of America
To my sisters in sobriety,
especially Sandy, the woman who helped save me from myself

Contents
Preface: Maria 2.0, or Out of the Mud Comes the Lotus xi
Part I: Why I Did This (And Why You Should, Too) 1
1 Recovering from Childhood 3
2 The Emptiness of Materialism and Trap of Perfectionism 7
3 A Living Problem 13
4 Dry Drunk Grad School 29
Part II: Introducing My List of 50 35
5 Travel and Adventure 37
1. Volunteer Vacation 38
2. A Very Long Hike 41
3. Solo Safari 43
4. I’ll Take Manhattan 44
5. Traveling Shoes 46
6. Appreciating What’s in My Own Backyard 49
7. Food, Glorious Food 50
6 Learning and Teaching 55
8. Exercising My Brain 56
9. Back to School 57
10. Radiohead 58
11. Consciousness Raising for Adults 60
12. Consciousness Raising for Children 62
13. Empowering Women 64
14. Sculpting a New Life 65
vii
viii Contents
15. Stitchery 66
16. Work It 67
17. Mixed Remixed 70
7 Social Activities 73
18. Dating for Dowagers 73
19. Beat that Drum 76
20. Sing Like No One’s Listening 77
21. Third Eye 78
22. Ordinary People 79
23. Nothing Like Old Friends 80
8 Physical Challenges and Well-Being 83
24. Silent Disco Party 84
25. Yogi 86
26. Who Rescued Whom? 89
27. Back in the Saddle 91
28. Floating 92
9 Spiritual Endeavors 95
29. Excavating My Inner Wild Woman 95
30. Getting Off the Hamster Wheel 99
31. Shamanic Wisdom 103
32. Good Vibrations 105
33. Healing Self, Healing Others 106
34. Random Acts of Kindness 107
35. Higher Power 108
36. Raising My Spirit 110
10 Thrill-Seeking Ventures 113
37. Wind Therapy (Or, What It’s Like to Pretend to
Be a Hells Angel) 113
38. Learning How to Fire 116
39. Thirty Seconds of Fame 117
40. Skydiving 118
41. Inked 119
11 Lifestyle Changes 121
42. I Am Enough 121
43. Seaside Sanctuary 123
44. Life by the Water 125
45. Keep It Simple 127
46. Good Company 129
47. Model Behavior 131
48. With the Wind in My Hair 133
Contents ix
49. Attitude of Gratitude 133
50. Following My New Road Map 135
Part III: Lessons and Tools for Your Own 50 After 50 List 139
Suggested Reading 149
Bibliography 151
Appendix: Additional Sample Lists from Others Inspired by My
List of 50, and More Ideas of Things to Try 153
Book Club Discussion Questions 163
Acknowledgments 165
Notes 167
Index 177
About the Author 183