During my morning “commute” time I was thinking how BAM, the decades seem to have disappeared.

To be more precise, it almost seems like I jumped from 35 years-old to 50 years-old in a matter of a few years, at most. 

I feel my wife and I lose track of seasons (and years?) because of a few reasons. 1) We do not have kids, nor are around family children all that much.  Therefore, we do not have the basis of school calendars/years and seeing the kids grow. 2) We live in Arizona and you cannot tell what month, or even season it is when looking out the window.  It’s just non-stop sunny—beautiful days over and over.  I should mention that it is possible to tell the season if I put my hand on the window glass.  The glass will either be cool, warm, or HOT.  That’s the clue for the season/temperature outside.

35 then 50!

The jump from 35-50 included work employment changes, positions, office locations, salary ranges, etc, to now being retired for 6+ years.  Looking back, it happened in a flash.  Almost like I haven’t changed at all myself.

I can say that I can tell my age when exercising.  There is no denying that my run/bike times at 50 years-old are not close to my times from 35 or 40 years old.  It’s also quite clear that after exercising it is best to let my body recover a little more.  I still get at it, but I just cannot get into 5^th gear anymore.

The above are not complaints, not at all, they are just realizations—like the wrinkles on my face—that decades have passed and passed quickly.  I have lots of great memories of adventures and activities.  I have frequently said, “I have done all the major things I thought I’d want to do, I’m good.”  I still have experiences, activities, and goals ahead of me, but I didn’t waste my previous years putting things off.  I have had an amazing life.  At least that’s the perspective I choose to take.  I don’t think it’s a glass “half-full,” but rather a tall glass of the best drink you could imagine.

So how should we tackle the amazing sesquidecade jumps?

I was thinking about other jumps that happen quickly:

20 then 35:

Life felt like the normalized American path from 20-25-35.  I had successfully transitioned from being a newly married, college graduate starting a new job/career in a new state at 25 years-old.  We traveled for fun, I traveled around the world for work.  It seemed normal, and so many (very) new adventures and activities.

I didn’t mind grinding through college classes, working 3 jobs, living in the cold climate, and striving for a good future.  Then in a flash, school is over, multiple degrees on the shelf, married, moved to a new state, and a decade completed in a new career, not to mention world travel completed.  So much life, but at warp speed.

50 then 65:

I know a lot of older people and talk with them multiple times throughout the month.  So many of them say the years just flew by.  The years almost disappeared before they knew it. 

I am working really hard to make sure this disappearance doesn’t happen (but it still does) by making sure each day, and each week I do things I love. 

I truely believe if we don’t do these activities now, we may not be able to do them in the future, i.e. ever again.

65 then 80:

These are the classic GoGo retirement years we read about all the time.  The time where many people no longer working 9 to 5 to 65.  A time when, if your health is good, you have ALL your time to yourself.  The time to do whatever you please.  The time when the road ahead opens up and you can step on the accelerator.  Hit the gas and go.  If we live these years correctly, these years will not disappear, they will be fully utilized.

Geez 80-95? 

I don’t know if these years jump by in a flash, or if they get cloudy, or disappear based on memory or cognitive issues.  I know many people 80+ who are sharp and active and still do what they

Just me sharing my random thoughts of a Life In FIRE.

*** Nothing in this article is to be construed as financial advice.  I am not a financial planner, nor do I pretend to be.  You should always consult your own professional when seeking advice. This post is not a piece of literary mastery, just a random thought I had.

I should state this upfront; I’m very far from being a millennial.  I lack so many of the traits; being energized by social engagements, being born with technology, being raised where everything is possible, and even having very few acronyms to explain my lifestyle, etc.  Yet, the YOLO philosophy is very intriguing to me, at times.  Not to the point of live for today like there’s no tomorrow.

I’m now in the old category where I’m in the tomorrow.  Actually, to a younger person, I’ve been in the old category for over a decade.  I had this strange mental block of having no concept of FOMO.  I see that acronym and it just does not register in my brain—almost not at all.  I don’t know why?  I wonder if it’s the deep-down sense of being an introverted only child and not that interested in other people.  I wonder if it’s because I was raised in a community where people got by with what we had and almost never compared ourselves to others, or our items to others items.  Maybe because life was hard at times and the extreme cold weather could snuff you out in less than an hour?  Who knows?

YOFO

But one thought I’ve had lately is “You’re only 50(s) once.”  I’ve given lots of thought about finally growing into my age (or the other way around).  I’ve always felt like an old guy mind in a youngerish body.

I’ve written and talked about being younger and healthier now than you will ever be in the future.  I’ve written about living a great life now.  Making sure you do some of your favorite things each day and week.

I wrote about taking that daily/weekly amazingness to an entire decade.  Then I wrote about taking it up to an entirely higher level.     

I realize the absurdity of saying YOFO You’re Only Fifty’s Once in a “retirement” blog, but for those who are “YOSO,” it’s the exact same thought.  Make sure you are living the greatest life you can.  Live it each day, every week, throughout the year.  It doesn’t matter if you’re in your Sixties or Seventies—you’ve earned it.

PLAN

If you are in your 40s, or even 30s, I’d say you probably want to be a little conservative on the money-side of living it up.  It’s not all YOLO when you’re that young.  Dave Ramsey is spot on with his “Live like no one else, so you can live like no one else.”  Or more clearly: “Live like no one else now, so later you can live like no one else.”  

I have a consistent thread through my writing and my living—enjoy your days, do what makes you happy, take care of your loved ones, including yourself.

NOW

If there are activities and experiences that you feel will make your life even more amazing, create a plan to accomplish those experiences.  In so many parts of life, it doesn’t seem wise to wait for those special experiences.  What If you cannot do the activity when you’re older?  What if you do not have the health, or brain function, or even the money to do something big.  Plenty of writings state it’s the experiences that stay with you, not the stuff.  I agree, but some of your favorite experiences may be accomplished because of a stuff.  Live your amazing life now.  Why not!?

*** Nothing in this article is to be construed as financial advice.  I am not a financial planner, nor do I pretend to be.  You should always consult your own professional when seeking advice. This post is not a piece of literary mastery, just a random thought I had.