Turning 50? Learn these things...now!

Fifty. FIFTY! FIFTY? How did it happen so fast? Fifty has always been down the road. WAY down the road, where all the old people roam. If this is reality, it's time to embrace it and know – really know – these things:

Have your own back. Anne Lamott, the queen of reality, said, “Age has given me what I've been looking for my entire life - it gave me me...I not only get along with me most of the time now, I am militantly and maternally on my own side.”

What fills you up and what drains you. Remember how the first 50 years flew by so fast? What if the ones coming up do too? How do you want to feel in those moments? If something makes you feel like “you”, do that. If something makes you feel like an imposter, rethink it.

You don't have to explain yourself. Ask: What do I owe to the people in my life? Who lives with the consequences of my choices? Simply put, who really matters? Treat people right and show respect, of course, but your life choices are yours alone and that also means...

Not everyone is a friend. Know your circle and keep them close. Some days - even in our fourth or fifth decades on earth - it feels like middle school never ends, Friendships can be complicated and jealousies arise. It's time to shed that without regret or fear.

You aren't done yet. Learning and moving are the keys to living. We still have time to do both and in the process, be an example. Show your peers (and those young thirty-somethings) a thing or two about lifelong learning and lifelong LIVING.

Pets = true love. There's no greater love than an animal who loves you. By this age, pet owners have been through the love and loss of a beloved pet. And we know without a doubt that it's worth every laugh and tear.

Sunrises (and sunsets) are worth the effort. Watching a sunrise not only looks pretty, but it's also a healthy move. Morning light is said to boost metabolism, mood, and digestion. Drag yourself up and out the door - no one has ever called a firey sky a waste of time.

Your body is not a time machine. Mobility and health can't be taken for granted. While our bodies may carry us through daily life for now, they can't go back in time to undo the damage done by years of bad nutrition or a sedentary lifestyle. We have to move it to be moved by it.

It's time to be relentlessly kind to your body. This means a healthy balance of nurture and indulgence. Adopt the 80/20 rule if it helps. Consume 80% nutritious foods, 20% treats. And always, always buy the girl scout cookies!