Reaching the age of 50 is a huge milestone, and while it is rounding the corner in your lifespan, it doesn’t mean you throw in the towel. Most 50-year-olds are set in their work life and family life and probably have some hobbies that keep them occupied on the side. Life is busy, but you are nearing the end of raising children, so you may be looking for what to do in the next phase of this earthy journey with additional free time coming up.
Do you have a bucket list with some cool things you’ve always wanted to do? It has never been a better time because you probably have a few spare bucks and long-lost desires that need filling. If you need help with some things, here is a great compilation of bucket list ideas for 50-year-olds.
Idea #1: Travel
Most people travel before they get into a committed relationship, and then once you start a family, you will do some vacations as well. When you get into your 50s, it’s time to hit those exotic and desirable destinations you’ve dreamed about all your life. These may include:
- Egyptian pyramids
- African safari
- Mardi Gras in New Orleans
- Bali over-water bungalows
- European Gateway
- Machu Picchu
- Petra, Jordan
- Great Wall of China
- Running with the bulls in Pamplona, Spain
- The Himalayas
Besides these popular bucket list destinations, you probably have your special place of meaning, so add that to the list.
Idea #2: Build a Luxury Custom Home
Owning a home is a goal for most people, and once you achieve it, you want to make it your own. As you grow into your 50s, you have had enough time to gain significant equity and may also have additional savings.
A luxury custom home is a popular bucket list item for those in this age bracket. Building your home lets you decide what rooms you want and the layout. Working with luxury home builders, you desire the extras like:
- Home theatre
- Games room
- Pool
- Home office
- Chef’s kitchen
- Suana
- Deluxe gym
These are the things you can include in your custom build. The best part about this bucket list item is you still have many years of work life to help fund and pay for this personal paradise, so treat yourself and let the second half of life be filled with luxury.
Idea #3: New Experiences
Along with vacations, a new experience takes you out of your comfort zone and puts you in a new circumstance. It could be sky diving, swimming with sharks or hot air ballooning for adventure seekers.
Maybe it is challenging your brain by learning a different language, becoming a chef, writing a book or mastering a musical instrument. Snorkelling, scuba diving, pottery or painting are skills you may desire and have time now to pursue. These new experiences broaden your horizon and often lead to something you never considered.
Idea #4: Getting Fit
We are usually at our physical peak during the last years of high school, and then we take a slow, declining road toward inactivity as life gets in the way. For some, their bucket list has an athletic goal of becoming fit in their 50s.
This is a good time to start a gym membership or take regular yoga classes. Maybe you want to play a team sport or work towards entering competitions in CrossFit, Tough Mudder or bodybuilding, not to mention triathlons, adult baseball leagues or even bowling. The desire to be fit as you age will only enhance and prolong your life as you work towards slowing the ravages of time.
Idea #5: Reconnect With Old Friends
Some of our closest relationships are those from our past, during the formative school-age years. We tend to lose connection as work takes us to different parts of the world, and life quickly gets consumed with our jobs and family. Once you are in a more comfortable place in your 50s, it may be time to reconnect with those special people from the past.
Contact your closest friends and make a point of getting together to reminisce. Perhaps you are single in your 50s and want to rekindle an old flame that went out. You may even want to make amends for social mistakes from the past and help those that need support now. This reconnection is on most bucket lists because of regret, desire and nostalgia, but whatever the reason, reach out to the past and forge these relationships into the present day.
We all have a secret list of achievements and experiences we want to accomplish during our lifetime. In our 50s, it’s the sweet spot where we have more time, more resources and still have our health to go for it. Get out your bucket list, or make one and start crossing off each item as you forge forward, having fun all along.
