The forum posted a link to Vladimir Yakovlev's amazing book “Wanted and Could,” in which he tells the stories of women who started a new life and fulfilled their dreams, and they were all over fifty. You can find the whole book on the Internet or buy it in stores, I will post only a part (several stories), in abbreviation (publishers are vigilant)) for inspiration and faith that age is not a hindrance to dreams.
Vladimir Yakovlev:
The age when dreams come true
For several years I have been traveling the world and collecting stories of people who, having crossed the 50-year milestone, refused to follow the standard - and rather dreary! - ideas about life at this age. Instead, they continue to enjoy life, often better than when they were young! Interestingly, most of those who after 50 were able to fulfill their dreams are women.
Communicating with them, I realized one important thing. The monstrous mistake many modern women make is that they do not plan to enjoy life after 50 at all. Many are sure that a woman's life deteriorates noticeably by the age of 30, and by the age of 50 it completely ends and the remaining time (and these are decades!) You just need to live quietly.
In fact, this is completely absurd, and after 50 you can safely realize your dreams, whatever they may be. This book contains stories about how to do it.
For example, there is a story about a successful metal sculptor Rochelle Ford. She first picked up tools when she was 58. She just wanted to “tinker with pieces of iron” all her life. Or the story of Evgenia Stepanova, who began her sports career at the age of 60.
And now she is a multiple world and European champion in diving. A difficult sport, dangerous, but Stepanova is madly in love with it. No matter how unusual the activity leading to the realization of a dream seems. For example, Sylvia Weinstock worked as a school teacher all her life and started baking cakes only at the age of 51. Today she is - without any exaggeration - one of the most famous and highly paid confectioners in the world. Yes, for this she had to work hard for more than 30 years in a row. But she is satisfied with the result and very happy.
Whatever you dream of - finding your calling, establishing a personal life, finally sorting out money, losing weight, starting a new career - all this is absolutely possible, no matter how old you are. As one of the heroines of this book, Patricia Torg, who fulfilled her dream at 61, says: “Do what you like. There will be people who will say that you are crazy. It's okay, these people are just jealous of you."
This book is not just for those over fifty today.
When you read the stories of women who managed to find their happiness at the age of 60 or 70, you involuntarily remember those who are unhappy at 30, 40 or even 20.
Of course, after fifty comes potentially the brightest and happiest period of our lives. But still, I would like those who have not yet reached this amazing time in life, after reading this book, to say to themselves:
“If it’s possible at 60, then it’s possible at 30!”
Saniya Sagitova
When Saniya Sagitova retired at 55, she decided to travel. One. Without money. To hitchhike. By the age of 69, she had already traveled to about 40 countries. For the first time, Saniya Sagitova took to the track and raised her thumb not for fun, but out of desperation. It was necessary to urgently take a sick child for treatment from Ufa to Moscow, but there was not enough money for a ticket. The trip went well, the child recovered. After 18 years, having retired, Sagitova decided to devote almost all her free time to hitchhiking.
“I learned how to hitchhike through trial and error,” she says. - At first, to attract attention, I dressed brightly, wore black glasses, painted my lips. Then I realized that dressing like that is impractical and not always safe. Hitchhiking is an extreme type of travel, even a sport, and it has its own rules. I recognized them and began to follow them. Now I always wear a bright yellow jacket, dark trousers and sturdy shoes.
Sagitova travels alone, partly because few people can keep up with her pace. Once she argued with her friends: who will get from Ufa to Moscow first? Girlfriends boarded the train, Saniya went to the track. Changing from car to car, she reached Moscow in just 22 hours. The train with her friends arrived on schedule: 28 hours after departure from Ufa.
Saniya Sagitova takes a diary, a camera and a voice recorder on the road in order to capture everything interesting. In addition to change of clothes and shoes, she always carries with her Bashkir souvenirs, honey (Sagitova is a beekeeper by profession), the flag of Bashkiria and a syringe with insulin: Saniya Sagitova is a diabetic.
“Doctors have found a bunch of diseases in me, I just don’t rush about with them, because if diseases are cherished, they become impudent. At one time, doctors offered to issue a disability - I did not fuss. And what kind of disabled person am I if I hitchhike non-stop all over the world!
For 14 years of travel, Saniya Sagitova has visited about 40 countries, and in Russia she has traveled almost all regions - all the way to Kamchatka. She swam in the Persian Gulf, looked into the Avachinsky volcano, walked along the Mongolian steppe, along the streets of Paris and Nice. In total, Sagitova hitchhiked more than 120 thousand kilometers, that is, circled the globe three times.
She gets all the visas herself. Before the trip, she runs around the consulates and shows articles that she writes about her travels for Ufa newspapers. “The Yemeni ambassador once came to me in person and said, ‘Madame Saniya, we will give you a visa for free, just write about our country, please.’”
With lodging for the night on the road, there are also no problems: there are always people who are ready to provide shelter. Once in Macedonia, Sagitova went to a roadside cafe and, having heard dynamic local music, could not stand it and began to dance. Visitors and owners of the institution became interested in a strange guest and, having learned her story, offered her dinner and an overnight stay.
“And in the East, everything is quite simple. If you step over the threshold and say hello, you are already a guest. In Mongolia, I somehow walked for more than a week. You are walking in the sun, there is no one, alone. Occasionally - one or two yurts. You enter the yurt, greet the hosts, sit down cross-legged. And they start to treat you without asking anything, and then they put you to bed,” she says.
Once in Germany, they tried to rob Sagitova. The driver drove off the autobahn into the forest, stopped the car and began to demand money.
“I replied that I had no money,” she recalls. - Then he began to rummage through my pockets, shook my backpack ... there was nothing!
He threw out my backpack in his hearts, pushed me out and left.” I had to get out of the forest on foot.
Sagitova is so accustomed to driving cars that last year, at 68, she passed an exam and got her first driver's license for the first time in her life. “When you hitchhike, anything can happen to the driver,” she explains. “You need to be able to take the steering wheel in time, use the handbrake or tell the driver a sign that he didn’t notice.”
Now Saniya Sagitova is studying Spanish - next year she has planned a trip to Latin America.
Greta Pontarelli is 62 years old. She appears before the audience in a brilliant open swimsuit, approaches the pole, bends, takes the pole with her hands and easily lifts herself off the ground. Over the next few minutes, Pontarelli performs an amazingly complex and flamboyant acrobatic show on a pole. It's hard to believe that she only started three years ago.
When Greta Pontarelli was 59, she realized that she was at risk of osteoporosis - a disease that destroys bone tissue. “I needed weight-bearing exercises to strengthen my bones,” she says. - But just lifting weights is very boring. So I turned my attention to pole dancing.”
The pylon, that is, the pole installed on the stage, attracted Pontarelli, firstly, because from a medical point of view this is exactly the load that the doctors recommended. Only the role of the load is performed not by dumbbells, but by your own body. Secondly, it is both a sport (pole dancing activists are even fighting for their inclusion in the Olympic program), and a dance, and a show. Greta Pontarelli really liked this idea and enthusiastically began to study.
It just seems that the gymnasts, who gracefully fly around the pole, find this sport easy. In fact, doing pole moves is hard work.
“I trained for several hours every day,” says Pontarelli. – It was very difficult, but also incredibly cool. I even developed a kind of addiction. Within a month, I felt that the movements were easier for me. It's starting to work out."
The figure tightened up, the muscles became more elastic, and the back pain disappeared. But most importantly, Greta Pontarelli has the opportunity to inspire people. Six days a week, she runs a coaching company that she has been running for 16 years. In fact, she helps her clients understand what she herself was convinced of: it is never too late to realize your dream and be happy.
Janet Murray Wakelin is 64, her husband Alan Murray is 66. Every day throughout 2013, they run a 42-kilometer marathon. In just a year, they intend to run 365 marathons, or 15,330 kilometers. What for? To tell in this way about the joys of a healthy lifestyle.
When Janet Murray Wakelin was 51, running a marathon saved her life. Then the doctors discovered she had breast cancer with metastases to the lymph nodes and reported that even with aggressive chemotherapy, she had no more than six months to live. Murray Wakelin categorically did not like this prospect. She had just had a grandson, and she planned to live for a very long time. Therefore, I made a strategic decision - not to die.
In fact, Janet Murray Wakelin led an exceptionally healthy lifestyle from her youth: she went in for sports, was a vegetarian and avoided bad habits. True, once she was painting a boat, she fell and was doused from head to toe with highly toxic paint. “The paint got into my nose, mouth, ears, I even seem to have swallowed some,” she recalls. “Then I couldn’t fully wash off for another three months.”
Murray Wakelin decided that the accident and the poisoning of the body caused the disease. To cleanse herself of toxins, she “prescribed” herself a sauna, meditation, a raw food diet and positive thoughts. “I imagined for hours how I would communicate with my grandson when he grew up, how I would go to his wedding, how I would see my great-grandchildren,” she explains.
A separate and very important point of the treatment program was daily long-distance running. “Running made me feel free, just like when I was a child,” she explains. To get as many nutrients as possible, Murray Wakelin began to drink four glasses of carrot juice a day. “In six months, I probably translated more than one truckload of carrots,” she says. - My skin has even become carrot-colored. But I didn't care. I was alive and I was running!”
Six months later (that is, just when Janet Murray Wakelin was supposed to die), another medical examination showed that there were no more cancer cells in her body.
Now, 13 years later, Janet Murray Wakelin, who now lives in Australia, has decided to run a marathon of marathons—run a marathon every day for a year. Her husband, Alan Murray, who has always supported her in everything, including running training, runs with her. In a year, the couple will just manage to run around the entire continent along the coastline.
“Our main goal is to convey to humanity the idea of a responsible attitude towards our own health and the health of our planet,” they explain.
The couple runs almost barefoot - more precisely, in special soft "toe" sneakers. “These shoes just protect the feet from rocks and cuts, but the feeling is almost the same as if we were running without shoes. It's the most natural run possible,” explains Murray Wakelin. The diet of marathon runners consists of fresh vegetables and fruits, primarily bananas. They eat 20 of them a day.
Even for physically fit people like the Murrays, daily marathons are a tough challenge. When asked how they cope with the load and whether there is a desire to quit everything and return home, they simply answer: you need to move gradually, step by step, then any goals are achievable.
Janet Murray Wakelin says: Leading a healthy and active lifestyle at 60 can be just as successful as at 30. Old age is a state of mind. If you are afraid of old age, prepare for its arrival, you will definitely grow old. Health and happiness is a personal choice for everyone.
Nurse Kay D'Arcy dreamed all her life of being an actress and starring in Hollywood films.
At 69, she finally decided to fulfill her dream and went to conquer Hollywood. At 69, Kay D'Arcy left London to conquer Los Angeles. She took the future Hollywood triumph with all responsibility: she enrolled in the school of film actors, went to auditions, played in episodes. There were no major roles, but Kay was still happy: she made many new acquaintances, she did what she loved and led a life that one could only dream of. She felt like a real Hollywood actress! This state, regardless of the result, brought her joy And filled her life with new meaning. It doesn't matter that you couldn't become a star. D'Arcy constantly improved her skills. She even began to study martial arts - she mastered tai chi and Filipino stick wrestling.
She spent ten years waiting for the lead role. She assures that these were wonderful years: “The best time of my life has come. I studied with enthusiasm and did what I loved, not paying attention to prejudices and social stereotypes. That in itself is a great blessing."
Ten years later, what every aspiring actress dreams of happened. Kay D'Arcy was unexpectedly invited to play Agent 88, "the most dangerous killer in the world," in the Hollywood series of the same name. During the casting, the producers were amazed at the ability of the 79-year-old D'Arcy to transform from a fragile lady into a ruthless killer, and she passed the audition with ease. Her heroine is a woman who owns combat techniques that are deadly for her enemies. “In the story, Agent 88 allegedly suffers from Alzheimer's disease, but in reality she is a real warrior,” she assures. All the stunts in the series D'Arcy (who recently turned 80) performs herself.
Kay D'Arcy thinks that she looks like her heroine, because they both have the best time of life came after seventy. The actress hopes that the series "Agent 88" (its premiere took place in 2013) will become a source of inspiration for all people of her age and show that everyone has the opportunity to realize their dreams, regardless of the years they have lived. You just have to fight and not give up, despite the setbacks.
“Everyone can fulfill their dream, the main thing is to decide,” she is sure. Her six children and 11 grandchildren who stayed in London still cannot believe it.
Kay D'Arcy says: It is important to believe in yourself and trust your inner feelings. Don't let social stereotypes limit your life. Everything is possible. I didn't really understand this until I was 70.
Barbara Rose Brooker spent most of her life engaged in literature, but she could not even imagine that real success would come to her only at the age of 75.
“When I turned 60, I realized that our society is full of monstrous prejudices associated with age,” she recalls. “It made me very angry.”
Brooker decided to write a novel that breaks age stereotypes. The heroes of the book meet, fall in love, try to impress each other, get into awkward situations - in a word, they lead an active and fulfilling life in all respects, despite the fact that they are all well over 60.
The first publisher Brooker came to with her book refused to even read the manuscript. “A novel about a 70 year old woman who has sex and makes a career? It's just disgusting," he said. In more or less harsh terms, all the other publishers responded in the same way.
Brooker did not believe the skeptics and published the book at her own expense. And she did the right thing. The first print run, 10,000 copies, sold out well, literary critics spoke enthusiastically about the novel, Brooker began to be invited to television shows. The major American publishing house Simon & Schuster became interested in The Viagra Diaries - it acquired the rights to the second edition of the novel. In addition, Barbara Rose Brooker sold the manuscript to several European publishers, and now the book is being translated into several languages at once, including Russian.
And then the most interesting thing happened. The Diaries caught the attention of Darren Star, producer of Sex and the City, Beverly Hills 90210 and other successful series. Star decided to make a new series based on the novel for HBO.
After The Viagra Diaries, Barbara Rose Brooker wrote two more books: Love, Sometimes and Should I Sleep in His Dead Wife's Bed. These novels are currently being prepared for publication.
Brooker calls himself, his heroines and all women over 60 who have retained an interest in life Boomer Hotties - this can be translated into Russian as “aged beauties”.
“Modern society believes that love, dating, sex and career are not for us.
In fact, we need all this and it doesn’t matter how old we are,” she says.
Gail Dunn started her own business when she was 62 years old. She found her true calling: saving women from being bullied by auto mechanics. Now she is almost 70. Her business is developing successfully.
It all started with the fact that one morning Gail Dunn's car wouldn't start. She immediately knew that the problem was in the fuel pump. But the mechanic in the service just shrugged his shoulders, fixed some other, non-existent breakdown, took the money, and the next day the car failed again.
Dunn, who worked in the auto industry for many years, solved her problem simply: she bought a gas pump herself and asked her friends to help install it. But then I thought: how many female motorists suffer every day because of the machinations of auto mechanics, who take advantage of the fact that women are usually poorly versed in cars?
This is how the Women's Automotive Connection was born. Gail Dunn has created a training center where ladies are given a short course in auto mechanics and explained how not to be fooled by repairmen.
“In the first year, only about a hundred women applied, but then they brought their acquaintances, and now we have about 5,600 clients a year,” says Dunn.
The services provided at the W.A.C. range from telephone "rescue service" - where to run if your car breaks down - to boot camps where you can complete a full course of study.
“All over the world, repairmen deceive people, but once you begin to understand how the machine works and how it works, it’s already difficult to deceive you, you will bring any negligent mechanic to clean water,” Gail Dunn assures. “I also discovered how difficult it is for people to buy a car and not overpay. This is a new direction of our activity – consultations when choosing and buying a car.”
Dunn claims that age only helps her in business. “In matters like counseling, it’s better to be old. I understand well what people need, what problems they have and how they feel,” she says.
Recently, more and more men have been turning to the "women's" center Gail Dunn. As it turned out, they have the same problems with auto mechanics as women.
At 68, Ruth Flowers decided to become a club DJ. Today, 73-year-old Flowers performs several concerts a month, performs in the best clubs in the world and literally lives in airplanes, flying from one end of the world to another.
Ruth Flowers was 58 when her husband died. It happened unexpectedly, literally in a day. Even the day before, she was quite satisfied with her retirement life - with her husband, in a resort town on the coast of Portugal. A day later, everything: a cozy house with a swimming pool, and the usual way of life - only reminded of the loss. Ruth Flowers lived with her husband for almost 40 years.
With his death, her world collapsed. All that awaited her in the future, like thousands of other widows, was a quiet old age filled with memories of the past. Ruth Flowers has returned to the UK. To keep herself busy, she worked as a music teacher and lectured on the work of Charles Dickens. And 10 years later, at 68, she decided to become a club DJ. Friends decided that she had gone crazy from grief.
Here's how Ruth Flowers made her decision to become a club DJ. The grandson invited her to his birthday party at a nightclub. The guard at the entrance to the club gave her an appraising look and smiled condescendingly.
“I don’t think you need to go there at your age,” he said.
- I think it should! Ruth Flowers replied.
The guard just shrugged.
- If I want, then I can become a DJ! - she said.
The guard gave her another look—and chuckled—in a way that Ruth Flowers knew she would either become a DJ or never respect herself again.
“Why is it that people my age can’t have fun? she thought the morning after the party. "Why is everyone so sure that we're supposed to be quiet at home and can't go to a nightclub or dance?"
Ruth Flowers decided to become a DJ in order to give her life new interest and meaning. Literally a few days later, friends introduced her to the young French producer Orel Simon. He became interested in the idea and offered her his help.
Over the next two years, Ruth Flowers learned how to mix tracks and make DJ sets - modern electronic music was a whole new world for her.
And Orel, meanwhile, unsuccessfully tried to organize for Mami Rock (such a stage name they came up with for Flowers) at least one decent gig. But club managers just shrugged their shoulders: a nearly 70-year-old grandmother who used to lecture on Charles Dickens? As a DJ? Funny! The first real chance - which could easily be the last - fell to them in Cannes. By some miracle, Orel managed to include Mami Rock's performance in the program of one of the film festival's parties.
Both Orel and Ruth Flowers were very worried: how would the public accept their idea?
The excitement was in vain - the audience was delighted. Over the following weeks Orel received dozens of offers to host Mami Rock in a wide variety of clubs around the world. And it began.
In just a year, Mami Rock has become a real world celebrity. The young club audience is delighted with her image and her musical sets. She is recognized in clubs and on the street, asked for autographs ...
Over the past two years, Flowers has given more than 80 performances. She performs in the best clubs in the world - in London, Ibiza, Paris, New York, Los Angeles, Tokyo ...
Ruth Flowers' standard performance lasts an hour. For an hour, she holds two, three, or even five thousandth crowd of spectators.
Despite all the glamor and glamor of club life, Ruth Flowers does not start romances. When asked why, she replies: "I was very good with my husband, I don't want to spoil these memories."
When Evgenia Stepanova turned 60, she decided that only one thing was missing for her happiness - to start a career as a professional athlete. As a sport, Evgenia chose diving from a tower for herself. And she began active training in anticipation of international competitions. How her family reacted to this is not difficult to guess ...
I came to the pool and decided to check if I could jump? She climbed the tower, looked down and jumped. I didn't get scared. Then I realized that you can start training.
In general, Evgenia always dreamed of being a professional athlete, but she worked as an engineer all her life and only after 60 she finally decided to make sports her main occupation. And not just sports, but professional, career sports with regular training, competitions and the fight for medals.
I found a coach (my old friend). And I started exercising three times a week.
The new hobby outraged her husband Boris and son Dmitry. Especially when it comes to international competitions. Men were against their wife and mother at her age appearing in public in a bathing suit. In addition, they feared that the cost of travel would undermine the family budget, and warned that they would not give a penny for this purpose.
But Evgenia continued training.
In one season, she regained her sports form and worked out the jumps necessary for the competition. “We have a pretty dangerous sport,” she says. “You have to be very disciplined and careful to avoid injury. I do not allow any reckless experiments.
The only family member who supported Evgenia Stepanova was her 17-year-old granddaughter Katya. She helped to correspond with sponsors and to find money for the first trip. And then to all subsequent ones. After the very first season of training, Evgenia decided to go to the European Championship in Austria - and won. Since then, he has been traveling the world, collecting medals.
Now Evgenia is 74 and her sports career is in its prime. Despite the fact that diving from a platform after 70 seems like a crazy idea, there are many competitions for older athletes in the world. So there are plenty of opportunities to ride, compete and win. In addition to the World and European Championships, there are open championships in different countries.
Sports prospects for Evgenia Stepanova are the best. “Moving into the next age group, over 75,” she explains. - And my main rival, an Austrian, is three years younger than me. That is, for at least three more years I will be the strongest in this group and I will be able to win many medals!”
Now Evgenia Stepanova is preparing for the next championships and helping Katya raise her great-grandchildren. By her own admission, after the departure of her husband (he died three years ago), she really misses a friend. “There are a lot of fans,” she explains. But it's all young people. And I don't want to meet online. I can't keep up with Facebook friend requests anyway. And I would like to meet a person with whom one could just calmly and freely talk about life.
Evgenia Stepanova says: When there is a goal, you need to go to it without turning off. If you choose a winding road, you can waste all your energy along the way.
At the age of 65, Edna Levitt completely changed her field of activity: she became a professional fitness instructor. All of her clients are seniors. At 70, Edna wrote a book on how to properly train in adulthood.
Start modeling career at 60 and succeed. Founding a company at 51 and making it an industry legend. At 60, finish the most grueling physical race in the world. At 58, take up pole dancing and find your calling in it. These are not crazy dreams, but real stories that happened to ordinary women over the age of 50.
One day, Edna Levitt's son told her: "You're already a middle-aged woman, it's time for you to start going to the gym." Levitt, who by this time was already over 50, agreed and started training.
She liked it so much that she began to practice every day. But then she did not think that in fifteen years she would decide to make fitness her new profession.
She came to the decision to change her life by pure chance. One day, a complete stranger paid 65-year-old Edna Levitt a compliment.
“You have such muscles, you probably train a lot!” - he said.
Levitt was flattered. She thought at that moment: if she managed to become athletic and fit at 65, then why not help others? She enrolled in coaching courses and was trained. Upon receiving her certification, Levitt immediately began working as a fitness instructor.
Now Edna Levitt is 72, she trains mostly older people. She develops a special program for each of her clients, taking into account their physical condition and training goals. Classes are held both in the gym and at home or in the office.
Levitt believes that her main advantage is the ability to understand her audience. She herself felt what it was like to be a beginner at 50, ashamed of her appearance and inability. To help clients deal with these challenges, Edna Levitt suggests taking it step by step, breaking down a big goal into many small ones. “If you don’t want to or can’t train for 45 minutes, train at least 10 and you will already have some results. One has only to start, and you will see how your possibilities will gradually increase!
Thanks to this approach, some of Coach Levitt's clients have achieved what they never dreamed of. One day, she was approached by an 87-year-old lady who could barely walk, but wanted to confidently walk down the steps of the church at her grandson's wedding - there were several months left before the holiday. The result exceeded expectations: on the day of the celebration, the woman not only walked down the stairs with a firm gait, but was even able to dance.
“It's never too late to start,” says Edna Levitt. - You don't have to be athletic. You don't have to spend a lot of money. Even moderate exercise will help avoid problems that are considered traditional for age. If you build muscle mass, you will be able to walk and run as well as in your youth.”
Many of Levitt's clients have approached her asking for guidance on how to work on their own. Therefore, a few years ago, she wrote the book Your Personal Trainer, which contains exercises for all muscle groups, as well as recommendations for training regimen and lifestyle. The book is illustrated with photographs of Edna Levitt posing showing how to perform the movements.
According to Levitt, it is useful to train by doing household chores - any free minute can be used to do a few simple exercises.
“By the age of eighty, we lose about forty percent of muscle mass,” she explains. - There is only one way out: to train. Shoulders back, chin and chest forward, proud posture, self-confidence - and for the cause!
Most of us perceive the age of 50 as a milestone, after which a full life ends. It seems that people who have crossed it lose intimacy and understanding with a loved one, their motivation for development and joy from their former hobbies disappear, and besides, they overcome chronic diseases. In general, life is steadily moving towards its decline.
But it's not like that at all! Life after 50 is in no way inferior to life in 30 or 40 years. Of course, no one questions the carefree enthusiasm and optimism of twenty-year-old young people who are hatching grandiose plans for life, but you should not think that it all ends by the age of fifty.
Many scientific studies and sociological surveys lead to unexpected conclusions, namely, people who have crossed the 50-year mark perceive the world around them more positively. At this age, a person's life is stable and measured, he is confident in himself, he has no fears for himself and his future. In addition, a person over 50 is more stress-resistant and has excellent control over his own emotions, which is undoubtedly an advantage over younger people.
Add to this the fact that people over 50 are better at managing their own time, which means they have much more time to relax and do things that really bring pleasure. For example, it allows you to devote yourself to a hobby for which there was not enough time before, to fulfill an old dream, and in general, to look more creatively at the opportunities that life gives.
Youth gives us enthusiasm and energy, which, as it seems, is enough for 100 years to come. However, over the years, the fuse gradually fades away. But is it worth worrying about? Now you don't have to sacrifice yourself to get up early in the morning and sit in the office until midnight. There comes a period in your life when you can feel the true taste of life, postponing things for later.
All this, of course, allows us to perceive the 50-year milestone more positively. And if you still do not feel this, it is only because too many prejudices associated with your age have taken root in your head. We will talk about them in this article.
10 things to stop doing after 50
1. Diet
You turned 50, and you are still looking for the right diet on the Internet to lose a couple of pounds? Drop this idea. First of all, you must understand that at your age, diets simply do not work!
After 45 years in the body of men and women there is a decrease in the production of hormones, which inevitably leads to weight gain. But if you have been eating right before and have not allowed yourself to get fat, this failure will not cause you any extra trouble. At most, you will gain 5-7 extra pounds, which is considered the norm for the age of “over 50”. If you have previously eaten improperly, allowed yourself fast food and abused sweets, there is no doubt that diets have not helped you much before. So is it worth torturing your body now? Attempts to deny yourself your favorite food and starve do not lead to positive results, and in the long run, all the more, they will play a cruel joke with you and add a dozen extra pounds!
Don't forget about peace of mind. From unsuccessful attempts to lose weight with the help of diets, your mood will deteriorate, which will invariably affect your well-being and quality of life.
2. Paint over gray hair
Noticing the gray strands, women, and sometimes men, begin to think about how to hide this clear sign of approaching old age. But this is self-deception! Trying to hide gray hair looks ridiculous, because age makes itself felt in many other ways, including wrinkles and discoloration of the skin.
But the point is not even that painting over gray hair will not allow you to hide your age. The whole point is that you just can’t come to terms with changes in your own appearance, don’t love yourself the way you are here and now. And this is a sign of disharmony, which prevents you from being liberated and getting real pleasure from life.
That is why do not deny yourself the pleasure of dyeing your hair when you want to change your appearance and change your image, but you should definitely not hide gray hair on purpose and worry about the appearance of new gray curls.
3. Postpone important things for later
We have already mentioned that after 50 years there comes a period when you have time and opportunities to fulfill your old dream and do what you are really interested in. Now is the time when you can make your dream come true. So, don't put it off until later!
Perhaps you dreamed of visiting one of the distant countries? Maybe you have always wanted to become a farmer, learn a foreign language or build a cottage? Perhaps you dreamed of enrolling in dance courses or traveling around the world on a bicycle? Now that your kids are grown up and you have a stable job, there is every reason to devote your life to your loved ones and do what you really always gravitated towards.
And even if you have a job and you can’t devote the whole day to yourself, be sure to carve out 1-2 hours exclusively for your own hobby. Do not hesitate, your life will only become brighter and happier from this.
4. Be ashamed of your mistakes
There is a prejudice inside many of us that a person at the age of 50 is ashamed to show his ignorance, it is inconvenient to ask for advice from others, and even more so to make mistakes that others may notice. But in fact, this is nothing more than prejudice.
A person cannot know absolutely everything, and therefore it is completely normal to be ashamed of some questions in those areas in which you absolutely do not understand. Even if you are asking for advice from a person who is much younger than you. Moreover, the fact that you ask questions while mastering a computer, newfangled gadgets or a modern car indicates that you are willing to keep up with the times and constantly develop. And it cannot cause other emotions except admiration!
Moreover, when you are over 50, you can safely tell others about the mistakes, mistakes and delusions that you encountered when you were young. There is nothing shameful in this, because it was only after passing through these obstacles that you became who you are now. Is it worth it to be embarrassed? Tell it with a smile, because the ability to self-irony is an important quality for a person who is liberated and free from prejudice.
5. “Dedicate” yourself to children and grandchildren
The appearance of grandchildren is a golden time for grandparents. I want to be closer to my own kids, spend more time with them, show them the world around them in the brightest colors and give them a happy childhood. Next to your grandchildren, you yourself become much younger.
All this is true, but with one caveat. Don't dedicate your life to your grandchildren. You should have time to look after the baby and play with him, but at the same time you should not forget your own desires and aspirations. A happy family is one in which you are supported in the realization of your aspirations.
Finally, practice shows that grandparents who occasionally help their children to look after their grandchildren, but at the same time are busy with their own development, receive, in the end, more gratitude than those who give their grandchildren all of themselves and all their time.
6. Repeat the past
By the age of 50, you have already accumulated enough experience and knowledge to do the usual work “on the machine”. But there is not much to be proud of here. The fact is that neural connections in the brain are not restored by themselves - the brain needs constant stimulation, and for this it is necessary to set new tasks for it as often as possible.
To do this is quite simple. If you are used to driving or going to work on a certain route, change it, let your brain find a new optimal path. If you've been breaststroke all your life, learn a new style of swimming. In fact, it is not so important what exactly you puzzle your brain with, it is important that new tasks are set before it, with which it will successfully cope. In this regard, learn something new that you have never done before. Remember, after 50, keeping your brain active is just as important as staying physically active.
7. Worry about what others think
By the age of 50, it's time to stop paying attention to what they say behind your back. You have already lived long enough to understand that all these gossip and gossip only affect the one who pays attention to them. You have already formed your own vision of the world, your own views on fashion and hobbies, and therefore worrying about whispering behind your back, and even more so worrying that your behavior will be condemned, is at least stupid.
After fifty years, there comes a special time - the time of emancipation, when it should become completely unimportant to you what people will say. Do you want to wear a mini skirt? Would you like to go to a nightclub and "break away" as in your youth? Or maybe you are still embarrassed to remind someone of this promise or unreturned money? Allow yourself whatever you really desire and be honest about what you really care about! Believe me, understanding this makes life a lot easier.
Even at the dawn of human civilization, people created armed formations to protect their borders. Then wars were won thanks to the size of the army and the skill of the commanders. Today, the military is focusing on modern technologies, which allows even such small countries as Israel to have a powerful army. In our review, we will focus on the most modern and powerful armies in the world.
1. North Korea
The Democratic People's Republic of Korea is known for its repressive government and its antagonistic relationship with much of the world. North Korea currently has 4,200 tanks, 944 aircraft, and 967 warships.
Despite the impressive numbers, North Korean weapons are considered very outdated. For example, of the 70 submarines currently in service, 20 are rusty Romeo-class wrecks made with 1950s technology.
2. Saudi Arabia
The Royal Saudi Armed Forces consist of infantry, air force, navy, air defense, the National Guard, and a number of paramilitary units. In total, over 230,000 people are on active duty in the army of this country. This is one of the richest military in the world.
3. Australia
The constant development of China has led to the fact that Australia, as well as most countries in the Asia-Pacific region, began the continuous modernization of their military forces. Despite its small size, the Australian military is considered one of the best and most efficient in the world.
4. Canada
Despite the fact that this country has been one of the most peaceful and friendly throughout its history, the Canadian army is among the 25 strongest in the world. Canada currently has 181 tanks, 426 aircraft and 63 warships in service.
5. Iran
The armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran in total number about 545,000 people. Without a doubt, this is one of the most powerful and dominant forces in the Middle East.
6. Thailand
Historically, the military has been the backbone of unity and peace in Thai society. Although the country has an impressive number of troops and tanks in service, the most fascinating fact is that Thailand has an aircraft carrier but no combat aircraft (since all AV-8S Matador aircraft were retired in 2006) .
7. Taiwan
Under the constant threat of an invasion by a gigantic Chinese army that still hasn't given up plans to invade and occupy its neighbor, Taiwan has focused its entire military development on building a defense. That is why such a small island has more helicopters (307) than most countries in the world. Also the number of tanks (2,005) and aircraft (815) in Taiwan is quite impressive in relation to its size.
8. Poland
The tense situation in Ukraine has forced the Polish government to start spending huge amounts of money lately on the defense industry. As a result, the level of the Polish army has increased significantly in just a few years.
9. Vietnam
The Vietnam People's Army is considered one of the most prestigious and sacred concepts in the local culture. This was especially exacerbated after the brave (and victorious, in the eyes of most historians) popular army fought against such superpowers as France and the United States in the twentieth century. The Vietnamese army is an integral part of the culture of this country and is considered one of the strongest in Asia.
10 Israel
Despite its small size, both in terms of territory and population, and its very short history, Israel can proudly claim that its defense forces have been among the most active (if not the most active) in the world over the past five decades. Due to the constant tension in the region, Israel has created an incredibly strong and modernized army.
11. Brazil
With the second largest military force in the Americas (after the United States) and the largest in Latin America, Brazil currently has 486 tanks, 735 aircraft and 110 ships, and 330,000 military personnel and officers. .
Although South America is a relatively peaceful continent, Brazil shares borders with 10 countries and therefore requires a significant number of troops.
12. Indonesia
The Indonesian Army was formed during the Indonesian National Revolution when it was engaged in guerrilla warfare. Today, with about half a million troops and modern technology, it is considered one of the most powerful armies in Asia.
13. Pakistan
In Pakistan, the armed forces are the 13th strongest in the world due to the fact that the country is constantly improving its military technology. In addition, the Pakistani military is the largest contributor to United Nations peacekeeping efforts with more than 10,000 Pakistani army personnel permanently deployed overseas.
14. Egypt
The Egyptian armed forces are not only the largest in Africa and the Middle East, but also one of the largest in the world - an active staff of 470,000 people. In addition, it is one of the most ancient armies since it was created in 3200 BC.
15. South Korea
The fact that this country borders on a dangerous, unpredictable northern neighbor (North Korea) has made South Korea spend crazy money on military equipment and weapons, making its military one of the most modern and powerful in the world. At present, the Asians boast 625,000 army, 2,381 tanks and 1,451 aircraft.
16. Italy
The Italian armed forces consist of the regular army, navy, air force and carabinieri (who also serve as military police). As of the end of 2014, the 320,000-strong Italian army is the third largest in the European Union and the fifth among NATO countries.
17. Germany
The ongoing reform of the German armed forces is the most radical revision of the Bundeswehr in the history of the country. The problem of international terrorism and global cooperation have led to the need today for a smaller but more flexible force structure that will not have such a strong defensive function as in the past few decades.
18. Turkey
The Turkish military is considered the second largest in NATO (after the US military). The estimated strength of the Turkish army is 495,000 people.
19. Japan
The Japan Self-Defense Forces were created after World War II. Although they have been inactive for most of the last fifty years, tensions in the area have been on the rise lately (over North Korea in particular). This forced Japan to urgently modernize the army.
20. UK
Despite being relatively small compared to countries such as the US, Russia and China, and the fact that the British government plans to reduce the size of its armed forces by 10% by 2018, the once globally dominant United Kingdom still has one of the strongest armies in the world.
21. France
France may not be as powerful a military power as it once was, but it is still in the top ten most powerful in the world. Its main military actions recently have been the fight against terrorism in Mali, Afghanistan, Libya, and at the present time the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS).
Army of the Russian Federation.
Global modernization and Putin's massive military procurement program over the past two decades have made Russia's military one of the most powerful in the world.
25. United States
Despite recent geopolitical misadventures and American withdrawals from Afghanistan and Iraq, the United States military continues to hold the palm of the world's most powerful military thanks to the world's largest defense budget.
However, even in the most powerful armies there are embarrassments. For example, such as appearance.
