I’m Turning 70 Next Week. Here Are Three Things I Wish I Knew When I Was 50

Quick Overview

As the author approaches 70, she reflects on three key lessons learned since turning 50:

Life can drastically change, but resilience allows you to overcome challenges and emerge stronger.

Resoluteness, a quiet determination, is crucial for persevering through difficult times.

Self-advocacy is essential, especially as you age and face shifting support systems.

Table of Contents

I’m Turning 70 Next Week. Here Are Three Things I Wish I Knew When I Was 50.

1. Life Can Completely Turn Off Its Axis — But You Can Get Back Up Again, Stronger Than Before
2. Resoluteness Is the Quiet Superpower That Carries You Through
3. Speaking Up for Yourself Is a Right, not a Privilege

Where the Real Growth Begins

I’m Turning 70 Next Week. Here Are Three Things I Wish I Knew When I Was 50

Next week, I turn 70.

Like many milestone birthdays, it’s led me to reflect — not just on what I’ve experienced but also on what I’ve learned and what I wish I’d known a little sooner.

Turning 50 was a big deal at the time. But looking back, 50 now feels like just a transition point — a time when there was still so much to learn, navigate, and overcome. If I could go back and speak to that version of myself, here are three things I’d want her to know.

1. Life Can Completely Turn Off Its Axis — But You Can Get Back Up Again, Stronger Than Before

At 50, I assumed I had a good grip on things and was doing really well. Silly me, no, I did not. There was much more learning to come.

Since then, life has shifted in ways I never imagined — at times knocking me completely off my feet.

I left a job I thought I’d have for life — after 32 years — and had to start again, completing a significant career change from a very practical number orientation to that of helping people, a significant transition to say the least. It was terrifying to face the unknown and feel like I was beginning from scratch, even though I already had an extensive business career and academic achievements behind me.

I became a widow at 64. After over 40 years of shared decisions and daily companionship, I had to learn how to live — permanently — on my own for the first time.

I underwent major surgery during a COVID lockdown. Navigating recovery with limited help and a system under strain tested every ounce of strength I had.

And yet — here I am. Not just standing, but stronger. I wish I’d known at 50 that life will throw you down — but you will get back up. And each time, you’ll rise with more strength, more clarity, and more courage than you ever thought possible.

2. Resoluteness Is the Quiet Superpower That Carries You Through

We talk a lot about resilience — the ability to bounce back after hardship. It’s a valuable trait, and I’ve leaned on it many times.

But I’ve discovered that resoluteness is the deeper, often unspoken companion to resilience. It’s not just the bounce — it’s the decision to get up, again and again, even when you don’t think you have the energy.

It’s dogged, stubborn determination. It’s showing up when no one’s watching. It’s whispering, ‘I’ll try again tomorrow,’ when today has emptied you out.

At 50, I had resilience. But I didn’t yet understand how vital resoluteness would be — especially when life doesn’t give you neat recoveries. It’s not glamorous. But it’s what keeps you going when bounce-back alone isn’t enough.

3. Speaking Up for Yourself Is a Right, not a Privilege

I grew up believing that if you were good, patient, and kind, the world would look after you. That someone — a manager, a partner, a system — would advocate for you, notice your needs, or step in when you were in trouble.

By 70, I’ve learned the hard truth: you must speak up for yourself. Not with anger or entitlement, but with strength, clarity, and self-respect.

This becomes even more critical as you age. The structures you once leaned on shift, the people you relied on may no longer be there, and the systems aren’t always designed with your best interests in mind.

Whether it’s your health, time, needs, or boundaries, advocating for yourself isn’t optional. It’s essential. And it’s not selfish — it’s how you survive and thrive.

Where the Real Growth Begins

Life after 50 is not the slow winding down we once imagined. For many of us, it’s where the real growth begins — the kind that comes not from ambition, but from endurance, reflection, and courage.

So, if you’re 50, or close to it, know this: life may shift under your feet. Things may not go to plan. But you’ll be stronger than you think. You’ll rise again and again — not because it’s easy, but because it’s necessary. And along the way, you’ll learn to trust your voice, your strength, and your ability to begin again.

That’s what I know now. I wish I had known it then.

Interested in learning more about how to make the next decade your best yet? Contact Carol McGowan, founder of Strategic Achievement Coaching and begin today.