By Lisa Ingrassia 
Entering my date of birth online now feels like I am a contestant spinning the wheel on Wheel of Fortune, or, if you are old enough to remember, a contestant on The Price Is Right.
When did this happen? Am I THAT old? I mean, the aches and pains I have in the morning are screaming, Yes, you are old, but my brain is telling me something different.
Have you ever been in the grocery store and spotted someone from years ago and thought, “Wow, they look old!” Then you get into your car, look at your face in the sunlight, and think, “Why does the sunlight show every single flaw on my face? Is this really me?! And when did I start to grow a beard? What is happening to me!” That little rear-view mirror in our cars can be awfully mean, thank goodness for med spas.
It’s difficult to believe that in one month I will be turning 50.
Despite all the aches and pains, reaching the age of 50 is a remarkable milestone—a time for reflection, celebration, and envisioning the years ahead.
As my 50s are approaching, I plan to greet this birthday with excitement and curiosity. I declared the past 12 months the year of evolving into a better version of myself. And boy, have I been thrown some unforeseen obstacles, or as I like to say, “the Devil is working hard to distract me.”
Here are some pearls of wisdom from a lady excited to be on the brink of joining AARP and who now thinks a crazy night out means being home in bed by 9 p.m. with retinol cream slathered all over my face and neck:
You are not champagne. Everyone will not like you—and that’s okay.
In fact, having a few haters will build character and demand a stronger version of you. Stop wasting your life trying to get people to understand and like you. Save your energy for living your life on your terms. At the end of the day, when you lay your head on your pillow, it is just you and God; He is always the only one who matters.
Prioritize your health.
Your health is not a luxury; it is a necessity. My dad was diagnosed with Stage IV base of the tongue cancer at the age of 61, and died at 69 years young. I won’t do the math for you, but that’s not too far beyond the age of 50. I was diagnosed with Lupus at the age of 47. Your well-being is your greatest asset; your health is the one thing money cannot buy, so you’d better start investing in your well-being.
Trust your intuition.
Your intuition will never lie to you. At least for me, it doesn’t. If I had a dollar for every time my intuition was screaming at me and I refused to listen, I would be sitting on a yacht sipping champagne. If something feels off, it is most certainly off.
Life is not meant to be easy.
Every single failure, disappointment, and closed door is not the end—it’s a setup for something greater. As Colette Werden said, “It’s okay if you fall down and lose your spark. Just make sure you that when get back up, you rise up as the whole damn fire.” I can promise you this: your comeback will always be greater than the setback.
Above all, trust in God.
Stay faithful, even during the dark times. It is during the dark times that God is asking us to love Him. It is during the dark times that God is especially close to us, holding us tight. But it is up to us to drown out the noise, feel Him, and hear His message. God will never do anything to hurt us, but He will do everything to make us stronger and bring us closer to Him.
My life certainly is not ending at 50; in fact, it is just beginning.
I have had my share of heartbreaks, disappointments, and tears, but all of that has evolved me into a wiser, stronger, better version of myself. And perhaps the greatest gift in this life is that we can reinvent ourselves whenever we feel like it. Fifty is proof that fabulous gets better with time.
by Stephanie Gibbons 
by Debbie Ferris 
