Finding Purpose After 50: From Crisis to Freedom
“Ageing is not a closing chapter but an invitation to write the most authentic and meaningful pages of your life.”
The Wake-Up Call That Changed Everything
When I hit fifty, over a decade ago, I felt a rising sense of panic—like time was running out and I hadn’t yet lived the life I was meant to live. I'd look at my life and, with the exception of my children, not much else seemed to feel deep or meaningful enough.
There was a gap, an emptiness. I'd catch myself asking: is this it?
Are we really born to struggle through life, accumulating things, achieving, always aiming for the next big thing or experience?
Then, when my marriage ended at 52 after thirty years and I lost my job, I was faced with two choices.
One was to put my life back together almost exactly as it was before—find a new job and with desperation a new partner. But there was something inside me that had been calling for a long time, maybe always, and it was urging me to go deeper, to explore the non-material aspect of life and find my own answers.
This long and often difficult journey started with my impromptu trip to a Buddhist monastery in Nepal, followed by a deep inquiry into Buddhism. Yet the questions never stopped, and I didn't feel that I'd landed anywhere stable yet.
Reframing What Ageing Really Means
But there was one huge shift in my perspective, and it continues to evolve:
Ageing isn't about slowing down or giving up or believing that it's too late.
Ageing is perhaps the most profound part of the human journey—not for everyone, let me be clear, because we are all our individual selves. However, if we're lucky enough to have the insight that there is more to life than what meets the eye, if we can look out at the world and see the miracle that it is, then this later part of our lives becomes our opportunity to explore the deeper questions and find our place in it all, in a more meaningful and fulfilling way. Now, finally free from the responsibilities that consumed our younger years.
It reminds me of when I silently watched a woman I was supporting through her last days as cancer took over, watching her eat her pizza with such presence. Slowly, each bit taken with intention, chewed fully, swallowed only when completely ready. Unlike how we usually live our day to day, forgetting that forever isn't likely and time passes all too quickly.
Ageing gives us that constant reminder—it asks us to pay attention to what truly matters.
And so recently I stopped once again to check in with myself.
Am I on the right track?
Am I living with purpose and intention?
And the answer was: so-so, but not quite there.
Because like many of us today, we are caught in the material world, the everyday need to feed and house ourselves, which can take over every aspect of our lives.
And yet I have a constant urge to write—or maybe not to write as much as to share.
Share what?
I don't always know, if I'm being honest.
It comes unexpectedly, sometimes from something I've seen or heard or just felt. So I decided maybe I should do that without asking too many questions, and this is how I resurrected a project I started almost a decade ago: Freedom in Later Life.
To me it is clear that to achieve the type of Freedom I dream of requires three things:
Inner Freedom which is the foundation;
Lifestyle Freedom—our day-to-day choices; and Practical Freedom—addressing what holds us back, like our lack of technical savviness.
Let’s explore these a little deeper.
Inner Freedom: The Foundation
This is where it all begins - with how we think about this stage of life. I've noticed four shifts that have changed everything for me:
From Decline to Design - I stopped seeing ageing as something happening to me and started seeing it as something I could consciously shape. When I catch myself thinking "at my age," I pause and ask: what would I do if age wasn't a factor? The answer is usually far more interesting.
From Perfection to Authenticity - After decades of trying to meet everyone else's expectations, I finally gave myself permission to be genuine rather than perfect. It's exhausting trying to maintain appearances when you know deep down that perfection is an illusion anyway.
From Scarcity to Abundance - Instead of focusing on time running out, I started recognising what I'd already accumulated: decades of experience, a network of relationships, self-knowledge that can't be taught. At 50+, we're not starting from scratch - we're building on a foundation of wisdom.
From Control to Flow - Life has taught me that rigid control is neither possible nor desirable. I can influence outcomes whilst staying flexible, make plans whilst remaining open to better opportunities. It's about working with life's rhythms rather than fighting against them.
These aren't just nice ideas - they're practical shifts that change how you approach everything from career decisions to relationships to how you spend your days.
Lifestyle Freedom: Choosing How You Live Each Day
Lifestyle Freedom is about taking control over the day-to-day parts of your life—how you spend your time, who you spend it with, and what you prioritize. It’s about making choices that reflect your values and your evolving sense of purpose, rather than feeling trapped by routine or expectations.
This could mean simplifying your possessions to reduce mental clutter, exploring new hobbies that light you up, or adjusting your environment so it supports your wellbeing. It’s a way of designing your daily life so it feels more aligned with who you really are now, not who you were told to be or who you were trying to be before.
Practical Freedom: Removing Barriers
Practical Freedom deals with the real-world obstacles that can hold us back—things like managing finances, learning new skills, or even navigating technology.
At this stage in life, not feeling confident with technology or feeling overwhelmed by new systems can create a sense of being stuck. Practical Freedom means gaining the tools and knowledge to handle these challenges, so they don’t limit your options or peace of mind.
It also means practical planning—like understanding your health needs, or creating safety nets that give you peace. When practical matters are in place, it frees your mind and energy for the deeper work of living freely.
Join the Journey: Freedom in Later Life
If you want to live with more purpose and freedom after 50, Freedom in Later Life offers resources, tools, and insights to help you age without limits.
It’s a community where people share honest conversations and practical ideas about making the most of this stage of life—no pressure, just real support.
You’re warmly invited to be part of it.