Wise and Wild: Finding Freedom in Later Life
I was working on clarifying the message I want Freedom in Later Life to stand for when the phrase “wise enough to know better, wild enough not to care” came to me. Instantly, it resonated. It captured something deep and true about how I see this stage of life.
And I began to think, if it speaks so clearly to me, surely I’m not alone. There must be many of us who don’t fit the usual story about aging, at least not from the traditional perspective.
Aging, But Not Slowing Down
When I look in the mirror, of course I see an aging body. That’s inevitable. But what I don’t see is a desire to slow down or settle into routines that don’t feel like me. I’ve never imagined my later years spent passively, sitting in front of the TV, losing myself in fictional lives.
Nor have I ever dreamt of filling my time with endless holidays. Holidays, to me, have always felt like an escape, a temporary break from life. Travel, on the other hand, has been a lifelong passion. It’s about curiosity, growth, and stepping into the unknown.
True happiness, I’ve come to believe, lies in freedom. Freedom to be who we are, to live how we wish, and to choose how we spend our time. That’s the essence of what Freedom in Later Life stands for.
Travel as Freedom, Not Escape
I learned what freedom really meant on my first solo trip to Nepal, right after my divorce. It was both terrifying and liberating. From boarding a plane in London to landing in a country I knew nothing about, I stepped into the unfamiliar with nothing but faith in myself.
I stayed in a Buddhist monastery, sharing personal space with strangers who soon felt like family. I got lost in the middle of nowhere and had to rely entirely on my instincts. But that’s where I found my strength. I discovered I was far more capable than I’d ever imagined.
That experience changed me. It taught me that when we surrender control and let life unfold, we discover a deeper kind of freedom, one that feels almost spiritual. And perhaps that’s why the phrase “wise and wild” resonates so deeply with me.
The Freedom to Be Wild
If you’ve ever tasted that kind of freedom, you’ll understand why wise and wild sits at the heart of Freedom in Later Life.
We’ve always been risk-takers, not because we’re reckless, but because we know that feeling truly alive requires stepping outside what’s comfortable. There’s magic in uncertainty. In that space of not knowing, we experience a freedom that surpasses anything we’re taught to expect.
For many of us, later life isn’t a time to slow down. It’s a time to wake up. It’s a time to strip away expectations, stop people-pleasing, and rediscover the parts of ourselves we may have hidden for years.
Reclaiming the Wild Child Within
As I’ve reflected on my own journey, I’ve realised that we’ve all lived many lives within one lifetime, from helpless babies to rebellious teenagers, responsible adults, and now older (and hopefully wiser) individuals who finally get to choose how we want to live.
But here’s the beautiful part: we don’t leave those past versions behind. We carry them with us, especially that wild child who once dreamed without limits. She hasn’t disappeared; she’s just been waiting for us to remember her.
I remember a time, after my marriage ended, when I looked into the mirror, tears streaming down my face, and apologised to that little girl. I told her I was sorry for forgetting her dreams. And I promised that from that moment forward, I’d take good care of her, that I’d stop placing my happiness in anyone else’s hands.
Because ultimately, we are responsible for our own joy. Everyone else in our lives is either a welcome traveller or a brief passerby.
The Art of Not Caring (The Right Way)
Somewhere along the line, we must learn not to care, not in a selfish or cruel way, but in a liberating one. To live freely, we have to let go of the need for approval.
Not caring means granting yourself permission to live as you know you should. It’s the freedom to make choices that align with your soul, to express your truth, to follow your curiosity, and to do it all without apology.
When we embrace that kind of freedom, we not only live better, we serve better. We show others what’s possible. We leave the world a little brighter, even in our small way.
What It Really Means to Be Wild in Later Life
Being wild doesn’t mean being reckless. It means being daring, refusing to shrink yourself to fit into someone else’s idea of who you should be. It’s about going against the grain, especially in our later years, because time waits for no one.
The difference now is that we carry wisdom with us. We can discern what’s truly important, what’s right for us, and what’s not worth our energy. Yet within that wisdom lies a powerful urge to finally follow our own path, however unconventional it might seem to others.
That’s the wildness that Freedom in Later Life celebrates: the courage to live fully, honestly, and freely, even, and perhaps especially, after 50.
The Courage to Walk Your Own Path
This way of living isn’t for everyone. It demands courage, to listen to your own voice, to have faith in yourself, and to walk away from people and situations that no longer fit your vision.
But for those willing to take that leap, the rewards are extraordinary. Freedom becomes more than a concept; it becomes a way of life.
So I invite you to pause and reflect:
Is your later life unfolding the way you envisioned it?
Are you living by your own script, or following someone else’s story?
Finding Freedom, Together
If your answer leaves you uncertain, if you feel stuck or like you’re repeating old patterns that keep you from being true to yourself, perhaps my book How Did I Get Here? will speak to you. It’s a companion for anyone rediscovering their sense of purpose and freedom in later life.
And I’d love for you to join our community at Freedom in Later Life. We’re building a space for people over 50 who are wiser, braver, and certainly not done being wild.
Because aging isn’t about endings. It’s about freedom. Freedom from expectations, freedom to be unapologetically yourself, and freedom to live with joy, curiosity, and a touch of wildness.
After all, we are, and will always be, wise enough to know better, and wild enough not to care.
A Final Thought
Freedom, I’ve learned, isn’t something we arrive at. It’s something we practice every single day. It’s in the choices we make, in the courage to speak our truth, and in the quiet moments when we catch ourselves smiling simply because we feel at peace in our own company. Being wise and wild in later life isn’t about chasing excitement; it’s about embracing who we’ve become and trusting that our story still has new chapters waiting to be written.
If we can wake up each morning with curiosity instead of fear, with gratitude instead of regret, then we are already free.
And maybe that’s what this next season of life is truly about: the grace to know better, and the spirit to still not care too much about the rules.
Author: Anna Zannides, Founder of Freedom in Later Life