Turning 50

Below is my story about Turning 50. Do you have an interesting, funny, sad or exciting story about what happened when you turned 50? Why not share it with us?

Write a few words (200 to 1,000 is perfect) and submit your story by going to Turning 50 Stories. It's easy and it's free . See your story published on the Net. Impress your friends. Announce yourself to the world. Tell us what went right or what went wrong on your 50th birthday.

We have all got a story in us. What's yours?

by John Kirk


In the Year 2000, two important things happened to me. I was looking forward to turning 50 and the Olympics were coming to Sydney. This was a time of reflection and excitement. After 10 years of poor business decisions and struggling with health issues, I decided to make some major lifestyle, social and career decisions.

These decisions were to change my life forever.

The issues that I faced when turning 50 were –

1. Find a fulltime job with a comfortable income. I was working part time and just keeping my neck about water.

2. Kick a 25 year smoking habit.

3. Get out of debt and start to accumulate assets. My wife and I were living in a rented property and owed $30,000.

4. Build a nest egg for retirement. I had less than $5,000 in my Superannuation fund.

5. Get fit and healthy. I had not exercised regularly for 10 years and my diet was not good.

6. Create a lifestyle from scratch…….basically, do in 15 years what others often take 45 years to do. Not a real easy job, but one that had to be done.

Having had cancer at the age of 30 and battling an erratic cholesterol count, as well as having no money and no real life, I began to make all of the lifestyle and career decisions that I should have made 10 years previously.

The Olympics allowed me to mix and work with a bunch of positive people and meet athletes and officials from around the world. This was a fantastic inspirational experience which encouraged me to start walking regularly. Later, I took up running and entered many fun runs. To date I have now completed 2 marathons, 9 half marathons and another 20+ shorter fun runs of 5Km - 14Km. These days I regularly walk/run around 25Km a week.

I couldn't believe that reaching 50 could be so enjoyable.

Secondly, I found a fulltime job as a Finance Consultant for a major Australian bank. Working initially as a temporary contractor, within 3 months I was offered a permanent position which I accepted. By the end of the year, I was preparing to accept a promotion to Investment Advisor which included a pay rise of $8,000 per year plus bonuses. My $30,000 debt had been reduced to $25,000.
However, I had not yet begun to address my health issues and in November 2000, I was diagnosed with Pulmonary Fibrosis, a condition that had reduced my lung capacity to around 65%. My Specialist insisted that I stop smoking or die early. Health issues seem to take on as much importance as having money when you are 50.

By February 2001 I had quit smoking forever......three major goals accomplished in a little over a year. By now I figured that I could do just about anything if I set my mind to it.

This, however, was just the start. I was determined to Get A Life. Since then my life has been miraculously transformed .
This is how I was able to Get A Life -

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