The rules I MADE ON TURNING 50
woman & home South Africa|July 2023
For novelist Tess Stimson, life after half a century is the best it's ever been - and it's all because she set a few gleeful laws to live by. Here's her (wo)manifesto
The rules I MADE ON TURNING 50

By any measure, 50 is a milestone birthday. Even the most optimistic among us have to admit we've probably passed life's halfway point by now. At 40, you can still tell yourself you're young, but by 50 there's no denying that you're middle-aged.

I need my glasses to read the label on the pills for my sciatica, and when I drop something on the floor, I hesitate before I pick it up while I work out what else I can do while I'm down there.

But I've found life after 50 is also strangely liberating. My primary evolutionary function -procreation - is over. The baby ship has well and truly sailed, so there's no more dithering about whether to have just one more before it's too late.

I have a career that I love and a husband, Erik, 52, who I adore, but my three children, Henry, 28, Matt, 25, and Lily, 20, have all flown the nest, and time seems to be passing ever more quickly. So, on turning 50 last summer, I made a few light-hearted rules to make sure I don't waste a single minute.

1 Dress for comfort

Sure, six-inch heels make your legs look endless. But they're also bloody crippling. Fortunately, the fashion for box-fresh white trainers with dresses means I can bin my stilettos and still look bang on-trend. I've also ditched thongs (like wearing cheese wire) and shapewear (when did you last see a man worrying about his wobbly bits?). I love fashion, but I'm done with suffering for it.

Denne historien er fra July 2023-utgaven av woman & home South Africa.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra July 2023-utgaven av woman & home South Africa.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA WOMAN & HOME SOUTH AFRICASe alt
Used car SCAMS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT
woman & home South Africa

Used car SCAMS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT

Whether you're buying or selling, here are the dodgy deals to watch out for

time-read
3 mins  |
Woman&Home; July 2024
Bliss in the BUSH
woman & home South Africa

Bliss in the BUSH

Not even the rain could dampen the spirit and beauty of a visit to Lalibela Game Reserve

time-read
5 mins  |
Woman&Home; July 2024
Caramel CREATIONS
woman & home South Africa

Caramel CREATIONS

Three classic French sweets to round off dinner with friends

time-read
4 mins  |
Woman&Home; July 2024
WINTER houseplant care
woman & home South Africa

WINTER houseplant care

Bring extra greenery and life into your home when it's grey and gloomy outside

time-read
3 mins  |
Woman&Home; July 2024
10 ways to LIVE WELL UNTIL...
woman & home South Africa

10 ways to LIVE WELL UNTIL...

It's the little lifestyle changes that can make a big difference

time-read
3 mins  |
Woman&Home; July 2024
THE DESPAIR Of WINTER
woman & home South Africa

THE DESPAIR Of WINTER

Winter does sap one’s energy, to be sure, and you want to snuggle on the couch with a good book, but for some people, winter brings serious mental health issues

time-read
4 mins  |
Woman&Home; July 2024
IT'S CRUNCH TIME
woman & home South Africa

IT'S CRUNCH TIME

Noisy eaters, beware: Christabel Smith has had and heard! - enough

time-read
3 mins  |
Woman&Home; July 2024
Pillars OF SUPPORT
woman & home South Africa

Pillars OF SUPPORT

We should all be paying it forward, and these women are helping to set an example

time-read
6 mins  |
Woman&Home; July 2024
Gracefully COMMITTED
woman & home South Africa

Gracefully COMMITTED

Anne Hathaway has shaken off her princess crown and is showing the world that she is more than capable of being the queen of the screen through hard work, commitment and being authentically herself

time-read
5 mins  |
Woman&Home; July 2024
Till death do us part
woman & home South Africa

Till death do us part

It is not a lack of love, but a lack of friendship that makes unhappy marriages, said Nietzsche. He may be on to something, says Lorraine Kearney

time-read
3 mins  |
Woman&Home; February 2024