And so suddenly it is 2019

I still remember like it was yesterday: when I was in second grade, seven years old, we had to do an exercise. We had to count in which year we turned 50. Guess what? 2019!

It seemed so far away at that time. So much in our lives still had to happen. What would we study? Who would be our first girlfriend of boyfriend? Our first job? Would we marry? And if yes, with whom? Where would we live? Would we have children?

The dreams where real, the possibilities endless.  You don’t feel it that way though, when you are young. You just live your life and make your choices. Some of them will be good, some of them will be bad. And as long as you stay healthy, you still have plenty of time to turn bad choices into good ones. Even if it doesn’t seem like that at the time. Try to learn from your mistakes, not make them again, and move on……And I know, we al want to go back in time, knowing what we know now, to tell our 18 year old-self, to go for that girl, or go for that job. But in the end, the choices we have made, the good and the bad, make us what we are today.

When you are young, everything is still in front of you. If there is one advise that I can give you: try to understand the beauty and power of youth (which you will probably only understand when it’s too late….). There will come a time that you look at a picture and then realize how fabulous you really looked.

And so, suddenly, it is 2019. And I am turning 50.

People that know me will say that I’m struggling with the number. In a way I am, although I have to admit that I sometimes add to the drama (but don’t tell my friends!). But what I am really struggling with is the confrontation with limits, especially time……Choices are more limited. Less time to turn bad ones into good ones. So what I have been struggling with is what choices to make. What still to do? What do I really like? 

It will be an ongoing process of course. And first you think about bucket lists like climbing a mountain, or seeing all kinds of exotic animals. Which, don’t get me wrong, I will still try to do. But I found out that this is not the most important. The most important is: I will even be more of a collector of bad wines.  For those who want to know where that comes from, I invite you to take a couple of minutes to watch Ric Elias’ TED talk, it keeps on inspiring me, as it will hopefully for you.

I will spend more time with family, friends and people I love. I want to pay more attention to old friendships too.

And I will not stop working. At one time in my life, I wanted to stop on my 50th birthday. No longer. I love what I do. I could not live without it. I will work differently, for sure. Take more time in the background, less in the trenches. Have other people taking more decisions. Travel more, to learn and continue to meet people.

So here you go. My year of turning 50. My resolutions for the next years, black on white. For all of you to read, and to hold me to it!

I wish all of you an amazing 2019. Be happy. Be healthy. But most of all: Enjoy every day!