What has your ‘biggest’ birthday been so far? How did you celebrate – with a big community party, or a select group of friends and family? And did it feel like a new phase of life – a milestone or a reset?

In this episode of The Year of Being 70 Ep19 - Turning 50: A Milestone of Celebrations, Friendships, and a Life Reset, Lisette and Lucy, childhood friends who were born a month apart in 1954 and turned 70 in 2024, each share their 50th birthday parties, their thoughts on friendship and the feeling that at 50 they had reached a midpoint. As ever, their conversation makes for surprising revelations – for each other and themselves.

Key Highlights:

• Birthday Parties

Lucy, having recently moved from London to the countryside, had a whole new group of "mum friends" from her daughters' local school. Her 50th party was held at the village hall with her new local friends, as well as some of her family and long-time friends. She notes how new friends were surprised by her age, assuming she was younger since she had young children.

Lisette had a very different kind of 50th birthday: she organised a dinner party with only men as guests, with the idea of being "the princess" among them. Her girlfriends later surprised her with a separate birthday party, feeling a bit slighted that Lisette didn't think they were as important, but Lisette enjoyed the men's dinner party and shared some of the touching speeches given at the event.

• Good friends / Bad friends

The discussion touches on the challenges of maintaining friendships, with both Lisette and Lucy admitting they are not the best at regularly keeping in touch with friends, preferring to focus more on work and family. They ponder how that may impact them as they get older.

The conversation also covers how events like the rise of Facebook and the end of the TV show 'Friends' in 2004 affected social dynamics and friendships around that time. Lisette and Lucy also discuss how their eldest daughter status has shaped their approaches to friendship and caring for others.

• The Counterclockwise Study

Lucy points out that at the age of 50 she had just adopted two young children so was back to the school runs and mother role she had been through in her 20s and 30s. She recalls psychologist Ellen Langer’s ‘Counterclockwise’ experiment of taking older people back to a closed environment designed to recreate the era of their youth, and how they seemed to rejuvenate in that setting. Lucy wonders whether she ‘reset’ her timeline aged 50 in this way.

• Reaching the Midpoint

Lucy and Lisette both felt that turning 50 was a midpoint and a milestone in their lives, in various ways. Lisette was embarking on a whole new spiritual life, including her involvement with the Findhorn Foundation in Scotland, while Lucy was working with big corporations and government departments on the new concept of work-life balance.

Why you should listen

Overall, this episode provides a reflective look at the significant life milestone of turning 50, the nature of friendships, and the personal insights Lucy and Lisette gained about themselves through this journey.

This intimate and revealing conversation will move and inspire you to reflect on your own life stage, celebrations and friendships, and know that being 50, 60 and even 70 is full of exciting possibilities.

Join the Conversation

What kind of birthday celebrations do you prefer? Are you a good friend who keeps in regular touch with people from all stages of your life? Or do you rely on other people to make that happen? Do you enjoy social media to keep in contact, or prefer IRL connections?

If you enjoyed this discussion of a fascinating subject, as well as the personal journeys of these old (in every sense) friends, don’t forget to like, subscribe, and tap the bell icon to stay updated on new episodes of The Year of Being 70. Subscribe now and join the journey!

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