A Rocky Start, But Moving Forward: My First Days of 2026
There’s something almost poetic about starting a new year flat on your back—or in my case, making repeated trips to the bathroom. Let me paint you the picture: New Year’s Eve, I decided to have one last hurrah with KFC before embarking on my health journey. You know the drill—that “last meal” mentality we all convince ourselves makes sense. Well, my body had other plans. I spent the entirety of New Year’s Day paying the price, and let’s just say it wasn’t the fresh start I’d imagined.
But here’s the thing about being over 50: we’ve been through enough to know that perfect starts are a myth. Life doesn’t wait for ideal conditions, and neither should we.
The Power of Optimism (Even When Your Stomach Disagrees)
Despite this less-than-glamorous beginning, I’m feeling genuinely optimistic about the year ahead. There’s something about turning the calendar page that gives us permission to reimagine ourselves, isn’t there? And I’m choosing to lean into that feeling rather than let a dodgy takeaway derail my momentum.
I’m consciously watching what I eat now—and trust me, after that KFC experience, my body is making it very clear what it will and won’t tolerate anymore. That’s actually one of the gifts of aging that nobody tells you about: your body becomes an honest communicator. It won’t let you get away with the things you could at 30 or even 40. Some people see this as limitation. I’m choosing to see it as wisdom.
I’m also motivated to move more. Not in a punishing, “I must burn off every calorie” way, but in a genuine desire to feel strong and capable in my body. There’s a difference, and it’s taken me years to understand it.
The Truth About Getting Started: My “Running Jump” Philosophy
Here’s where I want to get real with you, because I think this is something many of us experience but rarely discuss: I haven’t lifted a weight yet. I haven’t stepped into the virtual boxing ring. And you know what? That’s okay.
I’ve discovered something about myself over the years—I need what I can only describe as “a running jump” to tackle any meaningful task. I’m not one of those people who can snap their fingers and dive into something new. I can’t just decide on a Tuesday morning that today’s the day I start lifting weights and expect to follow through.
I need to build up to it mentally. I need to prepare. I need to create the conditions for success.
Some people might call this procrastination. I used to call it that myself, beating myself up for not being more spontaneous or decisive. But I’ve learned that this is simply how I work, and fighting against my natural rhythm only creates frustration and failure.
The beautiful part? Once I do get started—once I’ve taken that running jump and committed—I’m like a large tanker ship. It’s incredibly hard to stop me. My momentum becomes unstoppable. I become consistent, dedicated, focused. But I need that buildup period to make it happen.
Does this resonate with you? Are you also someone who needs time to mentally prepare before launching into something new? If so, I want you to know: this isn’t a flaw. This is self-knowledge, and self-knowledge is power.
Setting Goals That Actually Matter
My current short-term goals are straightforward but meaningful:
Keep posting daily blogs. This commitment to showing up every day, sharing my journey with you, keeps me accountable in a way nothing else does. It’s not just about documenting my progress—it’s about creating a conversation, building a community of people who understand that life after 50 isn’t about decline, it’s about evolution.
Work on my new books. Writing has become such an important part of my second-half journey. It’s how I process, how I connect, how I contribute. Each book is a chance to explore the ideas that fascinate me and hopefully provide value to others navigating similar paths.
Keep an eye on my health and fitness. Notice I didn’t say “transform my body” or “lose X pounds.” I’m keeping an eye on things. I’m paying attention. I’m making choices that support my wellbeing. That’s enough. That’s actually everything.
These goals might seem modest to some, but they’re sustainable. And sustainability is what creates lasting change, not dramatic proclamations that fizzle out by February.
Learning Web Design at 50+: Better Late Than Never
The new skill I’m learning is web design, and honestly, I wish I’d learned it earlier. But that’s the thing about regret—it’s utterly useless. The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is now.
There’s no better way to learn a new skill than by actually doing it. Theory only takes you so far; you have to get your hands dirty, make mistakes, figure things out through trial and error. You’ve probably noticed this website changing, updating, and improving almost daily. If you’ve bookmarked pages that suddenly disappeared or found yourself navigating a layout that looks completely different from last week, I apologize. But this is what learning looks like in real-time.
I’m building this as I go, and that means it’s messy. It means there are false starts and do-overs. It means some days I make great progress and other days I break things spectacularly. But every day, I’m learning. Every day, I’m building something from nothing using skills I didn’t have a few months ago.
That’s the kind of growth mindset that makes life after 50 so exciting. We’re not too old to learn new things. We’re not past our expiration date for acquiring new skills. In fact, we might be better positioned than ever because we have the patience and perspective that younger learners often lack.
The layout is almost complete now, so future changes should be mostly cosmetic rather than structural. We’re getting there, one iteration at a time.
The Tanker Ship Effect: Understanding Your Own Momentum
Let me return to this tanker ship metaphor because I think it’s worth exploring more deeply.
Large cargo ships are notoriously difficult to get moving. They require enormous amounts of energy just to overcome inertia. But once they’re moving, they’re equally difficult to stop. Their momentum carries them forward with incredible force.
This is exactly how I work with major changes or new commitments. The startup phase requires significant mental energy. I need to:
- Convince myself it’s worth doing
- Visualize what success looks like
- Prepare my environment
- Clear mental space for the new endeavor
- Build anticipation and readiness
This isn’t wasted time—it’s essential preparation. It’s the energy required to overcome inertia. And once I’ve done this work, once I’ve taken that running jump and committed, the momentum takes over. Showing up becomes easier. Consistency becomes natural. The habit forms and reinforces itself.
Understanding this about yourself is crucial. If you’re constantly starting and stopping, never building momentum, it might not be because you lack discipline. It might be because you’re not allowing yourself the startup time you need, or you’re choosing goals that don’t genuinely matter to you.
Looking Ahead to Tuesday
My next blog entry will be on Tuesday, and I’m hoping to report a small weight loss. Notice that word: small. I’m not expecting miracles. I’m not weighing my worth on the scale. I’m simply checking in with one metric among many that tells me how my body is responding to the choices I’m making.
Whether the scale shows a loss or not, I’ll still be here. I’ll still be committed to this journey. I’ll still be moving forward.
Because that’s what this year is really about—not perfection, but persistence. Not dramatic transformation, but steady evolution. Not punishing ourselves for past choices, but making better ones moving forward.
The Real Fresh Start
So yes, my 2026 started with a dodgy KFC and a day spent uncomfortably close to the bathroom. It wasn’t glamorous. It wasn’t Instagram-worthy. But it was real, and it was mine.
And from that less-than-ideal beginning, I’m building something meaningful. I’m learning new skills, setting sustainable goals, understanding my own rhythms and patterns, and showing up consistently even when it’s not easy.
That’s what being our best selves after 50 looks like. Not perfection, but progress. Not flawless execution, but honest effort. Not hiding our struggles, but sharing them openly while still moving forward.
Here’s to rocky starts, running jumps, and the unstoppable momentum that follows when we finally commit. Here’s to learning at any age, growing at any stage, and building the second half of life we actually want to live.
Tuesday’s weigh-in might show progress or it might not. Either way, I’ll be back here, sharing the journey with you. Because this isn’t about one number on one scale on one day. This is about building a life we love, one imperfect day at a time.
Let’s see what happens next.
