WASHINGTON 鈥� At the age of 49, , a lawyer, author and mother, felt 鈥渞udderless.鈥� In the span of a year, she got a divorce, got sober and became an empty-nester.
So when a friend asked her how she wanted to celebrate her 50th birthday, Olsen knew she needed something monumental to mark the milestone 鈥� and not just one thing, but 50.
鈥淚 wanted some kind of goal, and so I set out to do 50 new things to discover who I really am, post-intense motherhood, post-no longer using alcohol as a crutch, post-no longer being married,鈥� said Olsen, of Montgomery County, Maryland.
Learning to ride a motorcycle is one thing she crossed off her bucket list.
鈥淎nyone from my buttoned-up previous life will be very surprised to learn that I am now a biker,鈥� said Olsen, who described her former persona as more 鈥淧TA mom.”
鈥淔or me, it has become wind therapy.鈥�
In her new book, 鈥�,鈥� Olsen shares her 50 experiences with readers and shows how venturing outside of one鈥檚 comfort zone can pay off big when it comes to personal development聽鈥� even if it means standing in front of a crowd and singing at an open mic night.
鈥淚 was a miserable failure; I will never do that again,鈥� Olsen said about her one-time act.
The birthday challenge also prompted Olsen to put her things in storage and travel to Nepal, where she lived in a hut with no running water or electricity and volunteered at a school. She said the journey helped put her hardships in perspective.
鈥淚 was starting to sit on the pity pot and think about all I had lost by drinking my way out of a 23-year marriage. When I went to Nepal and witnessed the joy in these people鈥檚 lives, who didn鈥檛 even have shoes and walked on snow-covered grounds, I realized what was really important to me, and that joy does not depend on anything material. It鈥檚 something that I can find within myself,鈥� Olsen said.
Of course, you don鈥檛 need to fly across the world or buy a Harley to achieve a better sense of self. Olsen said there are small, intentional, everyday actions you can do to reframe your life.
To start, carve out an area in your home that鈥檚 just yours. Olsen said this dedicated space doesn鈥檛 need to be an entire room; a corner will suffice. Fill it with things that make you happy and go there when you need to recharge.
Meditation is a now big part of Olsen鈥檚 life, but when she doesn鈥檛 have time to do a full session, she鈥檒l do a quick 鈥渕editation walk鈥� while en route from her car to the office. This gives her a chance to think about her breathing, recognize how her body feels and note where her tension lies.
Olsen said exploring a new area on foot is another valuable, yet low-budget, adventure.
鈥淵ou will be amazed at what you鈥檒l find and the people you鈥檒l come across,鈥� she said.
鈥淎nyone can find new ways of looking at life, new ways of being intentional, simply by walking, simply by opening your eyes to possibilities and your environment. And it can really change your perspective.鈥�
With 50 new experiences and practices under her belt, Olsen said she hopes she can inspire and help others facing substantial roadblocks in their lives. And while she has no immediate plans to tackle 60 new things 10 years from now, the experiment taught her that it鈥檚 important to keep growing.
鈥淓very person, place and situation can be a teacher to us if we allow it to be,鈥� Olsen said.
