The advice in this article might not be for everybody …. but if you’re a baby boomer with more time on your hands than you ever had before, and some curiosity about the world that you never got to satisfy, and the means to make a change in your life, even if it’s only temporary, then we think this short piece from Deby Hogue, who left California with her husband nine years ago for Playa Pelada, in Costa Rica, might be for you. She calls it, “Be the explorer in your own life.”
1. Now that you’re close to 60, you just better hurry up and get on with your life. It’s yours anyway. And you don’t have much time left. And if you are younger than this, start thinking about it. Your age will creep right up on you without you knowing it. Get busy.
Deby at her outdoor kitchen.
2. You can’t know how differently people think, unless you go and see for yourself. Travel will make you a more understanding person and so much more open minded.
3. Don’t think too much about it! If you do, you may never leave your little piece of earth. There is a whole lot more out there than you know. Get adventurous. Take a chance on your life.
The beach is a 15 minute walk from Deby’s home.
4. Eat Eat Eat. Try different foods. Cook different food, drink different drinks, look at different people and step into their homes and have a meal that makes your taste buds do a dance. You will meet people from all over the world wherever you go. Talk about food. Food will always connect us to each other.
5. Just think about a beautiful beach you can walk on every day and collect sea glass or just be in the moment. Surf in your sixties, swim in the ocean. Or just sit on the beach and contemplate the life you are living in the moment.
Deby’s husband Chuck regularly surfs.
6. It’s the fountain of youth! You will feel better just knowing you are doing something unusual, something that most of your friends are not doing, but maybe thinking about. You be the one. You be the explorer of your own life.
7. Having a cold beer and watching the sunset is a simple and profound thing. Yes the beer has to be cold. I am on the beach in Costa Rica, for goodness sakes.
8. At 60 and beyond, your bones will will thank you if you move to a warm climate. Make your bones happy, will ya.
9. Listen! Really listen to your surroundings. If you are lucky enough, you may hear nothing. Or you will hear the sounds of mother nature, monkeys, birds, the ocean.
10. You may even lose your virginity again on a deserted island or some beautiful beach somewhere, with your husband or friend. Who cares!
11. Maybe you think you should take your time but think about this: by the time you think too much about it, you might be dead and your kids will take your money and do it for you.
Deby’s blog is CookingInTheJungle.com.
I’m a Canadian now living on a small island in southern Thailand, and I couldn’t agree with you more – we have to go for it! All your points are excellent – Enjoy!
Thanks so much Perley-Ann. I bet it sure is beautiful on an island in Thailand. Enjoy your life Perley. Deby
I love #11 – my kids can earn their money, just like we did.
And if you don’t move to Costa Rica, at least take lots of vacations.
Yes Alicia, glad you like 11, me to. And your right enjoy what you have and take those vacations. Thanks Deby
Agree.
Welcome if you choose Samoa in Polynesia, just 4hours South of Hawaii.
Wow! Samoa, how cool is that. Have fun Marco and thanks Deby
I love your attitude!
Thanks BobJ, it’s the only one I have. Deby
We spent a year living in Italy. Go back for months at a time. Love to travel to a foreign place, plop down for a month or two and explore the area. Unfortunately there are too many places and too few months left…but as long as we can do it, well, we Just Do It.
Hi Nancy, that is what Chuck and I would love to do at some time. Go to different places and plop down for a month or two. Thanks Deby
Have always loved travel and loved your blog, especially #11 and #8 resonates too … At nearly 70, no surprises there!! For me it’s 57 countries, for more than a week or two(!) and this year I moved to Italy semi-permanently. I live in Tuscany and now I even help other women over 50, who are single, to experience the lifestyle of Under The Tuscan Sun. It really is living the dream. Where to next? Back home to the UK … but not permanently!
Hello Penelope, you sure sound like you are living the dream, 57 countries? Wow. Enjoy Penelope and I bet you are. Thanks Deby
Love every one of these Deby. We (hubby & I) are living our dream in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize. We traveled looking for a retirement country in the Caribbean. Only took 24hrs. to say “this is it”. Only regret we didn’t make the move 15 yrs. sooner. We are both 62. We no longer dream of coconuts. We are chasing them with our toes in the sand.
Thanks Kathy, sounds to me like life is good for you and your hubby. Love Belize, beautiful place to be. Enjoy. Deby
Thanks Kathy, sounds to me like life is good for you and your hubby. Love Belize, beautiful place to be. I to love my coconuts. Enjoy. Deby
I’m on the tail end of the Boomers. Every year I intentionally try new things. This year it was backpacking and camping. The youngest of the group were 18 and I was one of the two oldest. My friends called it brave — and they worried. They worried that I was with a group of strangers. They worried that I was doing something that was not stereotypical. I strongly believe that we should continue to challenge ourselves physically and mentally. As my soon-to-be 90 year old mother tells me, “Old age is not for sissies.”
Hello Kim, I have to agree with your 90 year old mother. We are not sissies. Let’s go for it! And it sounds like you are on that path. Thank you Deby
How cool are you!! Love it!!
Hi Vicki, Thanks and talk about cool. Your photos are so beautiful. Take care my friend.
Costa Rica is the place to be…. Costa Rica is the place for me. To the tune of Green Acres. Some where and in some book I read that when you are in Rome, you miss home and when your’re home you miss Rome. Seriously I would want to try the vibrations of Costa Rica in my soul
So Steven get on with it. You sound like you just might love it. Deby
I’ve always thought about a place in the Caribbean, especially given our Canadian winters. Thank you for your article ….food for thought.