Carmel Magazine

I n retrospect, I'm not sure what I thought it would be like to turn 50. At one time, I likely surmised it would mean being really old; kind of like a 1930s' vision of a grey-bunned granny in a rocking chair. But then the millennium happened, and 50-year-old women became hotties...often more active and sexy than ladies who were decades younger. Fillers, for both face and mind, took over and blurred more lines. By the year 2000, old didn't really exist any more. I have a lot of grey hair, I am still pretty active and as of July 11th, I'm 50. Fifty-effing-years-old and it's great. I've pondered what feels different now than when I turned, say, 35, and I cannot come up with a thing except that my joints are stiffer. Perhaps my glasses are rose- colored, but it's all gotten better. SOME REFLECTIONS ON 50: I don't obsess over cellulite. Those divots that call my body "home" are battle scars from times when I lost the war on fat by enjoying my life a lot more. I've started celebrating National Donut Day and continue my tra- dition of ordering the side of fries instead of the green salad. I am healthy for the most part, and so is a little cellulite. I do not care if the "horse" is thirsty: Yep, you can lead the proverbial horse to water, but you cannot make it drink. And frankly, I don't care. That's the horse's business. I try not to give unsolicited advice (unless to strangers, which drives my daugh- ter nuts). When I am asked for advice, I don't filter it anymore. It's time to pass on what I know to be true, refrain from mak- ing a comment when I don't have a clue, and not be attached to the outcome of what occurs after advice is given. I appreciate beauty more often: Now, I am able to look at a gorgeous haircut, or a woman with a "perfect" body and admire it without thinking I am missing something. I hate running. Always have. When my friends would go out for a "quick run" of three to five miles, I would perspire in envy. I have never been able to run more than two miles at a time. Now, I walk. I walk my dogs and try to do it more than once a day. That's gonna do it for me. Clutter is clutter, and I'm sick of it. My sentimental belong- ings can be stored in my mind instead of in shoe boxes that stack up in cabinets that end up in storage. After recently mov- ing from the house I've lived in for 20 years, nothing is more apparent than the fact that clutter sucks. I no longer have a desire to own any garment that can't be tossed into a warm wash. The best underwear is still made by Hanes, found at CVS or Rite Aid, and a 3-pack is less than $6. (High heels? Those were gone years ago.) Anything can happen: When you least expect it, it can and it might. That's why I try to be thankful for all the good stuff that populates my day, and make every effort not to latch-on to the bad. Everything is fleeting. I recently got a small tattoo that reads "impermanence" in Sanskrit, and the same day, one of my closest friends lost his job. I am only the second person in my group of life-long, best pals to go through a divorce after swearing "it would never happen to me." You don't know where life's road is leading. Just do your best to trust that it's heading to greener pastures. No more beating myself up for wanting to sit on my couch (or in my bed!) and watch Food Network shows…even episodes I have already seen. Realize the power of "No, thank you." One of my best friends has always used this tactic. She would entertain the request put upon her and often answer, "No thanks, but you have fun," with no further explanation. I found it abrupt and spent too much time having my feelings hurt when, in fact, she was spot-on! She didn't feel like committing to something, and she didn't. When I started on the "no" train, life got less com- plicated and more relaxing. I make every effort not to do things and then bitch about having done them. Again, "no" works really well here, even when it is said to my self. Do it now. Dream of seeing Spain? Save the money or charge it and book the ticket. Wonder what it's like to take yoga? Attend a class. There is never, ever, a better time than now. Dina Eastwood is a former news anchor at KSBW TV, past host of "Candid Camera" and has starred on a reality show on the E! Network. She is a writer, editor and yogini. She resides on the Monterey Peninsula with her daughter, Morgan. BEHIND THE SPOTLIGHT D I N A E A S T W O O D I no longer have a desire to own any garment that can't be tossed into a warm wash. Best Tips for Your Milestone Birthday 42 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • S U M M E R / F A L L 2 0 1 5

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