50 at 50: Fun, flirty, fabulous and feisty - a guide to my top 50 things to do as I reach a milestone age!

Part 1: My top ten tips: from dog yoga & red lipstick to conquering fears and embracing your age.....

Nifty at 50!

I was recently asked if I would be happy to write about my top 50 things to do having reached my 50th birthday. For a staggering £50! I normally politely decline such outrageous fees but the feisty part of me decided to ask the commissioning editor in question if they had missed off a zero! I didn’t bother waiting for a reply as I already had planned my own content.

From the simple and outrageous things to the mistakes I’ve made and learnt from, my top 50 things cover travel, beauty, family, pets, books, TV shows and a whole lot more. Things that have helped enhance my life, that don’t cost the earth and which have made me feel a better version of myself.

Those that follow me on Instagram and who read my work know I wear my heart on my sleeve, am authentic, honest and truthful and regularly write about things that effect me - from my flabby thighs and anxiety attacks to the loss of a friend and mid-life health issues.

So, my top 50 things are not necessarily the norm; like do a skydive or try cold water swimming - but are more things I have done that I wholly recommend you try, if you haven’t. And yes, alcohol, facials and dogs of course all do feature!

In this newsletter, I’ll list my first set of ten - in no particular order!

(Photo from my husbands birthday card!)

1: Try Puppy yoga!

Whether you like dogs, or don’t (what’s wrong with you!), I cannot recommend puppy yoga enough. I don’t even like yoga (what’s wrong with me!) but the combination of the two is so much fun. If you are used to doing a downward dog by yourself, the addition of furry animals makes for an absolutely pawsome experience.

Cuteness overload which is so good for your mental wellbeing. I loved it so much, I even hosted one myself!

2: Take a trip to Croatia!

Having written on travel for over 20 years, I have covered many areas but it was my recent family holiday to Croatia last summer that really had the wow factor to it. Everything about the country blew me away. From the culture and the breath-taking scenery to the clean and wide roads and blue waters, it really is my top travel choice. This is a country steeped in history - I recommend driving from Dubrovnik down to Split so you can take it all in.

3: FACE A FEAR

You name it, I have it! Claustrophobia, fear of heights, spiders and flying. I knew I wanted to take one of them on when I hit 50. I have no head for heights but a trip to NY for my birthday made me come face to face with it.

This is me, at the top of the Edge, one of the highest skyscrapers in the city that has an outdoor sky deck floating 100 floors above the streets of Manhattan. This triangular platform is suspended in midair, creating a thrilling vantage point to view the city below. I shook, sweated and swore at my husband the whole way up, but a bit of dutch courage, a lot of persuasion (and a shot of whiskey!) got me there.

Mind over matter? Yes. But I overcame my fear by imagining the worst thing that could happen to me – panicking and fainting. I was reassured by the fact that if that happened I’d be well cared for. I was absolutely fine. Onwards and upwards!!

4: DISCOVER WHISKY!

On the topic of whisky, I cannot do my first top ten list without a mention of alcohol.

The drink - which I discovered in lockdown (!), may have once been linked with masculinity but it seems now, us women are calling the shots!

I absolutely love it. In fact, women are drinking and distilling whisky in ever growing numbers, and I can totally get the appeal. There’s something smooth, warming and delicious about it that makes me feel instantly relaxed and at ease.

I’ve been lucky enough to interview lots of celebrities who have put their name to a whisky, including David Beckham. I think I even managed to impress him with my knowledge of the drink!

But the thing I love about it is that it is far more than just a drink.. A whisky tends to have a story that comes with it - where it was made, a year, a place and as a writer, I love that.

5: EMBRACE YOUR AGE!

Although I was slightly hesitant about my big birthday approaching, I am often in the company of women like Tess Daly, Davina McCall and Amanda Holden - all of whom have embraced their fifties and continue to be successful and confident women. And I like to think I am too.

I work with a brand called Studio 10 that is created specifically for mature skin and was thrilled to be included in a photo exhibition they did embracing mid-life women.

I love its tagline ‘beauty is ageless’ and this photo below - where I get to sit alongside the likes of Andrea McLean and Michelle Collins - sits proudly in my bedroom!

6: RENT THE RUNWAY!

I can’t afford to wear designer labels and have been renting clothes from various platforms for the past few years.

Once you get over the fact the clothes have been worn before, let me reassure you by saying they are always spotlessly clean, smell like new and cost so little to rent. I’ve stepped out in every designer brand going and always been complimented on my dress. Try it, you may be surprised…. plus the sustainability factor is the best way forward!

7: Try a HydraFacial.

There’s facials, and then there is the HydraFacial. As a beauty editor, I get to try out most things on my skin and this facial is by far the most satisfying! It may not be one you sleep through but what it does to your skin is magical! Every bit of muck is sucked out out from your pores - and it is kind of pleasurable to get to see the results afterwards. I mean, EVERYTHING is extracted and you get to see the gunk junk at the end!

8: SMILE

It is a naff thing to say but my favourite accessory to wear is my smile. I cannot stand people who don’t smile.

In fact, I was asked to write about something that was important to me for a charity book to raise money for The Princes Trust (above). And I chose to write about the importance of a smile! It can be infectious, warming and even show empathy.

9: EXPERIMENT WITH MAKE-UP!

This may sound ridiculous, but as someone who has ALWAYS worn nude lipsticks since I was a teenager, I never felt confident enough to ramp my lippy up. That all changed when I did an interview with Charlotte Tilbury a while back and she told me “sweetie, lets add some red lipstick to you.”

The pop of colour, which I was concerned would make me feel acutely more aware of my own presence, actually did wonders for my confidence. It can totally transform a look, make you feel more powerful and sexy.

10: BE AUTHENTIC

In a world of Instagram and social media, it can often be a crazy minefield of glam photos and wish you were here slogans. But don’t be fooled. So much of it is fake and filtered and if you have your head screwed on, like me (kind of!), you can see through it.

An honest person is one who is sincere and truthful. An authentic person is one whose behavior reflects his or her deep feelings, core values, and inner qualities. Try to be both. People will like you more, plus more importantly you’ll love yourself.

That’s my honest opinion of my first top ten tips! I hope you like, Suzanne xxx