Middle age affects all men differently. Some hit 50 and feel settled and comfortable, while others succumb to a midlife crisis and buy a boat in a seaside town they’ve never visited. Here are 19 things that men begin to do at the age of 50.
Playing Golf
Gone are the days of high-intensity exercise to keep in shape. Once the age of 50 rolls around, most men feel inclined to hang up their running shoes and purchase a set of expensive golf clubs that they know very little about how to use.
Thinking About Infidelity
The midlife-crisis-stricken mind of a 50-year-old man can lead them down some worrying paths, questioning whether their stable home life is exciting enough. According to the Institute of Family Studies, infidelity rates have historically peaked among men between the ages of 50-59.
Reminiscing About the Old Days
Some men seem to be overwhelmed by a tidal wave of nostalgia once they reach the 50-year mark, constantly retelling stories of their prime years. It’s hard to get through an entire conversation without the phrase “back in my day” being uttered.
Talking About Buying a Sports Car
Although they may have never mentioned buying a fancy car in the past 49 years of their existence, many men feel a sudden itch to make the irresponsible investment of a Porsche once they turn 50. Thankfully, over time, these feelings will likely subside.
Changing Careers
Even if they’ve been settled in a job role for the past 30 years, working their way up the ladder rung by rung, the urge to find a totally different career affects every 50-year-old man. According to Forbes, 50 is the perfect age to change careers and make the most of financial security.
Going Fishing
Sitting by a lake for hours on end with the hope of catching a measly little fish won’t be the idea of a good time for many youngsters. However, once a man turns 50, the insatiable urge to escape the family home for an entire Saturday of peace and quiet seems to kick in.
Buying a Boat
What else would a 50-year-old man with no sailing experience or desire to explore open water do with his disposable income, other than buy a boat? It’s the sort of thing that makes sense in the mind of a slightly frustrated man who has hit a major age milestone.
Spending Excessively
At the age of 50, disposable income will more often than not have reached higher levels than ever before, leading some men to start throwing cash around without caring. After all, those between the ages of 45-54 bring in more income than any other age group, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Saying “Oh Dear” After a Laughing Fit
For many men who manage to retain their sense of humor past the age of 50, a strange, unexplained habit develops. They start saying little phrases such as, “oh dear” after a bout of laughter. It’s an unexplained and bizarre behavioral trait.
They Dress Differently
You grow up looking at your dad wearing his shorts with an infinite number of pockets on them, combined with white socks pulled up too high, and think that you’ll never get to that stage. However, once your 50th comes around, you’ll be dressing a lot more like your own father than you ever believed was possible.
Struggling To Hear You
If you’ve ever wondered why men who turn 50 seem to ask you to repeat yourself frequently, it isn’t because they weren’t listening. A study by researchers at John Hopkins University found that one-third of men over 40 will start to lose their hearing, a problem that gets worse by 50.
Becoming a Hypochondriac
Mortality becomes far more of a conscious thought in the brains of men as they get older. The fear of impending doom can often make them think that standard ailments such as colds or joint pain are something far more sinister than they are.
Discovering the Urge to Travel
Once a man hits 50, unless he has been well-traveled throughout his life, he’ll likely develop the urge to fill in some of the blanks on his mental globe. The temptation to drop everything and go on a six-month-long expedition in the depths of Asia feels stronger than ever.
Getting Up Really Early
Once you hit 50, lie-ins don’t feel the same. Instead of relaxing you, they fill you with dread that so many tasks are not being fulfilled. Who will mow the lawn? Who will vacuum the floor at 6:30 a.m.?
They Start Using ‘Youthful’ Words
In a dreadful attempt to remain young and ‘with it’, many 50-year-olds will attempt to make youthful slang a part of their everyday vocabulary. However, middle-aged men have a terrible habit of mispronouncing terms or using them in the wrong context.
Complacency Creeps In
Once certain men hit the age of 50, they begin to coast along, not looking after their image or maintaining their relationships. They think they have built strong enough foundations to prop their world up for the rest of their lives. This doesn’t always prove true, however.
A Wine Obsession Begins
The days of being partial to a glass of red are over. Once a man hits 50, they need to know the exact origin of the wine they’re drinking, what they should pair it with, and how long they should leave it to rest before pouring.
They Start to Enjoy TV Shows About Trucking
The 50-year-old mind starts to develop interests in things that would never have seemed remotely exciting, such as TV shows about long-distance truckers. Maybe it’s because it reveals a profession they would never have considered entering, or maybe they just like not having to think about anything for an hour.
Making Comments About the Weather
There is far less to concern a man that has just hit 50 than there was in his younger years, which inevitably leads to rather mundane conversation topics. They’ll start to make more remarks about the weather, commenting on its ever-changing nature.
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