50 Firsts™ Personal Challenge

On Boxing Day 2021 I turned 50. Although not entirely comfortable with getting older I wanted to celebrate the milestone in a meaningful way to me. So, I committed to a personal challenge of 50 new experiences.

My husband and I took our 4 children water-skiing and abseiling for the first time and something lite up inside of me as I watched them step outside their comfort zone. While sitting quietly on that inspiration I discovered my friend commiting to 50 things in her 50th year motivated by her Mum passing away at age 52. This was the inspiration which motivated me to embark on a new personal challenge. I soon re-discovered two folders full of ideas I’d collected over the years which fueled the fire to jump into the possibilities. Armed with a reminder to live my best life, I coincidentally posted the declaration on the anniversary of my dad’s passing.

Over three months I completed 50 new experiences which I called ’50 Firsts™’. I chose experiences that were new and meaningful to me, aligned with my values, made me face perceived limitations and stretched myself outside of my comfort zone. Many of the experiences evolved from having an open mind and saying yes to opportunities. Every experience aligned with my core values of simplicity, authenticity, fun, connection, healthy living, openness and creativity. I intentionally created bite-sized experiences that would fit into my busy lifestyle of being a working mum with 4 growing kids, so many were on weekends, local and free and I identified my firsts fit into 10 key areas: Family, Fitness, Fun, Friendships, Facing Fear, Fulfilment, Finding, Flourishing, Faith and Foundations.

I found the challenge confronting and uncomfortable, but equally invigorating and empowering. I couldn’t have achieved the highs without the lows or the freedom in being myself without being open and vulnerable. Many of the struggles humans experience are because of the self-limiting beliefs we have inside our own heads. This challenge helped me recognise those limitations and shed light on them instead of being controlled by them.

The more I stepped out of my comfort zone, the more empowered I became. The more willing I was to be vulnerable, the more confidence I grew. The more I created deeper connections, the more joy I found in every-day experiences. What started as a one-off challenge has now become a way of life and I have completed over 230 new experiences. Clearly it has changed my life for good!

If you’re looking for purpose, meaning and direction in your life, transitioning through a new life stage or simply want to kick start your own ‘Five Firsts’ Personal Challenge, I invite you to take the first step and book a relaxed complimentary 15-min Discovery Call at the link below to discover what’s possible for you!