Welcome to the Next New Thing (to Me)

The why about the what from the who

Hello, and welcome to The Next New Thing (to Me), where I share my adventures and discoveries as a 50-something woman who is embracing this new season of life.

You may be wondering, who am I and why should you care? Well, I'm Hayley, writer of books and a do-it-yourselfer who has been tinkering with things and teaching myself and others about said things for over 30 years. I've learned a lot along the way, but I've also realized that there is a lot I never learned until recently. Like the kind of stuff you should know as a 50-something.

For example, did you know that you were supposed to wash the machine that washes your dishes? How did I not know this and why isn’t it just cleaned along with your dishes?

This site is is me chronicling things that I’m learning now that I should have learned a long time go and attempting a new style of writing with this shorter form than what you may be used to seeing from me. I’ll be writing about some of the things that I've discovered in the past few months as I've been exploring new things in this new season of life; things that have made my life more fun and full. And I'm not done yet! I have a whole list of things that I want to try, learn, and maybe even mess up. Things like gardening, traveling, exercise, photography, meditation, and more.

Photo by Florian Klauer on Unsplash

Why am I doing this? Well, for one thing, because I can. Now that my daughter is grown and almost out of the house, I have more time and freedom to pursue my interests and passions. For another thing, because I want to. I want to keep learning and growing and having fun. I don't want to settle for a boring or stagnant life. I want to make the most of this wonderful time of our lives.

And here’s why I’m writing these articles:

• to document and share my experiences with you.

• to connect with you and learn from you.

• to create a community of like-minded people who are eager to learn and grow.

• maybe even to inspire you to try something new, too.

Photo by Pop & Zebra on Unsplash

So, if you're looking for a dose of inspiration, motivation, and fun, you've come to the right place! By hitting ‘subscribe now’ below, you'll get articles about my latest projects, challenges, and achievements each week in your inbox. You'll also find tips and tricks for living life with holy optimism in the golden years, such as how to stay healthy, happy, and connected. You'll also find some of the resources and tools that I use to learn and grow.

I hope you'll join me on this journey and share your thoughts and feedback with me. I'd love to hear from you and learn about your next new thing!

Thank you for reading The Next New Thing (to Me) and stay tuned for more updates!

Hayley