Let’s be honest — most of the big “bucket list” talk gets overwhelming. Nobody has the bandwidth for 50 new goals, 12 international trips, and a lifestyle overhaul. Especially not in midlife when we’re managing work, parents, kids, grief, bills, hormones, trading plans, and the day-to-day chaos of being a grown adult who still has to figure out what’s for dinner.
That’s why I love the idea of The Midlife Six:
Six small adventures a year — one every other month.
Nothing dramatic. Nothing expensive. Just little sparks that break up the monotony and remind you that your life is still unfolding.
Small adventures do something big for your brain. They reset your routine, give you a hit of dopamine, and interrupt that “same week, different year” loop we all slip into. They also give you a reason to look forward — which is underrated and wildly necessary.
1. The Idea: The Midlife Six
Six tiny, doable adventures.
Every other month.
Just enough to keep life interesting, not enough to stress you out.
Think of these as “mini-resets.” Small markers throughout the year that say, I’m still here, I’m still growing, and I’m still doing new things.
2. How to Plan Them (Using the S.I.M.P.L.E. Method)
If it’s complicated, we won’t do it.
So here’s the framework I use — S.I.M.P.L.E. — to keep these adventures exactly that.
S — Spontaneous
Don’t over-plan. Most great adventures happen on a whim.
I — Inexpensive
Under $100 is ideal. Some are free. The point is the experience, not the cost.
M — Memorable
Take a picture, bring a daughter or a friend, jot down a thought afterward.
P — Purposeful
Pick something that nudges you just a little outside your comfort zone. Not extreme — just new.
L — Local
Start nearby. You don’t need a plane ticket to feel something shift.
E — Enjoyable
Fun counts as growth. You’re allowed simple joy without an agenda.
This structure keeps it doable, meaningful, and sustainable — especially for women who are busy, tired, and carrying a lot (aka: all of us).
3. Adventure Ideas You Can Actually Do
This is where people overthink, so I’m keeping it realistic. Your adventures can be simple but still meaningful:
- Take a solo day trip to a nearby small town — wander, thrift, get lunch.
- Learn something tactile: pottery, archery, bread baking, stained glass.
- Book one night in a boutique Airbnb in your own city — reset without the travel hassle.
- Go to a concert alone or with a daughter — a small show counts.
- Volunteer at a shelter or event you’ve never tried — it shifts perspective instantly.
- Take a “mental health Monday” and do nothing scheduled — shocking how restorative this is.
- Try a class you’ve avoided because you “don’t know what you’re doing.”
- Go somewhere outdoors you’ve never been — a trail, lake, overlook, garden.
- Eat at a restaurant you’ve driven past a hundred times but never stepped into.
- Join a workshop: writing, floral design, investing basics, anything that interests you.
These aren’t grand gestures — they’re small invitations back into your own life.
4. How to Capture the Meaning (Without Becoming a Scrapbooker)
Here’s the part that makes The Midlife Six really powerful:
After each adventure, write down three simple things:
- What surprised me?
- What shifted?
- What did I learn about myself?
You’ll end the year with six short entries — nothing intense — and they will paint a very honest, very beautiful picture of your growth.
And these notes matter because most of us underestimate how far we’ve come until we see it in writing.
5. Closing Thought
You don’t need a passport to feel alive.
You don’t need a dramatic reinvention.
You don’t need to “find yourself” on a mountaintop.
You just need to do something your current self hasn’t tried yet.
Small adventures add up.
They keep your life fresh.
They remind you that midlife isn’t a downslope — it’s a wide-open stretch of road.
And your six small adventures?
Those are the mile markers.