I turned 50 this month and part of me thinks it’s just a number. I mean, I still wear anime tees, fangirl like a prepubescent, adore my plushies, and play video games. So despite the graying hair, aching joints, and being tired ALL THE TIME, aging is just a state of mind.

But 50 is actually a badge of honor, and I’d be selling myself short if I didn’t look at it that way. Getting to this point wasn’t easy. I can’t even begin to count the number of times I have stumbled, fallen, and refused to get...