So This Is Forty?

In some ways it feels as if it hits you like a ton of bricks. In other ways it feels as if the best is yet to come. I’ll be honest in saying that I don’t fear turning forty like some of my friends, but it may be because I have some good role models. Having a mom and sisters who only seem to get better with age, I use that as my motivation. To me I say ‘bring it on’ as I quickly approach this milestone, but I know not everybody shares that sentiment.

What is it about forty that just sounds so significant? I do think that you tend to learn more about yourself as you reach this age. It may sound cliché, but you tend to finally feel comfortable in your own skin. You’ve lived a little, gained some experience, hopefully turned away the unnecessary drama, and you can finally settle into who you are and what makes you unique. Not to say that you don’t have moments of insecurity, but you have actually accomplished something and gained some experience by this point in your life.

I have noticed a few things as the “Big 4-0” comes speeding at me—and I reflect upon these things anytime I do feel older. Sure I may have a few more aches and pains, but I’m also at a point in my life where I know what’s really important.

So what can you expect as you head towards your 40th birthday? Here are a few observations that can give you something to look forward to:

You Know Who Your Real Friends Are
I have friends from my childhood and friends that I have made as my kids entered school. I will tell you that you quickly come to appreciate who your real friends are. They may be different levels of friendship, but you know who you want to surround yourself with. This may mean that you’ve changed things up, but at the end of the day you are happy to have even a few close friends.

You Tend To Be Much More Confident and Comfortable With Who You Are
Sure you have the moments of wishing for a different body shape or struggling with your hair, but you are also much more comfortable in your own skin. You are in tune with who you are, and with that comes a great sense of confidence. You may not love everything about yourself, but you are certainly much happier with it than you ever used to be.

You Are No Longer Interested In The Unnecessary Drama
Not that drama was ever a good thing, but you care far less about it than you ever did. You recognize that there are people in life who thrive off of drama—and you want to distance yourself from them as much as possible. You are no longer interested in getting sucked into it. You have much more important things to worry about, and they don’t include unnecessary drama.

You Have a True Sense of What’s Really Important
You appreciate your family more and want to spend time with them. You come to really enjoy a simple night out with your friends. You realize that it’s not always about having more, but actually appreciating what you do have. You live your life for you and that’s a really refreshing and wonderful thing!

I embrace it—bring on 40! I have my moments and I may never be 100% happy with how I look, but I do feel much more confident at this point in my life. I have an amazing family and some pretty great things to be thankful for, and truly that’s what matters.

So before you go worrying about how old forty sounds, recognize that along with it can come some great revelations. I certainly have things that I want to accomplish and it may take me longer to recover after an injury or a late night out—but I’m also much happier with who I am and that’s pretty wonderful!

Are you facing a similar milestone in your life? Share your revelations with us!