Ok so I’m way past 40 but it seems like age 40 is where it all began. There’s something magical about being (now I’m generalizing, this all may not apply to everyone) in the height of your career, having grown up or almost grown up if any children, and relying less on the opinions of others. Life shifts into something that looks and feels different and sweet.
It feels like a crossroads of sorts, or a chance to recalibrate and try things we didn’t have time or resources to try before. For me, even though I’ve always been super curious, now curiosity kicked into overtime. Mostly about things that I never even considered doing or experiencing before in my whole life 😉more on that later.
Living in this altered state can be both exhilarating and overwhelming, but in a good way. I was itching to expand my mind and strengthen my body not so I could work or hustle more, but to enjoy my life more fully and intensely.
Some (many) things that seemed so important before really don’t matter anymore so we can feel free to let go. Like chasing after a certain body size or shape. Don’t get me wrong, fitness is a top priority but because staying agile reduces the risk of injury and actually keeps those pesky aches and pains that pop up at bay. But being free to just
Beauty is a thing but not like before. It’s so much easier to accept what we are working with and enhance it than to listen to the media and others dictating what we should look like. I’ll never forget talking to a coworker who is deeply self conscious about her body. I said to myself, at this age I’m never going back to the way I looked in my 20s. And do I really want that, anyway? And I decided to rock bikinis in public, despite my big belly. Nobody cares.
You can decide for yourself what is beautiful and how far you’re willing to go to achieve that. Do you like your gap between your front teeth? Don’t alter it. Some women look stunning with gray hair. I had a neighbor whose face was wrinkled from smiling so much. She was absolutely beautiful, despite the fact that we are taught that wrinkles are a fate worse than death.
Relationships are very important and prioritizing deep and trusting friendships beats out being “popular” so it’s worth nurturing close and treasured friendships. There are scientific studies that point to meaningful relationships as the most important factor of longevity and health.
Back in the olden days being over 40 looked different. Women were not as independent and free from the dictates of society. Imagine someone saying we shouldn’t wear white after Labor Day, Even though it’s still 100 degrees outside!
Regardless of what our current situation looks like, there is nothing to stop us from reshaping, redefining, refreshing or renewing who we are and what we really want out of life, opinions of others be damned!
Life is an adventure. Realising our mortality highlights how important it is to move in the direction that suits us best. Get powerful insight on building the confidence, courage and the mindset to live life to the fullest by signing up for weekly emails below.
