A year ago this week my TURNING 40 chats began…remember those?
I had to ‘document’ this important event in our lives… Four friends agreed to answer a questionnaire that took them on a quick trip down memory lane and off into the sunset talking about their goals and dreams for the future…
Apparently, and much to my suprise, there are lots of women out there in the blogosphere and beyond who are turning 40 EVERY DAY, yes, every single day… did you know about this? jajajaaaa…
So, as I said before, much to my suprise they found my blog, my inconspicuous (this is so funny: in·con·spic·u·ous ( n k n-sp k y – s). adj. Not readily noticeable…did you notice the phonetics?) journal/blog…
Day after day I’d find (if you’ve got a blog you know what I’m talking about, so you can go get yourself a snack while I tell the rest of the world what happens behind the scenes…) in my stats page that people were searching for TURNING 40 info from which WP, in the ‘most popular topics you’ve written about’ column of my blog statistics and data recommended I write some more about this…
But WP, I thought, I can’t write about turning 40 when I’m about to turn 41…Of course WP, being the expert you are in all this blogging business you know what you are talking about and I can’t just dismiss this recommendation…
Besides, the excitement doesn’t end with you turning 40, in fact BEING 40 is one surprise after another…
Let me tell you, if you thought that the tough part was getting here, well… you may be right!
If you got to 40 being a bit afraid of what it could bring healthwise and took good care of yourself, had exercise as part of your daily routine, ate healthy because there’s no other way to eat, etc… then the tough part is over, you are now 40 and have the ideal habits and body to go on and merrily sing …and many more!!!…
On the other hand, and here I can imagine a huge neon light arrow pointing at me, if you didn’t even think about 40 before your 39th birthday and just miraculously got here…OMG, healthwise you and I are in for some big surprises because we are starting the AGE OF NEVER BEFORE…
With this intro (and some fabulous time management strategies) I start a new category titled BEING 40
Because to me BEING 40 is,
(yeah, now that I’m here and it’s completely in my face-and other unmentionable parts of my body)
about
Learning…
and Appreciating…
and Discovering…
and Remedying
about still working
about starting to exercise
about knowing that the outside also counts
about self-acceptance
about being self-assured
about finding and living out your full potential
woohoo this is exciting…
I’ll be writing posts all night IN MY HEAD AND WON’T REMEMBER A WORD THE NEXT DAY!!
click to go to source 🙂
anyway, hugs people!
ACT. REACT. or just THINK about it! 
I think my goal is set on my children’s ages… So, I want to get to 75 in good health… I wonder in life/God has this in his plans for me? While you subtract the pounds I need to urgently add the exercise to my daily schedule. Aaarrrgghhh 🙂
Most of the above can be dealt with — a good colorist, a great MD…My serious motto now is “survive to 65” becs if I can make it there, I’ll probably get another 20 years. My mother is alive at 80 and my father in v good health at 85. Just have to lose 50+ lbs. Gah.
Hi Caitlin, thanks for clicking over 🙂 my 40s have been full of surprises, grey hair, wrinkles, loss of visual & mental acuity, the MAMMOGRAM scare, and yes, the ugly face of human frailty… if this wasn’t enough, dealing with teenage-dom in these complicated, overly explicit times makes it quite an experience… I appreciate your advice: health (mammogram & ultrasound-check, vitamins-pending, exercise-pending), finances-doing my best though it doesn’t seem enough, friendships- in the works, work-loving it and, luckily, my employers know it, however i am very aware that there will come a time when age will be an obstacle so I need to be prepared for that with a plan B…I am happy to read your comment and that you are living/enjoying your 50s in health! read you soon 🙂
I’m in my 50s and would suggest that your 40s are a decade in which to consolidate — your health, your finances, your friendships, your work. After 50, some of your friends and family die (stressful); you lose jobs (and or cannot get hired again becs of age discrimination) and you have somewhat diminished energy. Not by a lot. Life got a lot darker after 45 or so — mortality is no longer some distant fantasy. But I am enjoying life and decent health and work. You become more focused.
So cool that you read this and brought me here… One surprise after another with this being 40 deal!! Thanks for the info on aspartame…I’ve lost my visio on one eye several times due to migraine headaches, though I’ll definitely be on the look out for aspartame in my powdered drinks… take care Z and hope you get another chance to browse through the archives and take me along with you …huge hug
ja! i turned 40, and lots of bad things happened in my life, bam, bam, bam, bam, so i wasn’t that surprised when i started seeing double and landed in the neurologist, opthomologist, radiologist, etc etc to try to figure out what was going wrong. first question they’d ask, ‘how old are you?’
i threatened to wear a shirt that stated, ‘i turned 40’ –
symptoms gradually went away ( i stopped eating/drinking/taking anything artificial) until i turned 45, and i lost my vision for 24 houurs.. new doctors but same tests/questions… realized it was linked to aspartame, which i’d resumed drinking via crystal lite and koolaide lemonade sugar free mixes.\
this has been interesting – going back in archives.. wish i had more time and faster internet to cover more! z
Sospecho que no hay mas que buenos genes, protector solar desde hace mas de tres lustros y mucha agua… O sea yo ya me amolé… Ah bueno y de ahi viene lo que sigue, jejejeeee, Dr.Bisturí! Time creeped up on us sweetheart!! Let’s make the best of where we are and where we’re going, crow’s feet and all!!! Xoxo
Como se le pone “LIKE” al banner de las amiguitas. OMG so beautiful! Thank you sister friend!! Right back at you. It seemed just like “last week” when we were going through the questionnaire and reading the Turning 40 posts… now it seems like, hold on, I wanna stay at 40 and not just move on to 41… pero ni modo, we get to keep going which is a blessing, right. I just don’t know about my crow’s feet… somebody get me an extra strength crema para las arrugas! XOXO
I’m all smiles! 🙂
We’ve got quite a unique friend, of course we already knew that but this little piece of info adds to it 🙂
I agree with you! mindfulness in every aspect: health, emotions, relationships, goals, etc… learn to read the signs…start paving the way and when we get there we’ll see it all pay off, just like you did 🙂
Bang on teecee with that responsibility point. 🙂
True – most aren’t even considering it. Me, I had a fascination in psychology etc. from an early age and have been studying it in one form or another (on and off) for over 20 years. We all have to start somewhere, often people only start once they reach 40 – for me that’s when all the learning started to really pay off. So, my advice to anyone – get started asap! 🙂
I think/feel that it wasn’t such a complicated event because you (and this I can only infer from reading your blog and book) have always been quite aware of who you are and where you want to go but there are so many people out there- you know that better than I- with no idea or apparent interest in self-discovery and these ‘important’ life events of phases catch them by surprise, unprepared… I am very happy that your 40 have brought you so many satisfactions Stu 🙂
That’s about it. 🙂
Thanks dear, sometimes I just don’t remember that while the sun is rising around me, it is also setting somewhere else.
It’s 7:05am in Nigeria! 🙂
I’m on the move already. Enjoy.
well how about that, I DO have patience!!! jajajaaa for me in this part of the world it’s night, so I’ll have a beautiful evening and you have a productive day 🙂
You are welcome, dear.
Patience is the first virtue that qualified you to be a teacher.
From your experience, you would be able to tell that a teacher without patience is almost no teacher at all, especially with kids. 🙂
I can’t wait to share, but like I said before, duty calls.
When I’m done I will also respond to how clarification propels one to become convincing. Have a beautiful day! 🙂
Patience is a virtue that comes and goes in me but this is worth the wait… Thank YOU!! 🙂
Alright my friend. Curiosity that sterns from an honest desire to know is allowed and a friend who means so much to me deserves to know whatever she wants.
Duty calls, at the moment. I wii reach you in my own style and at my own pace.
Thank you for being there!
🙂
Ok Teecee, I need to know more! It is curiosity I feel though not the curiosity that stems from gossip but honest curiosity as to how you have traveled such a path that takes others a whole life time… I understand that God chooses a few select ones to enlighten but your earthly efforts have an important role in who you are… Please tell me your story
Wow!
Sweet words, my friend.
I don’t doubt that those words are true. I read through your words and I smiled.
I did not accomplish any of these on my own.
The reason is so clear to me;
God found me early!
I used to think I found God or that I worked hard, but as each day unfolds, I see that nothing I have done was by me.
God found me and gave me both the will and ability to do things according to His good pleasure.
Thank you my friend, you discerned well!
Teecee, knowing this and having been your age a long while ago I have to agree with you, my friend YOU ARE UNIQUE… I have not known anyone- your age- (and I’m not generalizing without analyzing) with a view of the world like the one you have…nor have I known anyone-your age- with such a command of the written language! I am in awe… you appreciate life like an old soul who has lived through everything…
My dear friend, I feel it might surprise you to know that I’ll be turning 29 in September! 🙂
40 is not far off, but it’s just a number to me.
There is a common adage that a fool at 40 is a fool forever.
I don’t know where it originated from or how widespread it’s use is, but I know that it should have a psychological effect on people around the age.
I personally work towards being ready for 40 at 35.
I hope that doesn’t sound strange? Well, even if it does, I’m weired or should I say, unique.
I love to think ahead, plan ahead and get ready ahead of time. 40, like I said, is just another number and does not necessarily effect any change by itself, but the popular opinion always creates some form of pressure and tension that can actually be done without.
In my case, I hope to look out, ahead of time, to know what people expect for themselves by the time they are 40, and be sure to have them before 35.
Responsibility seems to be one of the most crucial keys to the impression we create. It is important to be responsible for all our thoughts, expressions and decisions before 40.
I’ve been working on that for quite sometime, my friend.
It was nice of you to have asked. 🙂
Oh yes, I do also consider myself young at heart but THE NUMBER made me wake up from a lethargic state of life (though I’ve always been very analytical just had not practiced what i believed or taught) and become more aware of life… purpose, meaning, legacy become important words in my inner voice’s vocabulary…
oh, I know…one of the few things my grandmother told me about my grandfather is that he slept with a notebook on his sidetable and would suddenly, in the middle of the night turn on the light to write something down and just as unexpectedly as he turned on the light he’d turn it off and go immediately back to sleep…oh how i would’ve loved to look at his notes… he loved art and architecture, looking up at the sky, reading, I think we would’ve been kindred spirits 🙂 anyway…jajajaaaa Teecee, give me your point of view on being 40…or maybe your not there yet…tell me, even if being 40 is in your future or in your present or past, did you prepare for it? what did you do?
Hugs to you too, dear friend! 🙂
I used to know an adage about a blunt pencil being sharper than a sharp memory.
Sometimes it is lovely to put thoughts down as they come.
Some of those thoughts that vanish by morning are really precious thoughts. Thoughts shouldn’t be wasted you know?
Smiles!
I don’t think I prepared for it. I’ve always felt young at heart so turning 40 didn’t really affect me – consciously. Since then though I have certainly been more determined to achieve more. I have considered what I want my life to BE like more. And I am fully engaged in living with more purpose rather than just drifting along. I still have to live each day as it comes as we all do – but, I have one eye set on my goals all the time now. 🙂
Stu! Tell me more…I want to know a man’s point of view… Are ” the 40s” also an age that men prepare for? Do men have different expectations for this stage in their lives? 🙂
To be honest, my life has improved a lot since I turned 40. I’m now 47. 🙂