I have some exciting news – I’m turning 40 later this month!
While I see so many of my friends shy away from giving a figure or mentioning it with some negative connotation or saying they are turning 21 again, I wonder why.
Do they really hate turning 40?
On the surface, I can understand. We live in a society obsessed with youth. Where being young is seen as better for some reason. And there is no denying that 40 is middle aged which seems to have some boring connotation.
But when I break this down, I don’t understand why.
Does anyone really want to be 21 again?!
I certainly don’t.
There are good points about being young for sure. Mostly being able to only think of yourself! And looking back, I feel like I was more free.
But then I think harder and I remember all the damn angst! The feeling of not belonging anywhere. The bad relationships.
And although I should have been more free than I am now with a husband and three kids, I had so much in my head holding me back.
There is a certain freedom in knowing yourself, knowing what you want and being comfortable with the fact that you have no idea about much of life.
All this only comes with age and I would not give that up for anything.
I don’t even want to be 30 again.
Ten years ago, my husband and I had just returned from a year travelling. I expected that to be the end of travel for twenty years as I wanted to have kids and didn’t think you could travel with them (!!!).
I was resigned to the fact that we would always rent as I didn’t want to move to the suburbs and I didn’t believe we would ever afford inner city Melbourne.
I still worked in IT.
I felt unhappy and completely lost with what I should do with my life. My only work online was completing paid surveys!
If someone had told me I would ever have my own business, let alone be a professional blogger, I would have thought they were crazy. I had been brought up that its crazy to have your own business. That you’ll work hard and not be rewarded.
Now, my life is completely.
I am happily married. We have three kids. We own two properties including our dream place. I have travelled far more in my thirties than I would have ever imagined. We lived in Malaysia. I finally had the guts to leave IT and fulfilled a dream of becoming a teacher. I completed a second degree and graduate diploma.
And, perhaps most suprisingly, I created my own business which I absolutely love and fills me with so much joy and pride.
I read all that and I am both incredibly happy and incredibly glad my thirties are over and don’t have to be repeated. No wonder I’m exhausted!
My life at my 40th birthday is not what I imagined it would be – it’s far better. And I feel no reason to be ashamed, sad or any other negative emotion about it.
In fact, I’m really excited.
If my thirties turned out this awesomely, imagine what my forties can be like when I’m not having babies. I soon won’t have a toddler anymore (bring it on!) and maybe I can stop being woken up most nights!
I also have a much clearer idea of what I want and so much more faith in myself that I can create whatever life I want.
If I had one big fault ten years ago, it’s definitely that I did not dream big enough. I did not understand all the choices that exist out there.
And maybe if you are feeling sad about turning 40, you need to dream bigger. And realise you can also be whatever you want to be. Even if you have three kids and get barely any sleep 😀
I do believe your thoughts create your reality.
So, at the very least, start thinking 40 is awesome, have a great party, take a special trip or do something special because you are special. You deserve it.
And look forward to the next decade as it can be whatever you want it to be!
Read my tips on juggling homeschooling and working from home here and more posts about living life here.
