What does turning 40 mean to you?

[Veronica]

Just turned 40. I am in the best shape of my life, have a terrific supportive husband and some awesome friends.

Life is good.

I get a lot of flack from my siblings each year. I am the youngest. I've taken to reminding them that they'll always be older than me and then ask them if they want to race.

I'm always somewhat melancholy around my birthday. It's lingered on this year.

It is just a number. Getting older beats the alternative.

V.

[LBTC]

The 40's are the age of POWER for women! Take all of your wisdom of those years and add it to the vitality and youth you still feel and you are a force to reckoned with!

I'm looking forward to 40....it's only 10 months and a few days away....(and I intend to have Crohn's completely under control well before then, and hope to be back to the best shape I was in 2 years ago)

Hugs and butterflies!
~T~

[mimitabby]

40? for me; long long ago and far far away.

But it can be the best time of your life. and it's just a number. You've heard from a lot of us already who have told you. I know people your age who are older than me. I'm 55. You are young, healthy and beautiful.
If finding a guy is important to you, focus more attention on it. But it's not your age.

When I was 40, I was still so focussed on my kids that my health was a disaster. You're way ahead of me. Charge forward and don't look back.

[Trek420]

40? It is to laugh 40 was 10 years back.

My 50th b'day was kind of a disaster but I plan to have a much better time on my 51st....and from here on out.

40 you're barely just getting warmed up. And what V sed, it is just a number. Getting older beats the alternative, many don't get this far. Enjoy the ride.

[snapdragen]

I loved turning 40! Now I'm looking forward to 50....well, most of the time I am. I occasionally get an OH MY GOD moment... It's just a number - you are as old as you want to be.

I have this at my desk:

How old would you be, if you did not know how old you are?

[KnottedYet]

I turn 40 in a few months. I still feel like I'm 34.

30 was a relief. I was happy to turn 30. I'm kinda feeling a bit of a crisis around 40, because I'm not done being a 30-something yet.

It's just numbers, but something doesn't sit right. I'm not where I always thought I'd be at 40. (financially, socially, professionally, etc.)

[kelownagirl]

Well 40 is looking pretty good from where I am right now. But I agree with all these girls. I am happier, healthier, and smarter now that I ever was when I was in my 20's and 30's. Life really IS better as you get older. Age really IS just a number. Most of the time, in my mind, I am only 35, and often I'm only 5.

I think the ages ending in a 6 are the hardest for me mentally though. More like the downslide to the next big _-0. 26, 36, 46.

[LBTC]

...but something doesn't sit right. I'm not where I always thought I'd be at 40.

Heck, I'm not where I thought I'd be *ever*, and it turns out I *love* it here!

Maybe the answer to help you through is some sort of ritual. Joseph Campbell's words around this talked about how rituals, which are sadly lacking these days, were a way of providing meaning and the context of our own story to the passage of time. Perhaps something that marks the significance of having lived through those 40 years, and having become who you are now, with all of your strengths, desires, passions and flaws, is just what you need to ease yourself into the right mindspace to love 40 and love yourself at 40!

If it were me, I'd begin now, thinking about all the different aspects of my life, and I'd try to integrate each of them into the ritual somehow. Kind of like the old rhyme for a bride "something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue" but with more significance for you: something bike, something healthy, etc, etc, etc...

What do you think? A possibility perhaps?

Hugs and butterflies,
~T~

[Trek420]

Heck, I'm not where I thought I'd be *ever*, and it turns out I *love* it here! If it were me, I'd begin now, thinking about all the different aspects of my life, and I'd try to integrate each of them into the ritual somehow. Kind of like the old rhyme for a bride "something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue" but with more significance for you: something bike, something healthy, etc, etc, etc...

What do you think? A possibility perhaps?

Hugs and butterflies,
~T~

How about "ride your age" Or twice your age...in metric....backwards....each year on your birthday.