What does turning 40 mean to you?

[mtbdarby]

Raidar Mom - wow! What a great attitude you have with going through all you did. Congrats to you!

I'm in the turning 40 club as well - in August. I'm looking forward to it actually. It feels like a big milestone to me, almost like a rite of passage. I do feel more like a woman - what ever that means. To me, I guess it's more of a mindset and I have you ladies to thank for some of that. Biking also plays a part of that. Plus just some soul searching and working on my inner self. Now I'm adding my physical self as well. I look forward to it!

[roadie gal]

I'll be 48 in 3 weeks. Turning 40 was wonderfully freeing for me. I was officially "middle aged" that meant I didn't have to compete with the 20-somethings. I didn't have to prove anything. I could be comfortable in myself and where I was. I LOVE it!

Sure I have some wrinkles and I'm seriously going gray, but who cares? My only concession to vanity is that I've got blended bifocals instead of lines. It's no one's business but my own. And that's the most freeing part. I no longer care what others think.

I threw a HUGE party for my 40th, which is completely out of character for me. I rented out a hall and had it catered. There were almost 60 people there. It almost brought me to tears to see everyone show up.

My family is on notice that I'm going to have an even bigger one for my 50th and they'd better show up.

[Raindrop]

Right before turning 30, I got out of a very, very bad abusive marriage with my beautiful son. When I turned 40, I was happy sort of fit and just coasting, but shortly after went into fitness in a HUGE way. What I assumed was a fit life changed when I got heavily into body-building and eating to maintain that life so...by the age of 42, I was in the best "photo" shape of my life.

Then, after a few years of maintaining that lifestyle I went into (in addition to my business life of being an economic-analyst) getting my personal training certification, Spinning Certification and ACE fitness Trainer certification.

I eventually left my day job (the big-bucks job) to start my own in-home personal training business that I've been doing for the last four years. I'm happier, poorer, but feel good every night I go to sleep because, unlike my last career, I have the opportunity to make a difference...not matter how small or large...in someone's life, instead of just impacting the bottom line of a corporation.

Yes, sometimes I worry that those wrinkles on my neck show my age. But, I still can work beyond most of my clients abilities no matter how young they are. I'm one tough lady!!!!