Many of us don’t really look forward to reaching our forties. Scratch that. No woman in the world dreams of the time when she’ll step out of her thirties. But, seeing how aging is a natural thing in life, this will happen at some point. To be more, there are truly amazing things that come as you reach your fourth, fifth, or sixth decade. You’re much wiser, more experienced, and amazingly sharp. Truth to be told, this isn’t something that a twenty-years-old you could ever have.
To give you an idea of what your life will be from this point forward, I’ve created a lifestyle guide every woman over 40 should follow.
1. Life Isn’t about a ‘Perfect’ Body
By the time you get to your 40s and 50s, you will hopefully have given up the notion that there’s such a thing as a perfect body that will bring you happiness. At this point, you should realize that the things that matter in life are health, family, and passion, not the clothing size you wear.
2. Aging is Inevitable
Aging is an inevitable part of life and quite a beautiful part, too. This is the point when you should accept aging as a way to move forward (the alternative is definitely horrible), and be proud of your life experiences.
3. It’s Not Always about Winning
With over four decades behind you, it’s safe to say that you’ve experienced some winnings and some losses. This is the point in life when you have to accept both as a good thing. Losing might not feel good, but it is part of life. Therefore, you should start losing gracefully. Very often, it’s the thing that prepares you for your future wins.
4. Our Children are Their Own People
As a parent, all you can do is care and be on their side. I’m grateful for all the fights I’ve had with my children and every time they were mad at me. I’m also grateful for their accomplishments and my part in them. I’m grateful for having a family and I’m grateful for the assignment help I paid for them when I didn’t have the time to help them with their papers. None of it makes me a busy or a bad mother. In fact, it makes me the best mother I can be because dealing with children is not easy.
5. It’s Normal to Talk to Yourself
This is often seen as crazy, so you might want to stop doing it while at work or in a crowded place. But, talking to yourself is not really crazy after all. Self talk is actually an amazing way to calm yourself, give yourself some self-confidence, and funny enough – talk to a person you actually really like – yourself!
6. No Is an Acceptable Answer
After 40 years of dealing with the uncomfortable and often unfair ‘No’, you will have learned to move on and accept the response.
7. …That You Shouldn’t Accept Some Times
At times, something will be too important for you to give up on. People will say no, but you will keep pushing. Why? Because you know that persistence and effort often yield positive results and giving up is simply not an option in some cases.
8. Style is a Subjective Thing
So many fashions have brushed aside us at this point that we no longer see style as something objective. This is the time when women feel free to express themselves by picking the clothing they like, regardless of the societal opinions or trends.
9. The Small Things Make Life Great
It’s the small moments and things that make life great. Being with people we love, seeing their smiles and helping others are the things to truly appreciate in life. This is the time when we truly realize our impact on other people’s lives.
10. Small Problems Can Remain Small
If you get over consumed by the small problems, they’ll only grow bigger. They’ll increase your stress, decrease your health level, and ruin your mood. Small problems are easily accepted by someone with life experience and as such, will remain small until they’re resolved.
11. A Lot Can Depend on How Much We Sleep
Sleep is an essential part of life, a need that is even more emphasized now that you’ve reached your forties. Understanding this has completely shifted my attitude toward sleep. It’s not only about the time we spend sleeping, but about the quality of sleep, too.
12. Our Soul Needs Feeding, Too
It’s not only the body that requires constant and proper nutrition to function at its best. It’s the soul, too. Unlike in our youngest age, we now know what things we truly enjoy in life. These are the things we must use to feed our soul.
13. Everyone Needs a Support Network
Life is much harder when we don’t have support from others. For a long time, you have tried to do things on your own. Right now, you need to accept and praise help, as well as offer it to others.
14. Everyone’s Authentic
There’s no need to fit into all social norms and pretend that you’re same as everyone else. The truth is – no one is same as the rest of us. It’s the time when you stop caring about the norms and start showing your authenticity.
15. Travel is Forever
You wouldn’t want to grow old and have this kind of regret. Traveling is one of the best things a person can do. If you haven’t traveled a lot because of family and obligations, it’s never too late to start. In fact, this might be the perfect time for you to start traveling. You have your experience, your age, and savings.
16. Comparing Your Life is Not a Good Idea
We tend to constantly compare our lives to that of others. Why don’t I earn as much as her? Why didn’t I spend my years traveling like they did? The moment when you stop comparing your life is the moment when you realize how good you have it.
17. Forget the Expectations
Women share a similar Disney syndrome as they grow up. They dream of Prince Charming and a big wedding, or a happily ever after story. None of these things really happen, do they? But, you’ve still come to this point in life and have amazing memories behind it. So, why not forget those silly expectations and focus on what you have?
18. Work Isn’t the Most Important Thing
Finding the best career you have is important for your future but, it is not the most important thing. Don’t invest too much of yourself into your career. Don’t live to work, not even if you really love your career.
19. Negative People Only Bring Us Down
So often, I’ve met negative people that I’ve wanted to help or hang out with. It’s good to help people, but some of them will simply take you down with them. They don’t see the good in life, no matter how great they have it. These are the people that you can eliminate from your life, especially now when you’re wiser.
20. What Others Think of You Isn’t Important
People will have their opinions of you – they have them on everything. This doesn’t mean that you should live your life trying to impress others.
This is a new time in your life, a wonderful and clearly more adult time. It’s the time to shine and grasp life as it is, so follow this guide to make it happen!
Author’s Bio
Elizabeth Skinner is a freelance content writer. She’s been working a 9-to-5 office job until just recently when one morning, she decided to quit and pursue her life passions. Right now, she travels the world and earns by helping students.
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