I'm 40 in April and to be honest I'm quite relaxed about it all.
Despite the hype - at the moment I see it as just another birthday, the only difference being we will go away for a short break to celebrate.
I don't see it as a watershed or similar and don't expect it to be life changing - good or bad!
For those who have reached 40 - did reaching this age have any affect on you?
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Not at all, neither did 50.
In fact as I was running a relay race on Sunday and a pair passed us I was happy to say to my partner 'never mind they are 15 years younger than us'
Whilst 40 itself is not a problem I do think that after about 45+ it does take longer to recover from the more frequent injuries. You also need a longer recovery time after a hard session/race.
Personally I must admit that around 40 I made a career-changing decision (which worked out well) and I think that was because I did see it as time to re-evaluate my life so far and where I wanted to be.
Class of '72 was a vintage Year Chieffy
Happy Birthday PugsleyMrAN turned 40 18 months ago. He was a bit un-nerved by it, especially as he was prescribed glasses for the first time ever just before his birthday. There was a bit of angst about what he had or hadn't achieved in his 40 years. Then, the year after his birthday was stella and he loved it.
I'm about 18 months away from my 40th. I'm leaving the country, there will be no party. As far as everyone else is concerned, it's just another birthday, nothing special. Nothing to see here, leave your cards and pressies, move along now. To say I'm dreading it would not even come close to how I'm feeling.
Me three on turning 40 in April, must have been something good in the water in July '71
This is a small sample size, but I wonder if men have a harder time of it. My Dad turned 40 the year I turned 16 - he started introducing me as his sister. Husband sulked from the day after he turned 39 until he turned 41. Not a happy bunny at all. Mum had no issue with 40, but hated the idea of me being 21. I'm not bothered about it at the moment, it's just a number. I don't feel 40. I wouldn't be doing anything for it at all if Husband hadn't been going on and on and on and on about having a party, and even surprise parties - which would be my idea of hell. I thought I'd better do something about it myself, although a marathon might be considered excessive to avoid a party
I'm going to run brighton 3 days after my 40th. So turning 40 will be memorable, although possibly painful!
To ignore it is to waste an opportunity to take stock, make changes or say fck it!
Nothing different for me about being 40. You're given so much stick about it as you approach it that you think it must be life-changing. And then nothing happens. Well, you perhaps decide you're not ever going to mix red wine, whisky and port again, but I think I decided that at 37, or was it 35?
I had my mid-life crisis long before forty. It was so good I'd like another one, especially as I'm a bit worried that the mid-life part of it means I'm not going to reach eighty.
I spent the time since the 40th a few months back doing nothing different, and barely feeling different, but I do wonder if it isn't at the back of your mind as some kind of barrier (before) or turning point (after) you do then go through some re-evaluation. You could do it anytime, but tying it to 40 gives it some kind of impetus or weight. Once upon a time it probably was when life began, because the kids left the house, but life is getting stretched out more on average nowadays, and I don't see my life beginning until 50. I'm looking forward to that.
I didn't know sh*t till I was about 40
The time since then has been the good part of my life
I had my 12 week scan for my first baby the day after my 40th, so it was a bit of a life-changing time (ignores Ratzer's comment about kids leaving home - that'll now be around the time I retire......)
No party for me or OH - we went to Paris both times to celebrate.
I still feel about 30, so to me it's just a number really. 50 is the new 40.....................
yes, despite now approaching my late 40s i've never felt yet that I am 40 something.
i still feel like I am in my 30s and will be forever.
perhaps I will finally get round to accepting it as I hit 49/50 and I will lag a decade behind.
kids came along just as I reached 40 so perhaps I did grow up a bit and life did change.
more due to that than just hitting a certain number though.
I can't remeber 40. Blows cobwebs from memory.
Actually 40 was an odd year. I could've not seen 41 and I really didn't care. I think since then I've cared a lot less about things in general. Though I've noticed it creeping back.
When I get older dyeing my hair many years from now
Will I be stunning, wilI be running, who can really tell?
Turning 40 didn't make any big difference. I marked it by going to Nepal and watching the sun rise over the Annapurnas on my birthday.
Many good things have happened in the (very nearly) ten years since then. I've had lots of PBs, run three marathons, bought my own home, met a lovely, lovely, man.
May my fifties be as good!
I'm with LWJ........ buggered if I can remeber that long ago