Life begins at 40?

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?

Comments

  • none at all! apart from OH  pointing out I was 40 and he wasn't...
  • 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.

  • I'm 40 in April as well......just saying.
  • Turned 40 today and went for a swim. I still hate swimming in a pool. I am going to try a run tomorrow - bet that still hurts!
  • chieffy wrote (see)
    I'm 40 in April as well......just saying.

    Class of '72 was a vintage Year Chieffy

    Pugsley wrote (see)
    Turned 40 today and went for a swim. I still hate swimming in a pool. I am going to try a run tomorrow - bet that still hurts!
    Happy Birthday Pugsley
  • Happy Birthday Pugsley!

    MrAN 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 image

    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 image

    I'm going to run brighton 3 days after my 40th. So turning 40 will be memorable, although possibly painful!

  • It's all downhill from 40
  • I think it is a bit more of a problem for men as it is really the first big birthday that we have to admit to being older ie grown up. So of course a lot of us deal with it in a childish fashion! For me it inspired me to get of my arse and run a marathon and now at 44 I am fitter than i have ever been!
  • It isn't abt being older but bat dawning mortality. But turning 40 is a great excuse to basically take a huge swerve in yr life trajectory. It is a milestone year, don't fret abt the day and if u had any sense u might keep it low key u til u have figured out what it means. Urn still young, capable of change and have promise but you don't have forty more years to capitise on that knowledge!

    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.

  • For once, the spammer says something that vaguely fits!
  • I didn't know sh*t till I was about 40

    The time since then has been the good part of my life

  • My 30's have been the best time of my life.  I'm hoping my 40's will be even better!
  • 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.....................

  • Nessie wrote (see)

    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've been 40 for 22 years...time to move on me thinksimage
  • Autumn66 wrote (see)
    I've been 40 for 22 years...time to move on me thinksimage
    ....or start counting backwards.
  • 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.

  • PB's ceased at 40 for me , sorry!!!!!
  • I don't count in decimal anymore with regards to age. I only use hexadecimal, so I am now 33 !
  • Life didn't begin at 40 but it certainly hasn't ended. I have got a bit more gung-ho than before - I am 41 tomorrow so maybe amazing things will happen then.
  • 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! image

  • I'm 43 and I enjoyed turning 40. A friend of mine who turned 40 the year before I did was so positive about it (unlike a lot of people I know) that it rubbed off on me. I took out mountain biking that year and have never looked back since!
  • I can't remember that far back!  image
  • I still enjoy sex at 40.  I live at 42 so it's only next door.
  • Here's to being 40 then!
  • I'm with LWJ........ buggered if I can remeber that long ago

    image

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