What Does It Mean to Turn 40? Embrace It with Love

Life in your 30s can feel like a nonstop marathon balancing work deadlines, kids’ schedules, and the never-ending laundry pile. Then suddenly, you realize your 40th birthday is around the corner. Between all your daily tasks, you barely have time to process what that number means.

Turning 40 can feel overwhelming, exciting, or both. As a working mom, it’s not just about a new age, it’s about how you see yourself, your body, and your life moving forward. This is my story of approaching 40, learning to embrace it, and discovering that this milestone can be a fresh beginning.

The Shock of the Number 40

Let’s be honest, the number 40 can feel like a slap in the face. When you’re approaching it, you hear whispers:

• “You’re getting old.”

• “Welcome to wrinkles, gray hair, and backaches.”

Dramatic? Maybe. But the comments stick. Then you hear the more optimistic side:

• “Forty is the new 30.”

That sounds a little better, doesn’t it?

A Milestone Worth Noticing

Whether you’re about to turn 40 or already there, you might wonder:

• Is it just another birthday?

• Or does it feel… emotional?

For me, the thought of my 40th frightened me. I started noticing my imperfections more, feeling like I could have done more. The uneasiness was real.

Accepting 40 (and Myself)

I was afraid, until I wasn’t.

A few weeks before my birthday, I took a step back and reflected on my life. I saw my accomplishments. I counted my blessings.

I made peace with the wrinkles and gray hair. They meant I’d lived. Still, I colored my roots, took better care of my skin, and focused on my overall health.

Botox wasn’t for me, but if it’s for you, that is fine. The point is to do what feels right for you.

The pressure to look fabulous and stay young is exhausting, especially for working moms. Between deadlines, school drop-offs, and dinner prep, it’s hard enough to find time to shower, let alone keep up with beauty trends.

Have you struggled with:

• Seeing your body change after birth?

• Not having time for the things you used to love?

• Missing the chance to pamper yourself?

You’re not alone.

Valuing Me

On my 40th, I looked in the mirror and felt grateful.

I realized:

• I don’t have to look like anyone else.

• I don’t have to follow trends.

• I am beautiful in my own way.

  

Three weeks before, I’d gifted myself a photoshoot because I wanted to do something different. I wanted to wear a long red dress, and I wanted to be photographed in nature and that is exactly what I did and loved it.

My Advice to You

What I have learned after many years of ups and downs, and life experiences is the following:

• Focus on what you have, not what you lack.

• Improve your health and style because you want to, not to match your 20-year-old self.

• Move your body.

• Eat nourishing food.

• Care for your skin.

• Wear clothes and makeup that make you feel great.

• Set new goals that excite you.

This is not the end, it’s the start of a new chapter.

Rewriting the Narrative

“40 is the new 30” isn’t just a saying. In your 40s, you have the wisdom of experience and the confidence to know what works for you.

Who says you can’t:

• Start a new fitness routine?

• Learn a new skill?

• Travel somewhere new?

• Have another baby (if you want and it’s right for you)?

• Go back to school?

• Change careers?

Age is a number. Your possibilities are limitless.

Final Thoughts

If you’re approaching 40, embrace it.

Do the things that make you feel beautiful. Explore opportunities you didn’t have the time or money for in your 20s or 30s.

Whatever you do, do it because YOU want to and it makes YOU happy.

For me, 40 isn’t the end of youth, it’s the beginning of even greater things.