Toughest Birthday You Faced/Dreaded?

[BoundaryGirl3939]

I turned 40 very recently. I'm surprised at how emotional and upset I felt. I don't know why. I wasn't sad but I felt confused by the fact that half my life was over. I also felt as though I hadn't achieved certain things in my life compared to my peers (even though these are not things I particularly want).

What was your worst birthday? Or the hardest milestone you had to face, and why?

I’ve never bothered at all about becoming a certain age, and have never considered any birthday a “milestone” just because it ends in zero. I actually conceived on my 40th birthday, so that was pretty cool.

If I have a bad birthday it’ll be because I’m having a bad day for some reason, or DH hasn’t made an effort or something.

My husband died two weeks before my 27th.

My 30th. It was the weekend everything was closed as we went into the first lockdown and my relationship was in a really bad place.

I think I spent the day in bed crying.

Im so sorry

I wish I wasn't so invested in the number side of my birthday. I suppose 40 seemed so far away when I was growing.up.

That's cool that you conceived on your 40th. Nice birthday present 😊

Birthdays can definitely be overrated. Social media doesn't help. My 40th was very quiet but I actually enjoyed it.

All of them. Hate birthdays. Quite happy to be getting older, there's no age that's ever bothered me or felt important, but I hate the attention of actual birthdays and presents and all of it

My 50th - I'm 65 now. I was fine with 30 and 40 - and 60 - but somehow 50 felt like a different life stage. I'm quite looking forward to 70 :)

27th I had dc a year earlier (I was actually in itu following traumatic birth for my 26th but that didn't bother me), it was the reality a year later that hit me and I realised that dc could have been growing up without a mum /all the things I'd have missed. Dc is actually an adult now but I was never offered any counselling etc because I was told that I should feel lucky I'm alive/have dc (it was 20 years later I went for counselling and realised that I should have had support at the time).

Hate my birthday as it’s in Jan. Cold and dark, just after Christmas. Most places are closed. Then my 40th was in lockdown.

At school, most of my friends’ birthdays are in May-July so could have parties outside, visit theme parks etc.

My 34th was horrible. I was on a work trip overseas, my gran had died, my close friend has been really cruel to me and I felt tired and ill.

My 25th. Had just broken up with my bf and thought l was going to to be alone forever. I am 65 this year, married for years and have never cared about any birthday since. I wish l knew then how young l was.

17. Firstly because my mum would shortly loose child benefit for me and I'd need to find another job to earn more money so I could help pay the bills.

And secondly, if meant a whole nother year of sneaking into pubs and club while out with my friends ( I was the youngest).

I never dread birthdays because of the number. I don't mind being old. But I don't understand how having a zero on the end makes it a "milestone"!
However, I do find the fuss over adult birthdays really embarrassing, so I generally ignore mine and spend it alone. Just a relief to get to the next day and get it over with.

Are you me? 😂

Always nice to hear I'm not the only one to feel this way!

I understand now more than ever that some people get a raw deal when it comes to when their birthday falls. It is falls around Christmas time, it's an absolute nuisance 🤣 poor December babies

I didn't mind 40, or even 50. I turned 60 last year and really felt it. I didn't bother celebrating it, I did my best to pretend it wasn't happening.

I expect I'll get over it by the time I turn 70.

I think birthdays can trigger certain emotions and memories so it can be an emotional day to get though sometimes. My own mortality becomes apparent. It's such an odd day.

Didn't celebrate it at all? Birthdays are an emotional rollercoaster.

You will laugh at this but I did not look forward to being 20, I wanted to stay a teenager! I can't say I dreaded it but it certainly was significant to me. I never minded being 30. I had a small baby conceived and born when I was 29 so was content; 40 was neither here nor there, had other things to think about and 50 was great! I'm now 75 and still here, who knows if I will make it to 80, why worry.

Turning 35 was awful and I actually briefly went back on antidepressants to cope with it. I had 35 in my head as the cut off where your fertility falls off a cliff and I felt like time was rapidly running out to become a mum. I had no DCs, never married, several failed relationships behind me and was in a relationship with a lovely if extremely laid back man that was moving, but slowly.

To make matters worse I had also just recently started what I thought was my dream job at THE company everyone in my industry wants to work for but in reality the job was a nightmare, absolutely hated it. I just had no idea what I was doing with my life.

I was also light years behind my friends who were either wildly successful and/or were married with several DCs.

It all worked out in the end as the boyfriend proposed when I was 36, i got married at 37 and gave birth aged 38 (conceived naturally). I also quit my job and went back to my previous employer, where I am still working to this day and am so happy and fulfilled in my career.

But yeah, f*CK 35, it was full on panic attacks on the London underground and existential dread.

40 was an absolute breeze and now I'm just grateful for every year.

I’m about to turn 50 and love your attitude.

It's my 50th next month and it's the first birthday that I've had a wobble over, I think 50 is the first one that sounds old.
I also feel like it's the turning point in quality of life, I've noticed recently that my face is getting quite wrinkly, my joints hurt, my hair is dry, I now need to wear reading glasses and the ageing process is showing more than it ever has.
I don't think people change all that much in their 40's but it seems a huge jump physically between 50 and 60.

I've gone through the menopause so that may be part of it but looking nice takes a lot more effort nowadays, make up never looks right and when I go clothes shopping I don't know where I belong, I feel too old for some shops and too young for others.

Having said all that I do feel lucky to be alive and healthy, I've lost many people in my life who were younger than 50, one friend was 18 when she died so I do remind myself that I'm extremely fortunate to be 50.

50th in lockdown. Spent the day alone.