I feel really weird about turning 40. Anyone experienced similar?

[ChubbyLubby]

I'm turning 40 in July.

I feel really strange about it. I don't usually put much stock in age or particularly celebrate my birthday. But this year feels slightly different. Perhaps its because people keep asking what I'm doing, how I'm feeling, what I want for my 'big birthday'.

I can't put my finger on why I feel weird.
I've been planning early retirement so that might also be part of it.
I keep thinking about my mum being widowed at 44.

I don't think I'm having a mid-life crisis. I'm really happy with everything in my life. I'm not in menopause (blood test recently). I don't have know what's going on.

I feel kind of adrift. I feel very 'mortal' 😅I can't think of how to describe it.
Has anyone else had these kind of odd feelings at this age? What the fuck's going on?

Yeah same. Something about “40” sounds like entering the last chapters of life.. 😢

I'm partly thinking back to when my mum was 40. She seemed ancient

I don't feel like ik entering the final stages, just that I'm not in the early stages of life anymore 😪

Same. 40 this year. Friends seem to have more big life problems (mostly health, child related or redundancy) and I am exhausted with a 1 and 3 yr old. When I run into someone my age I think "cor, you look like someone in your 40s" which means I do too. Feels like doors closing as too late, whereas at 30 I felt like there was time to do anything - plenty of time (and energy) to get fit for X, change career, learn new skills etc. I have lost my sense of self and hobbies with the 2 toddlers and no free time and everything feels much smaller - so a lot of it for me is the timing with family life, but definitely feel a bit old

I'm not quite there yet but I do notice that the people I know who seem and look the youngest for their age don't seem to bother about their age or worry about big birthdays. I don't know if not worrying about age keeps them young or if not aging as fast as their peers makes them not mind!

I am your exact age and I feel the same!!!!! But he first time I’ve been like ok this is actually ‘old’

Bahahahaha... Wait until you turn 50 😱! It's a full on existential crisis, like properly getting old. 🤪

What happened to life beginning at 40?!

I'm not quite there (39 this year) but I feel like I'm just entering my prime!

Yes I felt weird as if I was suddenly halfway through my life as it approached.
But then I got cancer at 39 and now I’m very pleased to be in my mid 40s and still here and healthy again and very content!

I also turn 40 in July @ChubbyLubby i feel like life has sped up and I’m very aware of the years racing by. I had DS at 30 and was then severely ill (am disabled now) and I feel by 30s have been dominated by health challenges and that I was out of step with my peers.

DS is 9 so I feel like I have more of myself back and can see that the next decade might allow me to be myself again?

I had a three week old baby at 40 so not only did I not notice my birthday it was like the first chapter of a whole new phase of life.
Really 40 is young. Embrace it and look forward to the future.

I turned 40 last July.

id never really focussed on it or thought about my age before but I’ve slowly felt like I’m having a mid life crisis this last year 🤣

Like reality has dawned on me, you’re getting old now. Like, you’re not 20 and fresh out of uni. not 30 and planning marriage and babies..

I dunno it’s hard to verbalise the feeling

I know I see wrinkles and grey hair but I’m not even really bothered about those.

I hated it. Particularly when I had a prescription shortly after and it said my age on. Seeing it written down made me feel old. But now I've passed 50 and 40 seems young after all!

I was savage turning 30
Didn't care about turning 40 (though my 40th was during a COVID lockdown stop didn't have much choice in doing anything)
45 this year hit me, weight is going up, neck is sagging and my right knee clicks - now that sucks.

BUT I always remember ageing is a privilege.

It's so hard to articulate. I just feel weird.

I'm not sad about it. I don't feel particularly old. I'm more confident than I've ever been. I'm in the best shape of my life. I don't wish I was younger. Aging is a privilege and I'm thankful.

I just feel strange. As PP said, like I feel the years rushing by in a way I've never felt before.

I get you, but so many things got better for me since turning 40. It’s just a new chapter and there are tons of positives. Once the day has passed you will feel better!

I remember sitting at home, looking at my 40th birthday cards, and feeling very weird about turning 40; it seemed so old.

Now, at nearly 62, I look back and think it really wasn't, I was still young. I can't get my head around 40 being a third of my life ago. Funnily enough, turning 60 was fine and I'm feeling good about my age and my future.

Dya know what? I’m 42 and when I turned 40 I felt the same. But since then Iv actually felt better than I ever have before. I look better, I dress better. I’m healthier and 40 is not what it was when we were young, when we thought our mothers were ancient.

Despite being as old as I have ever been, Iv never felt younger.

I turn 40 in July as well! I feel very weird about the whole thing.

I'm looking forward to it but also dreading it. And feeling a bit of "existential crisis"

I look at the 40+ year olds around me - redundancy seems to be fairly common ☹️ so I'm bracing myself for whatever comes.

But I already love being wiser. I have learnt so much about life and myself in the last few years. It's really cool!

Your post really resonated with me. Thank you. I feel the best I've ever felt in my life. Life is the best its ever been for all sorts of reasons. I'm looking forward to the coming years.

In some ways I think my issue is that I can't quite square that feeling of energy and optimism with being 40. I mean, I feel like I need another hundred years to enjoy it 😅

Sorry I'm being really inarticulate here. Its such a hard feeling to put into words. Its just plain weird.

Oh well that’s cheery 🤣

I remember à birthday lunch with a friend on her 40th birthday and she cried, she was sad about being forty. After her fiftieth she got cancer. She looked back and said how lovely it was being forty, her children were small and her and her DH, and her mother were all well and happy.

I’m turning 37 soon I know its not 40 yet but I am feeling really weird about it fast approaching.

I know 40 isn't old, but I feel like my youth is over! I feel like life has flashed by so quickly and it makes me sad, I long for my 20’s, no idea why as they were absolutely the shittest years of my life (Although I’d love to have my 24 year old figure back)

Like you I am not unhappy with my life, of course there are some regrets, but I also know (touch wood) I have so many years left, but it still just feels so weird! I feel like a baby not an actual adult, even though I have a job/house/kids/husband/bills etc

I'm 40 in September and I'm excited for it!
I have just booked in to dye my hair ginger though, so maybe I'm a little more midlife crisis than I thought...

@LassiKopiano24 you feel like your youth is over because it is!

i think this can really hit people in late 30s or turning 40. It's scary, it's not old obviously but it is no longer young. It's ok to have a bit of a wobble and then you just accept and move on.