What advice do you wish you'd been given at 40?

[Tibta]

I’m turning 40 this week.

For those of you who are 40+, what is one piece of advice you wish someone had given you at 40?

Or, if you could go back, what is one thing you wish you’d done differently?

Moisturise your neck 🫢

Heavy weights! I have noticeably lost muscle between 40 and 50 and now am having to really work to get it back.

Happy birthday week!

Start exercising, particularly strength training.

Think about your financial future, especially pensions.

I finally got out of a shitty 10 year relationship at 40 & I wish I’d done it much earlier.

I am turning 40 next week too, so keen to know!

I'm 40 too this week Tibta 🥳 so I'll be taking notes 🤓

Get DH to the doctor while there is still time, he looks well but he's got cancer with no symptoms.

Take as many videos of your loved ones as you can while they are still here.

When DH invites you to join him on work nights out accept the invite and go along.

Know the symptoms of Peri-Menopause

Happy birthday 🥳

Look at your life and make sure you are happy with it. I wasn’t at 39 and by 40 met the absolute love of my life. I’m 55 now and our life is beautiful. Be happy 😊 x

Absolutely this - though I was the other way round 😆. I’m 53, 13 years single & blissfully happy living with my cat.

I’m so glad things have worked out well for you too, @ithinkilikethislittlelife.

Spend the money, book the holidays, hang out with people and join the gym.

Spend the money, book the holidays, hang out with people and join the gym.

Agree with PP, look up all the random symptoms of perimenopause so that you recognise the symptoms when they creep up on you.

Look at your pension provision and work out at what age it will allow you to retire. If you want to retire sooner, start adding to your pension now.

Similarly, if you haven't got a Stocks & Shares ISA, read up on them, ask Chat GPT and start one with a platform like Trading 212. Once you understand and see the benefits of compound interest, you'll want to add what you can to it each month.

Also look at overpaying your mortgage to reduce the term. This could help you to retire earlier or maybe support your teens going off to university.

Address any health issues - these seem to follow the principles of compound interest too, if not addressed early 😏

Reflect on your relationship with your partner and decide if there are ways that you can spend more time together or rekindle the early months/years of your relationship (possibly pre kids). This will be another good investment.

Happy is happy. Whatever that looks like to you xx

Get a mammogram now.

Also, exercise, do your kegels and core strength in order to avoid the prolapse I now have.

Pay more into your pension.

Look after your pension.
Doing exercise and being outside is very good mood boosters.

You are not too old to start over. The job I started at 42 is the best decision I ever made and a million miles from what I wanted to do at 23. I'm actually good at it and have so much more respect. I'm grateful to my 38 yr old self for retraining and to my 42 year old self for finally having courage to go for it.

If you have young kids, 40 can be tough but every year gets easier. Depending on their ages obviously... but for me at 48 I had a whole new lease of life and my social life started again, it was an exciting time because for years I felt that privilege was over.

Don't get fat. Work to maintain a healthy weight. I gained 3 stone in my 40s and at 49 have lost about half it again and am really working hard now. I wish I had nipped it in the bud.

Too late 😭

I'm currently retraining as my youngest started reception in September. I feel like i'm starting fresh, it's equal parts excitement and overwhelm!

Thank you so much for all the great replies. I will be joining the gym to strength train, i'm going to look at overpaying on my mortgage/pension, and start educating myself on the perimenopause, amongst all the other great advice!

Happy birthday! 💐

Happy birthday! 💐

Make sure you give yourself a hoilday once or twice a year.
Look after yourself mentally and physically.
When you begin to change hormanally and physically it is good to have like minded friends and support.
Laugh!
Do not be pressured into fad's image and the shallow followers be yourself and your value's.

If you still have DPs around and they are fit and sociable, encourage them to keep getting out and about and socialising. Encourage them to ensure their house is adaptable as they get older. Get power of attorneys in place and their views on future care if needed etc otherwise in 10-15yrs, you might be in the position where you are propping them up/ dealing with health issues etc.