What advice would you give your mid 40s self?

[RetrainRetrain]

Following on from the mid-20s thread, I wonder advice people would give their mid-40s self?

Buy less handbags and books and fancy kitchen equipment and prioritise overpaying your mortgage. Use the library for free books. Don't give up exercising, walk more, take up yoga or pilates. Don't let the weight pile on year after year.

Get HRT you aren't going mad. You are just lacking essential hormones

Stay working while your children are small, hard as it is, and no matter how envious of your friends who don’t have to. The financial independence that it gives, the respect that you get as a result, the ability to do work that is stimulating and the ability to double your salary over 5 years make it worth the short term pain.

Following with interest...!

Get your blood pressure checked, don't put off that over 40's check up that the NHS sends letters out for.

I agree, @AndrewPreview In fact, get all the recommended medical checks ups as this is the age when conditions can start to develop. I had a breast cancer scare last year-it turned out not to be cancer, but I’m glad I went in.

Oddly, me neither. My eye doctor (very good surgeon, known very well in the environment) wears lenses. This really made me think.

Early 40s - following

I'm 40, but I'd like to think that my advice would be: have that burger. In 50 years, you'll be dead and nobody will care if you had the salad.

I think you might be advised to read the thread and then make your mind up on the burger!!

These turkey neck comments are cracking me up. Thanks so much for the helpful diagram explaining. I am 100% on my way to a turkey neck. Wonder if I should get an Elizabethen ruff to set it off/hold it in? Maybe I will ask in Style and Beauty.

You are very hard on yourself. Stop it.
Eat the cake, just not every day.
Get off your phone and enjoy the fresh air.
That young, handsome guy really does fancy you, he also loves you. Be happy and don't worry what others think. (He also doesn't care that your arse is a bit wobbly 😁)
Be kind. Be positive. Smile.
Be proud of your children, laugh with them, hug them, encourage them - they are growing up beautifully.
Enjoy life and stop sweating the small stuff. It's a gift.

Love this comment 😍

Think I will try to remind myself of this, especially as I will be turning 47 in a few weeks time 😬

If the thread is anti-burger, I'm not reading it

Wonder if I should get an Elizabethen ruff to set it off/hold it in? Maybe I will ask in Style and Beauty.

There ain’t much that an Elizabethan ruff can’t hide @Ukholidaysaregreat

I heartily recommend their skirts too. For those of us who are hefty of arse and thankly of leg.

A multitude of sins covered. Word 😉

"thankly" of leg is the best phrase! @SheldonesqueTheBstard thank you!

not anti-burger, more not-all-the-burgers!!

Change jobs, your old boss is a bully and you will be given the recognition you deserve elsewhere.

Get your own car, it’s great having some independence and you are a better driver than you think

Spend time alone regularly to recharge and get outside more.

Stick with the yoga

Hug you parents and hold their hands. You will dearly miss them when they are gone.

I'm about 15 years too late for this, but lots of great advice, which I will be borrowing from even now.

Getting older is no sin, be confident with your naked self.

I like this one

The earlier poster who mentioned about being a sandwich, so spot on!

I only had one grandparent and so I don’t recall either of my parents being stuck the way I feel tonight…

Change what you don’t like. Be it job, house, school even people in your life if you are not appreciated.

Leave teaching and become a tour guide , instead of leaving it to you are 58 and can only do it for a few years.

I'm thinking about getting tooth implants by a reputable company in Budapest €8000 (well researched), at the moment I have false teeth which are ok - is it worth getting the 6 implants I need? Has anyone had them and are they worth getting and better than false ones?