Did you freak out when you turned 40?!

[Cloud44]

Turning 40 this year and feeling a wobbly about it - how did you feel turning 40?!

Oddly I felt really proud of it. I remember being like the stereotypical old lady who goes around announcing her age 'Young man, I'm 40!' type thing. Goodness knows what I was thinking. Unfortunately it didn't turn out to be a very positive decade for me. Health issues, relationship breakdown and bereavement and I ended up glad to turn 50. I'm 54 now and this is absolutely the time of my life. My point, chronological age isn't important. Its what's going on in in your life that matters.

Nope, I had a lovely party and was at a very happy place in my life. I think 50 might be a big one for me. My kids will be pretty much adults and I suspect I’ll be dealing with much more parental issues.
I do feel that it’s pointless to be negative about it. It’s going to happen anyway so may as well milk it for all it’s worth! Can’t help how it makes us feel though.

Nope. I was too busy with a newborn to have a wobble.

Not at all I have embraced every milestone birthday. DH seemed depressed turning 50, whereas I was, overjoyed to have made it to 50!

40 didn’t bother me, 42 was wobbly as that’s the age that my Mum was diagnosed with a life-changing illness so I was half-expecting the same to happen to me, but it didn’t.

I’ll be 50 this year and I want to have a big celebration, I’m delighted to still be in pretty good nick!🤞

I really struggled with 30, especially as my boyfriend was only 24! It was mostly because I hadn't hit any of the milestones I'd expected I would by 30

I took that as a sign to fix everything in my 30s and I mostly did! I'm 40 this summer and can't care less. The only thing I'm annoyed about is I'll be 7 months pregnant on my birthday so no champagne! And my husband is still only 34, maybe he's keeping me young haha!

I had a 6 month-old baby when I turned 30 and thought to myself "Well life's incredibly busy - I'll do a bit more celebrating when I turn 40."
From 30 onwards my marriage fell apart and I went through a lot of trauma, finally divorced late 30s. Met my now husband.
I didn't have that big party at 40 though - had a six month-old baby!!!!
At least I can party at 50 🤣
I did think when I turned 40, God that's old!
Feel like life is all downhill from now really which I suppose is rather depressing.

I had a massive party, had a great night and didn’t have any wobbles at all.

^this. I feel great about it. I'm in a great place and I really like myself.

No, it went by quietly. My husband was pretty ill for a few months and I didn't plan anything.
Still don't feel like I'm in my 40's, it doesn't seem real in a sense

Nope, I had a newborn and a toddler and had my hands too full to worry about being 40.

I'm 46 have honestly never had any feelings about turning any age; perhaps I'm just lucky as I felt I was where I wanted to be re relationship, kids and career-wise (not very career orientated, so just happy to be earning decent money and not stressed). I can imagine it feeling more negative if you're not happy with where you're at.

Yeah (last year) but I felt the Covid era should not have counted so really I should have got to celebrate another 36th.

I was really looking forward to and very positive about turning 40. Unfortunately is so far the most difficult decade of my life.

I think 40 can feel like a really brutal watershed as a woman if you’re single and don’t have kids and a family is something you wanted. I’m guessing the posters on here who say they had more of a freakout at 30 than 40 are people who met their DP and had kids in their 30s. I didn’t have a freak out at 30 and in retrospect maybe I should have.

I’m 35 and had always been in good shape until 32 when I got pregnant and had 2 children in 2 years ! I’m just 35. I put on 4 stone with both ! Lost the weight in between Them but I have a stone left to get back to pre baby weight ! I also need to tone ! So mh goal is to get fit for 40! No issue about the ageinG or getting older but I refuse to be unfit and 40!!!!!!!!!!
I have never really ever had much disposable income ! I’d love to spend my 40s designing a capsular wardrobe. I want to get old with style and wear high quality clothes ! Hahahsh

No, but I did at 30. It really upset me for about a week.

No, I am the eternal optimist. Am turning 50 soon and I can’t wait.

I'm feeling sad about turning 40 because my 30's have been one long fight to keep my head above water, and it feels like such a waste. I'm also sad that I will almost definitely be turning 40 still without a drivers license, unless by some miracle I pass first time.
I also get nervy about people expecting me to do something for my big birthday, but I can't think of anything that won't in some way cause me a load of stress...

No. My mum died ages 36 and I was.worried I'd not make it so I was delighted to reach 40. It's a cliche but age is just a number and it's attitude and how you love your life that makes the difference.

I was worried about turning 20 but never since (60 is next big one for me)

No

I'm 40 this year and yeah, wobbling. Mostly because life hasn't turned out how I imagined and I've realised I'm not going to meet someone to have children
30 I was fine because it was still a possibility but 40 is feeling really final

No, I was ready at 40. Leaving my 20s I couldn't cope with, despite being married and settled with 1 DC.

No. Getting older is a privilege.

Sadly, I learned this early in life when my best friend & her fiancé were killed in a car crash caused by a drunk driver. She was 22.

Wasn't bothered about turning 40 but everything has gone a bit south since then in a physical way. I just feel like I look a lot older, struggle to maintain my weight etc and it all feels like a lot of effort if I ever want to look/feel nice.

I'm 44 this year and for some reason that's freaking me out. I just feel like it sounds old in a way that 40 didn't! Entirely psychological obviously but there it is.