Did anything good happen to you in your forties?

[Sashamalia]

To anyone over 40, I am not calling you old.

I just turned 40. And i feel sad.

I've bought into the marketing that women are over the hill at 40, and basically nothing good happens to us after that age.

I need to snap myself out of it

Downhill you say @Towerofsong ? Speak for yourself! 53 and going strong here!

This is more of a frame of mind issue because many of us watch the same ads, films etc and don't feel the same as you.

Yes Hollywood actresses say that but it's also true that a lot of male actors age out at that age! There's loads of male actors I haven't seen in anything since their 30s!

When I was in my 30s an older friend told me that women just get better and better once they hit 40. I think it's true. It's all the not giving a fuck, we get stronger and wiser and know ourselves more.

Patriarchy likes to give the message that we're over the hill, useless, out of touch. Because they're scared of us.

I've recently got a new and much more fulfilling job and am no longer the part timer stuck in a job I hated and doing all the chores at home on my day off. I work way harder now but I am being paid for it and I feel much happier. We've also had some epic holidays as the kids are older and able to travel further.

Got married to second DH, had a baby. Went out with DH work colleagues,was asked if this was my first!! One of his friends replied they would be very surprised when they hear how old my other DKs are,oldest DD was 20. Easiest pregnancy and birth. Was very fit and healthy. Became a GM the following year at 42. Got married. Became mortgage free,by buying a small unmodernised cottage.

I am the wrong side of 55. My 40s were brilliant. I got fit and participated in many running races and triathlons. I was slimmer, fitter and happier than I was in my 20s and 30s. I think it was the combination of more confidence, good health, a tiny bit of spare cash and children past the baby stage.

Make some plans, OP!

Yes, I finally grew into myself, found my sense of style and really enjoyed developing the friendships that began at the school gates into real lifelong friendships. It was a great decade for me.

My 30s have been pretty rough so I feel like my 40s have to be better!

I am rubbish at both but very "enthusiastic" 😂

Left the nhs after many years and started a career in academia.
joined a gym, lost weight, made really good friends

Had a baby, retrained into a new career and doing well, did some amazing holidays with dh and kids (who are great company as they're getting older), some fab trips and times with friends and family, still working on getting fit and healthier
Just generally appreciating the wonderful things the world has to offer us.

Love ❤️ your post,@kkloo

You've nailed it on the head,

This is what i think of misogynistic arseholes attitudes🙄 about us women being over a certain age,
in symbolic forms

🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕👎👎👎👎👎🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬 !!###💩💩💩💩💩💩🤨🤨🤨🤨🤨🤨😤😤😤😤😤😤👏🏿🤫🤫🤫🤥🤥🤥🤥🤥

I've had 2 mega promotions in my 40s.
Been appointed to a board.
Travelled a lot and can now afford to travel well
Had a lot of fun
Enjoyed my children growing up

Yes, I started a business which now employs 30 people. I've written a book and we will probably pay off our mortgage now. The only barrier to achieving things in your 40s is your own mind. Fuck what the media tells you, I am not going to be scuttling away to hide myself in a darkened room just because I am in my 40s. Find your inner phoenix and rise.

Not getting/ seeking about validation from men is so liberating, I wish I had learned this decades ago!

in my 40s (so far) I have ran a marathon, did my first triathlon, met my girlfriend, competed internationally in my sport, changed jobs so I no longer work weekends... It hasn't all been great but as long as I don't spend too long looking in the mirror/ at photos I can forget my slowly collapsing face 😅

I'm 44, "well preserved", (no kids, no work, really) and I'm still waiting for something "nice".
😁

Late 40s- 50s have been the best time of my life so far.

No dependent children, financially stable, very happy careerwise, confidence through the roof.

I got promoted, got a fully expensed company car and had a baby.

My 40's have been amazing so far. I decided to give up on men completely. The time and energy saved by not investing it in men that didn't deserve it means I have been able to put everything into being a mum and my career, with two fantastic teens and a 50% increase in salary to show for it.

I am more confident in who I am and couldn't care less what other people think of me. I know myself better, and don't waste time on things that won't make me happy.

40s are brilliant, honestly. I competed on an endurance event I'd always wanted to do, twice. It was that much fun. I ran some half marathons, there isn't much to make you feel more awesome, than nailing a 10 mile run on a Saturday morning. I re-learned piano, and re-started ballet. I also changed job twice, for significantly more money each time.

Now navigating the next decade, and I'm not sure yet if it will bring quite as much, but it's early days.

Lost 8 stone!

@MrsTerryPratchett love it ! So true

OP, in my 40s I have changed job and raised a family. It's been AWESOME

Don't feel sad, age is a privilege. Your 40s bring a growing confidence in yourself, it's liberating.

But if there's aspects of your fitness and health you think you should improve, start it now, it's easier than when you are approaching 50. And if you have weight you'd like to lose, do it while you've still got a bit of collagen kicking around.

Enjoy your 40s!

In my 40s I had enough of working minimum wage jobs, so I went back to college to get a qualification and have a great career now. Not earning mega money but we are better off with me working in this job than I was before, more rewarding and good job satisfaction too.

I loved my 40’s!!! I got fit and started running. Accidentally got pregnant with my 4th child, decided to change my job to fit in with new baby and worked in the best team of my whole career. Met a whole new group of friends who are still in my life and mean so much to me! My older children matured and I started to enjoy them in a different way. Would totally go back and do my 40’s again!