There’s something wonderful happens when a woman reaches her forties, don’t you agree?
When men turn 40, often-times it signals a descent into crisis. And before I go any further, let me say – I accept this is a sweeping generalization, but men do have more of a tendency to go ‘off the rails’ and make decisions that transport them back to their youth… often leaving a wave of destruction in their path.
But for women – something truly liberating happens and we get to reclaim our true selves. We know who we are, and we realise that we no longer have to dance to anyone else’s tune – we can choose to do things our own way.
I celebrated my 40th in New Zealand and looking back, I remember how it struck me that turning 40 meant I had crossed a thresh-hold. I had arrived! I was FREE! I didn’t have to work so hard to ‘prove myself’ to anyone. I was already successful in my career and I was no longer concerned what anyone had to say about my choices. Now I could be unapologetically ME. It was time to start having fun again.
How about you? Did you notice any change in mindset when you hit that big milestone? As you made your way through your 40s (assuming you have), did you notice how much easier it was to say NO to the things you no longer wanted to do? Do you make more effort NOW to start putting yourself first?
Reaching your 40s (even your 50s) is a great time for reflection.
It’s a kind of ‘mid-way’ point in life. A chance to look back at all that we have achieved so far .. to look forward to the years we have left, and to really think about how we choose to spend our time. And with whom?
It’s a good time to ask… am I happy?
Am I happy at home? Am I happy at work?
Am I living a truly fabulous life?
If money (and title) were not an issue… what would I choose to do for the next 20 years?
If I won the lottery tomorrow, what would I change about my life?
It is often said that ‘Life begins at 40’ and I believe it. So, my beautiful ladies, if you are not feeling it… if that is not your experience so far, then please make more effort to take care of yourself and reconnect with your FABULOUSITY!
Because if we don’t nurture and really take care of ourselves, we can start to feel neglected, abandoned and unloved. Then we try to fill this void – this black hole at our core – by numbing the pain, and sourcing comfort outside of ourselves (things like alcohol or drugs, sugar and junk foods) or ignoring the pain with extra hours at the office, mindless internet surfing and reality TV.
But it doesn’t work. These are only temporary solutions. The only way to properly heal the void is to start taking care of you, and to reconnect to the truth of your heart. Let’s do it.
Let’s start taking better care of ourselves. Let’s start to pay more attention to our feelings and how we react in the moment. Let’s be more conscious, more honest. Ask ourselves the question – in each of the choices that we make – is it from a place of LOVE, a place of FEAR or a place of NEGLECT.
And let’s stop acting out of fear and neglect and step into LOVE.
Let’s commit to doing more of the things that make us feel FABULOUS!
I’m up for it. Are you?
x Until next time, sending you love x
I would love to get to know you more, connect with me here.
