Life In My Forties – 5 Fun Things I’d Never Done Before
Lately, I’ve been pondering what life in my forties means and how I’ve changed since I hit that milestone. It’s a common catchphrase that 60 is the new 40. It’s true that people are living longer, and so what would have been considered “old” a couple of decades ago is different now. When I was ten, people in their forties seemed ancient, but in all fairness, they dressed older. Do I remember it wrong, or do people dress younger for longer now? Whatever the truth, now I’m there, I do not feel old at all, and I feel like I have a lot of my life left to live and a lot to do.
I believe I’ve changed for the better in many ways and have had the courage to do things I wouldn’t have before. The following five changes may seem minor to you, but they’re huge for me.
I Got A Tattoo
I wasn’t scared to get a tattoo before; I just wasn’t interested. Also, when I was younger, I couldn’t imagine any design I wouldn’t get sick of seeing eventually. I haven’t consciously changed my way of thinking, but somehow, it seems less of an issue now.
I also spent a bit of time doing some soul searching. I felt very ordinary, dull even. That there was nothing that made me different from anyone else. I mean physically different. I had mid-brown hair, fair skin, and blue eyes. I looked very generic. I don’t mean to suggest this is a bad thing, but I realised it was not what I wanted.
So my sister and I decided that as our 40th birthdays were only a year apart, I would get my first tattoo, and she would get her third. They weren’t matching (that is so not who we are!), but they had some common elements and colours. I love my tattoo and smile whenever I look at it.
I Coloured My Hair
No, I don’t mean “traditional” hair colour. I didn’t wait for life in my forties to do that. I mean bright, unusual, and eye-catching colours. So I dyed my hair pink and purple. It took forever and cost almost as much as the tattoo, but it was worth it. Having my hair in these colours brings even the plainest outfit to life. I love the way it brings out the colour in my eyes, and most of all, I love the fact that I’m not trying to hide anymore. I’m ok drawing attention to myself. Believe me that is a seismic shift for me.
I Love Myself
My journey from body hatred to neutrality, acceptance and finally, liberation has been a long one. It started in my thirties, but it took until my forties for it to bed in. For me to be comfortable with the person I am, inside and out. I refuse to let the opinions of others tear me down. I am prepared to stand up and fight to be treated with respect and dignity and for others to be treated that way too. I will not take any insults, trolling, or faux concern about my body, and I refuse to let anyone pressure me into changing it.
I am freakin’ awesome, folks, and I have nothing to be ashamed of, no reason to hide away and no need to change. Life in my forties is going to be the best part of my life so far.
I Learned To Play D&D
One thing I may not have made clear in my blog is that I am a massive nerd! I love fantasy books, superhero movies, computer games, board games and most types of sci-fi. I have always wanted to learn to play D&D but could never find anyone to teach me.
So recently, I pulled up my big girl pants and joined a couple of online groups. I played my first game last Saturday, and it was so much fun! If anyone is interested, I played a spell casting fox and enjoyed blasting my foes with fire and lightning. It really is the simple things that make life, isn’t it?
I Started To Write
I always wanted to write, but as with so many parts of my life, I was afraid. What if I was no good? What if people made mean comments? Why would anyone want to read anything I wrote? Do I have anything new or of value to add to the conversation.
Luckily for me, when I entered life in my forties, I entered my “Dr Pepper” phase. You know…what’s the worst that could happen? I decided to start my blog and try it for a year. I reasoned that it would be therapeutic to get a lot of what I was feeling down on paper even if no one read it.
To my surprise, people did start to read my work and respond to it. It wasn’t all positive, but I learned a little more from each and every comment. While I still have a long way to go, I am so proud of my blog and everything I’ve achieved over the last eighteen months.
The Point Of This Article
Now you know about my life in my forties and the changes I’ve made. What about you? If you take nothing else away from this article, let it be this, you are never too old! It is never too late to do something new, take your life in a new direction, or change something that’s no longer working for you. You deserve to be happy and live your life on your terms. You owe nothing to anyone else.
Not every new thing you try will work out, some of them may be disasters, but they will all help you grow and learn what you want and need out of life. Don’t be scared; you got this!
