Forties, Fun and Fabulous

Loving the gorgeous weather

Remember when we were young and the age of 40 seemed so old? And some people celebrated turning 40 as if life was almost over? Do a google search for “life in your forties.” A lot of the results are negative and doom and gloom. Moi? I had a big 40th birthday party to celebrate the next chapter of my life, the real thing, as my adulthood is just beginning. I am realizing that being in my forties will probably be the best time of my life. Some of you ladies in your forties out there may disagree with me, but here are my reasons why you should be celebrating your womanhood during this period.

1. I am more confident and fearless than ever! I know who I am, what I want to do, where I want to go, who I want to be with, and most importantly, what makes me happy. I feel powerful from the inside out. I live for me and I don’t care what anyone thinks of me. I don’t need the world to accept me as long as I accept myself.

2. I am wiser, more patient, and more experienced in the game of life. By now, I have been there and done that. I have made mistakes (many of them) and have learned from them, experienced true love as well as painful breakups. So I definitely know what it is like to love and have loved. I am also more patient and more focused when it comes to achieving my goals whether business or personal. I have also learned not to act upon impulsive, but rather take a step back and analyze all options before making a move.

3. I am healthier. I know I can’t take back time and erase those few extra wrinkles under my eyes, but I can control how I take care of myself. I am more educated about healthy living, I eat better, I sleep better, I wear sunblock and stay out of the sun when I can, I focus more on quality than quantity, and I exercise regularly to keep my body alive and my spirit youthful.

4. I have more fun. Ever since I turned 40, I no longer worry about what other people think or say about me. I just focus on enjoying every moment and not taking life too seriously, like I did in my teens when there was no opportunity for me to enjoy life because of my family’s circumstances at the time. I work very hard but make time for fun, especially dancing and simply just chilling with my dog or experimenting with different types of foods.

5. I am more selfish in a good way. Up until now, I spent my life focused on pleasing, serving, and making others happy. I thought that my happiness was dependent on making others happy. But in reality, in order for me to truly be happy and be able to make others happy, I must focus on my own internal happiness first. These days, it’s all about me. If it does not please me, then I don’t do it.

6. Lastly, I feel sexier, more powerful, and more in tune with my femininity. I used to feel uncomfortable when people would tell me I am too girlie or overly feminine. I would often lower my voice to sound firmer or even wear pants more often than dresses so that it made me appear tougher in a man’s world. Now, I celebrate my inner goddess and womanly qualities and I just express myself naturally in a “take it or leave it” attitude.

These days, I am more internally focused rather than putting importance on superficial external things. I know that in order to attract what I want, I must become what I want to attract. And while I can’t (and don’t really want to!) stop the aging process, I value my mind, my body, and my soul and spirit too much to let that go. I hope all you ladies in your forties out there feel the same way I do and always take care of body and feed your souls.

Pictured in this post is one of my very close and dear girlfriends and my partner in crime. She is a Harvard grad, a mother, a wife, and a successful business woman who knows how to work hard and play hard. I love and admire her very much. Like me, she loves life and celebrates every moment of it. These photos are from our recent holiday in Mykonos, where we took the time to refresh and rejuvenate together, without work and family responsibilities. The focus was about us. Even with the late night fun, there was plenty of sleep, plenty of walking, and a healthy breakfast the next morning. We might have a few laugh lines and a gray hair or two, but who cares – it’s the attitude that counts! And we don’t feel a day older than 21! (smiles) Our time together was so precious and playful.

What are you ladies doing to celebrate your forties? I’d love to hear from you!