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Wow, I turned 40 on June 29 and I made it through the day without flipping out! Maybe it will hit me hard when I wake up tomorrow, but it doesn’t seem like a big deal at this moment. I remember when my own mother was 40. I was 15 myself and back then, I thought she was sooooo old… Today, I’m the one reaching that milestone and my perspective is obviously different. I was 36 when I had my first child and 38 for the second, so to my 15-year-old self, I’d look quite ancient!

Growing up (and eventually growing older) has quite a few advantages in my opinion. When I turned 20, I didn’t know anything about life and I didn’t care. The world was completely open and out there for me to discover. Over the next 10 years I figured things out and found myself, including by moving to another continent and sticking to a job I would enjoy long-term. By the time I turned 30, I felt like I finally graduated to adulthood, and it was a cool place to be. Another 10 years have gone by and at 40, I feel like I have proven myself to other people (I have a career and I can handle two kids, well, most of the time) and now I’d like to prove to myself that I can develop some other talents and interests. Which talents, I’m not sure yet, but that’s what makes life interesting every day.

And yes, my “40 and fabulous” T-shirt from Cafe Press is in the mail, and I can’t wait to wear it! To all moms out there 40 and over, carpe diem! As KebMo says it so well, “life is beautiful, life is wondrous…”

I turn 40 this Saturday, June 19th. I am not looking forward to this.

I am already dissatisfied with the way I look. Boobs have started their downward spiral, body could stand to lose about 50 lbs., teeth could use a professional whitening treatment or veneers, deep wrinkle in the forhead could use some Botox…the list seems endless. Even more so, I feel like I haven’t accomplished many of the things that I’ve wanted to do for ME.

I feel like I’m complaining, but I’m not. I have a wonderful husband, 3 beautiful daughters, a home…but I have definitely slacked off in what I want for myself. I have never been a good self-motivater or good at tooting my own horn, so I’m not sure exactly where to start. Or maybe I do know where to start but feel overwhelmed. Anyways, good luck and be strong to all the women out there…we all go through it one way or another.

Every woman has a Real Cougar inside just waiting to be released—a woman who is strong, confident, independent, sexy and proud to be over 40! Check out Don’t Ever Call me Ma’am - The Real Cougar Woman Handbook

Turning 40 for a woman is kind of like taking ownership of a souped up sports car. You have the keys, you know how to drive it, but where are you going to go? Linda Franklin shows the way. This essential guide is all about women taking ownership of the power that comes of a lifetime of experience. Linda covers topics such as relationships, work and finances and shows how to create the life you want with effective, meaningful strategies. Reading this book felt like a celebration–the author lets us know that it’s high time women of a certain age have fun and not be afraid or ashamed to do so. Thank you Linda!

A Real Cougar is a woman who:

I have been doing some thinking about life, the universe and everything (so I know the big birthday is actually in two years…) and I decided I would share a few things I have learned on the journey thus far. Some you may recognize. I didn’t come up with any of these in a vacuum.

• Mercy is a better than judgment.
• No one is poor who has friends.
• It is better to leave the job and respect yourself than to endure for the sake of economics.

• Being able to look at yourself in the mirror is more important than what other people think.
• Making people angry for fun isn’t cool.
• Degrees and certificates mean very little. The truly educated continue to learn throughout life and don’t consider their education complete when they earn a piece of paper.

No doldrums, no sadness, no longing for younger years for me. I refuse to turn 40 and wish I were 30 or 20 again. I am stronger and better and more beautiful now then ever before. Sure, I don’t have everytihng in my life I had hoped I would have by now…. But maybe all that is still to come or, more importantly, maybe I did not need those things anyway. I really do believe we are given what we need. So I’ll turn 40 with a week of celebrations, topped off by participating in my first half-marathon. I am 40. Hear me roar.

http://redlipstickrunner.wordpress.com

I feel fabulous and thankful to be a wife, mother of two, friend, business owner and since turning 40, advocate, who is alive and healthy!

At age 12, I was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes. “Blindness,” “kidney failure,” “amputation,” and “no children” were recurring words that accompanied the diagnosis. Determined to conquer this disease and lead a fulfilling life, I went on the insulin pump at age 17. Having diabetes has strengthened my faith, confidence, and sense of humor. If one can manage and laugh about the daily challenges and surprises of living with diabetes, then one can accomplish anything!

Shortly after turning 40, I was honored by the local chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). This life-changing experience directly partnered me with JDRF and the work that is being done to cure diabetes.
via: More Magazine

I was born in 1970.  All my life, that has been very convenient.  My age just went along with the years.  It was very easy for everyone to remember my age - including myself.  It is not so convenient this year, since 2010 minus 1970 equals 40.  For. Teee.  Yes, I’m really turning forty.  In May.  Sigh.

I’ve been trying to get mentally ready for this year.  I started reading More magazine at the age of 39 to prepare me.  It is, after all, a publication for women 40 and over.  I always look those charts in entertainment magazines that show everyone’s age.  While it is comforting to know that Matt Damon, Tina Fey, and Kelly Ripa will all turn 40 this year too, I am keenly aware that they get paid to stay in shape and look good.  They also have the means to employ chefs, personal trainers, nannies and whatever else it takes to stay fit and beautiful.  It’s a lot harder for us regular folks.  (Ewwww.  That sounded like something an old person would say!)

So instead of seeking consolation in celebrity magazines, I instead decided to look around me.  I have a lot of friends turning 40 this year and thanks to Facebook, I am back in touch with even more of them.  Many of my friends are committed to being fit and healthy and to passing those values on to their children.  So, as we I go through this year, and help several of my friends blow out the 40 candles on their cake, I thought I would introduce you to some of the Fittest Forty-Year-Olds I Know.