Introduction
Happy Birthday! I am forty years old. I’ve been through a lot and have come out the other side still standing. I’m stronger and wiser than ever before! The world is different now than it was the day I was born. I’ve seen a lot of changes in my lifetime, but I’m still here and that’s amazing. My life has been full of ups and downs, but through it all I’ve always kept going and never gave up. I’ve made mistakes and learned from them. I have had my heart broken, only to find it was just what I needed to become stronger. I’ve taken chances on things that scared me and learned even more about myself in the process.
I feel like I’m in the middle of my life
I’m turned 40 this summer. As I enter my midlife years, I find myself feeling both excited and reflective. I’m excited because I know that this is a time of great potential for me. It’s when I have the chance to really step into my power as a woman and become all that I can be. I’m also reflective because I realize that so much of who I am today is because of all the lessons I have learned from my past. I’ve been through some pretty challenging times in my life and many of those experiences were painful, but looking back, they seem to have been necessary for me to grow. I’m still young, but I’m not so young anymore either. I have experience now and am not as naive as when I was younger; instead, I am knowledgeable and wise.
I’ve been through a lot over the past 40 years: good times, bad times; ups and downs; successes and failures (and definitely some embarrassing moments too). No matter what happened during those 40 years–and whatever lies ahead–it is safe to say that this birthday will be one to celebrate! I am proud to have made it through 40 years of life and am ready for whatever comes my way next. I am grateful to be alive, healthy, and safe. I am blessed with so many people who love me as much as they do and want the best for me. I’m not sure what the future holds, but I know that I have a lot of life left in me. There are many more lessons to learn and people to meet; projects to start and complete; goals to achieve. It’s been great so far, but there is so much more yet to come!
Another decade
It’s hard to believe that I’m 40. Another decade! I don’t feel 40 at all. It shows on my face, apparently–my friends say they can’t tell how old I am when they meet me for the first time (and yes, this happens quite often). But even if there were signs of aging on my face, I wouldn’t be able to see them anyway because my eyesight is so bad! But I guess that’s what happens when you get older. Tho technically my eyesight has been horrid since kindergarten! Things start to fall apart and it doesn’t matter how much money you have or how hard you work at keeping yourself looking youthful: it happens regardless. It’s all a part of life. I want to age gracefully, beautifully and naturally. I want my hair to turn silver but still have it look good. I want to look back on my life and be proud of what I’ve done with it. I don’t want to waste my time here on earth. If that means I have a few wrinkles and age spots, so be it! I want to be a role-model for women my age and younger, showing them that it’s possible to look good even as you get older. It’s all about attitude. I don’t think of myself as getting old; rather, I think of myself as maturing and becoming wiser with each passing year. Like a fine wine that only gets better with age!
Every birthday should be celebrated because every day IS a gift! I want to be the kind of person who is always striving to be better. I don’t want to look back on my life and regret anything that I’ve done. I want to accomplish something with my time here on earth. I want to be the kind of person who is always striving to be better. I want to be the kind of person who is able to help others, even if it’s just a smile or a kind word. I want to make people feel good about themselves and show them that they have value. When we can do something for someone else, it makes us feel good about ourselves too. Every birthday should be celebrated because every day IS a gift! I want to be the kind of person who is always striving to be better. I don’t want to look back on my life and regret anything that I’ve done. I want to accomplish something with my time here on earth. I want to be the kind of person who is always striving to be better. I want to be the kind of person who is able to help others, even if it’s just a smile or a kind word. I want to make people feel good about themselves and show them that they have value. When we can do something for someone else, it makes us feel good about ourselves too.
I am not perfect but I choose happiness and hope
I’m not going to be perfect. I can’t be. There’s too many variables and factors that contribute to my successes and failures. All I can do is live up to the best of my abilities at any given moment in time, which may look different than what others expect from me. I can’t change the past. I can only learn from it and move forward. The future is uncertain, but that doesn’t mean I can’t plan for it. My life is my own, and I’m responsible for it. Only I can make the choices that will affect my future. If I want to be happy, then it’s up to me to put myself in situations where I feel good about what I’m doing and how I treat other people. You are what you think. You have the power to choose your thoughts and feelings. So why not choose happiness? Happiness is a choice you make. It’s not something that happens to you. You can choose to be happy, no matter what your circumstances are. If you’re feeling stressed, anxious or depressed, then take a step back and consider what’s going on in your life right now. What can you do differently? What can you control? What is out of your control that you need to work on letting go?
Why not choose hope? Hope is a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen. You can’t control what happens, but you can control your reaction to it. We tend to think that hope is something we feel when things are going well, but it’s actually the opposite. Hope is what keeps us going when things aren’t looking good. I have been struggling a lot with hope the last few years. It’s not a feeling or an emotion; it’s an attitude that allows us to face challenges with confidence in ourselves and others. Hope is what gets us out of bed in the morning, and it helps us to persevere when things get tough. When we’re feeling hopeless, it’s hard to believe that anything positive can happen. Hope gives us that strength to keep going when we don’t know where else to turn. When you’re facing challenges, it’s easy to focus on what’s wrong. I struggle with this all the time, all those negative thoughts racing around in my head. You may feel overwhelmed by the situation and have a hard time seeing any possible solutions. Ask yourself: What do I really want? How will this affect my life in the long run? What can I learn from this experience? If you change your perspective, you may be able to see the situation in a different light. The more honest you are with yourself, the easier it will be to make decisions that will ultimately lead you down the right path.
These past few years have been difficult
I realize that the past few years have been hard but also good. I’ve learned a lot about myself, and I’ve come to accept that life is not always going to be easy. You have to take the good with the bad and just keep moving forward, no matter what happens. You will get through this! I will get through this! This is not the end of the world, and it’s certainly not the end of my life. I’m going to keep working hard and doing what I love. I may even find something new that will bring me more joy. I’m going to continue working on myself, and I’m going to keep improving as a person. I will find happiness again. I don’t know what’s going to happen next or how long it will take me to get back on my feet, but I’m determined to do it. I know that with the right attitude and mindset, I can get through anything. Which means taking care of myself and keeping my chin up.
I won’t let negative thoughts get me down; instead, I will, with steadfast determination, focus on all of my admirable positive attributes and remarkable accomplishments–and always bear in mind that there exist numerous individuals who desire nothing more than for me to triumph and prosper in life. I am going to firmly recollect that I am abundantly blessed with a multitude of wonderful things in my life. Moreover, I will strive to sincerely and more frequently express my gratitude towards them. It is crucial for me to recognize that I am never alone, even during those moments when it may genuinely seem that way. By steadfastly taking care of myself and nurturing my well-being, I will undoubtedly regain my footing and emerge stronger than ever before. I am an extraordinarily resilient and indomitable woman, and I am certain that I possess the inner strength necessary to traverse this challenging phase in my life successfully.
If nothing else, these past few years have taught me to fully embrace and accept both sides of myself: to embrace and accept both sides of my personality — my darker side as well as my lighter side — and to learn how they can complement each other rather than conflict or compete against one another. I have come to understand that it is perfectly fine to experience sadness and happiness, to feel good about myself, and even to feel down sometimes — as long as I wholeheartedly embrace and acknowledge those emotions. Throughout this journey, I have discovered the importance of embracing one’s complexities and accepting them without judgment. This realization has allowed me to cultivate a deeper understanding of my own self and how I navigate through the ups and downs of life. It is through this self-acceptance that I have found a sense of peace and balance within myself. So, I continue to embrace both the light and the dark within me, appreciating the unique value they bring to my overall being.
I don’t think it’s too late to change
It’s never too late to learn new things, or change your life in any way you want. You can make a difference in the world, no matter what age you are. I’m still learning about myself and I think that’s what makes life so beautiful. As you get older, you discover more about yourself and the world around you. With each new discovery comes the opportunity to make changes. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. You’ll learn from them and become a better person because of it. You can’t expect to know everything about yourself right away, but keep searching for answers. As long as you’re trying to find out who you are and what makes you happy, then you’ll always be successful at life. I’m not saying that you have to change your life, but it’s important to realize that you can. You’re not stuck in any situation forever. Every day is an opportunity for something new, and every moment is a chance to make an impact on the world around you. You can’t wait for the right time to do something. You have to jump in and do it. I’m not sure what’s going on in your life, but I think that sometimes we get stuck in a rut and we forget how amazing life really is. Sometimes we get so caught up in our daily routines that we don’t take time to stop and smell the roses.
Embrace getting older
Life is precious and you have to embrace every day! You have to look at the world as a positive experience. The older you get, the more you will realize that life is not about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning to dance in the rain. I know it can be hard to accept that you’re getting older. It’s natural to want to stay young forever, but the truth is that getting older is a gift! You have more wisdom and experience now than ever before. You have to make sure you enjoy your life, because there is no guarantee that you will be here tomorrow. Not everyone is given the opportunity to get older–to reach these milestones. Meryl Streep put it beautifully when she said, “You have to embrace getting older. Life is precious, and when you’ve lost a lot of people, you realize each day is a gift.” Don’t waste this gift. The older you get, the more you realize that your life is made up of moments. Every day, every moment is a new opportunity to do something special. You have to make the most of it! You have to appreciate the present moment, because it’s all we have. You can’t dwell on what happened yesterday or worry about tomorrow. It’s not going to do you any good. All you can do is take advantage of what is happening right now. And that’s why it’s so important to live in the moment–because you never know when it will be gone. The older we get, the more we realize that life is finite. We don’t know what will happen tomorrow, how long we will live, or whether our health will hold up.
You should always celebrate life no matter what age you are
We all know that life is short and precious. You never know when it will be your last day on earth or if you’ll have the chance to do all the things you want to do in life. So make sure you live every day like it’s your last! You don’t have to be old to realize that life is short. One day you will wake up and realize how quickly time has passed, how many moments slipped past unnoticed, and all the things you haven’t done yet. One day you will look back on your life with regret for not living up to your full potential. So don’t wait until the last minute to live your life. Start living today and make sure that you are doing all the things that you have always wanted to do. You only have one chance at life, so make it count! You don’t want to look back on your life and realize that you wasted it. You can still make a difference in the world, even if you’re young. It’s never too late to start living your dreams or chasing after your goals. Even if you’re already old, there are still many things to do and see in this lifetime!
If there’s one thing I’ve learned from my 40 years on this beautiful planet Earth, it’s that there is absolutely no point in dwelling excessively on past mistakes or attempting to alter events that have already transpired; instead, shift your focus and channel your energy towards enhancing today’s offerings while learning from previous experiences. Furthermore, it is crucial to remember to decelerate! Slow down and take the necessary time to relish life’s simple pleasures. At this stage, you might not fully grasp its significance, but as you grow older, you will inevitably reminisce about your youth with a sense of wistfulness and lament that you did not truly appreciate every single moment. Therefore, be sure to pause occasionally, inhale deeply, and relish in the magic of the present instant!
Conclusion
I’m excited to be turning 40! I’m filled with anticipation as I approach the remarkable new milestone. It is an extraordinary moment to ponder upon the multitude of achievements I have already accomplished (and the aspirations that are yet to be realized). This juncture in my life holds tremendous significance, and thus, I am relishing every moment of it! Should you find yourself teetering on the cusp of turning 40 (or have recently done so) and experience a sense of unease, always bear in mind that life is replete with significant milestones. Each milestone bestows upon us the opportunity to celebrate our triumphs and eagerly anticipate the next enthralling chapter in our personal saga.
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