My God! I'm turning 40 soon. Do you have any advice?

My ex was pregnant with our first child, due one month after my fortieth. But the birthday was no big deal.

The depressing, what-the-hell, I-am-getting-old birthday was 55.

I was changing diapers on my second child….working my ass off. Turning 40 defines the rest of your life.

I freaked out when I turned 39 because I knew 40 was next. Now I look far back and wish I had given myself the following piece of advice:

Embrace each decade. Successive ones will continue to arrive faster and faster.

It was the only time, in over twenty years together, my wife didn’t do anything for my birthday. She didn’t forget it, just skipped it because we had a lot going on.

It’s ironic because I don’t usually care about my birthday, but that was the one year I was expecting something.

Happy birthday!

@cinnamonk Thanks It is in July 28.

We have the same birthday month! Mine’s on the 16th.

The main goal I set at age 40 was being alive when I was 50.

Do what it takes to get there.

^^ That’s true.. Should be the primary goal when one crosses 40. Keeping yourself fit / healthy and doing what makes you happy. @Reddeerguy1 – Wish you happy 40!! Like I said make the most of what you have and don’t regret what you don’t. Live in the current moment.

I hit 40 a few months back. I pretty much hit my goals. I can feel my age a bit more now. After working out or working hard I feel stiffer in the morning and I have to stretch more often. My hair has got some hints of grey now. I have spent the last 20 years gaining as much experience in as many aspects of my trade as I can. I’m almost done doing that and am ready to keep the same job after one change or two. It’s basically time to enjoy the spoils of a lot of hard work.

@cookieman, I share your disappointment.

I am only a few months from your age.

Luckily I have a sister 3 years older than I am. She crossed the 40 line while surviving cancer and she is doing great. She for the most part hasn’t changed in the last decade. Except for the cancer blip.

It isn’t like something changes when you hit 40.

For me the only real difference is now when I watch MILF porn it is age appropriate instead of some Freud shit.

Not there yet but what I say still applies, take care of your health. Drinking, smoking, eating just junk food, all that crap is bad if done too much. The older you get the harder it is to prevent and the harder it gets to reap what you’ve sown. I’m 34 but I really think that if I hadn’t drank so fucking much in the last 6 years I’d be way healthier today. If you don’t got bad habits don’t start them now is all I can say.

I willed myself to die in bed on my 40th birthday. It didn’t work, I’m still here at 57. lol
40 was hard, but…it turned into the single, biggest, growth producing decade of my life.
50 was great, however, now that 60 is looming it’s feeling really strange and for sure, getting old now, no denying. Oh well, just enjoy the moments, they add up quickly.

Thanks all I feel better.

Yes, I have: enjoy it. 41 is even older.

For my fortieth birthday, my husband gave me a shiny silver unicycle. It was waiting for me in the kitchen with a big red bow on it.

A unicycle was a whispered wish from my “always wanted” category, and he went for it. I never did learn to ride it, although I banged myself up trying. But it was the idea of it. It still makes me smile.

Turning 40 this year as well. Not at all bothered about it. 40 years (or 39 if I don’t make it to October) – that’s not a bad run for someone who, by rights, probably shouldn’t have seen more than one birthday. And I don’t look a day over 30. Hell, I still get carded sometimes.

@RedDeerGuy1 “I don’t have a degree , house, kids or a drivers license.”

I’ve noticed that you often seem bothered that you’re not fitting the mold you think society expects. Here’s my advice: don’t worry about it. So you’re 40 and don’t have the 9–5 career, don’t have the wife, the kids, the house in the suburbs with two cars in the garage and a dog in the backyard. So what? You don’t really seem like the family man/householder type. Neither am I. It’s your life man, live it on your own terms.

Be happy that you are not turning 50 or 60.

Just turned 41 today! Last year (and this year) I could still say all of the things that you said, except that I do have a driver’s license, but no car. Sure, I felt like I was kind of “behind” when I turned 40, but I had a big party with lots of my favorite people and celebrated the heck out of it anyway.

Happy birthday, @answerjill!

I turned 35 today

Happy birthday, @Berserker!

Happy Birthday! Beserkaline!