They say life begins at 40.
Oh yeah!
If you’re a woman about to hit 40s, you’ve had a lot of experience in life.
You may have raised a family, worked hard to get where you are professionally and even started your own business or not.
Anyhoo, there are things that every woman should know by age 40:
14 Things Every Woman Should Know By 40
1. You are beautiful
Women are taught from a young age to be self-conscious about their appearance.
This is compounded by the fact that we live in a culture that bombards us with unrealistic images of beauty and “perfection” on a daily basis.
Hello Instagram!
The truth is, there is no such thing as perfect; everyone has their flaws and imperfections.
By 40, you should know to be your own definition of beauty and not be tossed to and fro by society’s definition of beauty.
2. You deserve respect
This goes for your body, your mind, your opinions and your feelings — they are all worthy of respect.
In this day and age when women still face discrimination on many levels, it’s important to hold yourself in high esteem so you can fight against any injustices that come your way.
One area a lot of women endure disrespect is in a love relationship.
At 40, you shouldn’t tolerate any disrespect from any man.
You should know how to stand up for yourself and not let any man walk over you.
3. Your intuition is powerful; trust it!
Your intuition knows more than you think it does — it will guide you toward the right decisions at work and in relationships with family members or friends.
Sometimes it will lead you down paths where you feel uncomfortable or unsure of what to do next — but those feelings are there for a reason: they’re telling you something important about yourself or someone else in your life.
Each time I ignore my instincts, I regret it.
Your intuition is there for a reason.
Don’t ignore it.
4. What makes your heart sing
I know this sounds cheesy, but having something that makes your heart sing — whether it’s music or art or even just playing with your kids — can make all the difference.
As we age, it becomes easier to lose sight of the things that bring us joy and fulfillment.
We can become so focused on our careers and family that we forget what makes us happy in the first place.
But having a clear understanding of what makes your heart sing can help you find happiness, whatever stage of life you’re in.
5. Who you want to be
It’s never too late to change your life and it’s never too early to start working toward a goal or dream.
For example, if you’ve always wanted to be an entrepreneur, it’s never too late to start researching what it takes and how much money you’ll need to get started.
If you’ve always wanted to travel the world, now is the time to map out your itinerary and start saving up for tickets and hotels.
It’s never too late to become who you want to be.
Don’t give up on yourself because you think your youthful age has passed.
6. What you want out of life
Are you happy with where you are in life?
If not, what is holding you back?
What do you need to do differently in order for things to turn around?
Think about these questions and write down your answers so that they can become part of your daily routine — as well as fuel motivation when times get tough.
Be honest about what’s important to you.
Take time to reflect on your past and future goals.
How do they fit together?
What would make you happy?
What gives meaning to your life?
What exactly do you want out of life?
7. You’ve learned how to say “no”
By 40, you should know how to say “no” without being selfish or feeling guilty.
This is the time to choose YOU especially if you’ve always put yourself last.
You’re not going to do everything for everyone anymore — especially if it means sacrificing your own health or happiness.
8. Know how to make and manage money
At 40, every woman should know how to make and manage money.
It’s not just a matter of earning your own paycheck and paying your own bills, but also making sure that you have enough savings to cover unexpected expenses and emergencies.
Here are some tips on how to get started:
1. Get a job
2. Start a side hustle so you have multiple streams of income
3. Create a budget. This will help you keep track of every dollar coming in and going out so you know where your money goes each month, and how much is left over to save or spend on fun stuff like clothes or vacations.
4. Pay off debt
5. Start saving for retirement or set up automatic contributions into your retirement savings account every month (if you don’t already have one)
6. Make sure you’re getting paid what you’re worth at work (even if it means asking for a raise)
7. Know how credit cards work and how not to get into debt using them
8. Don’t live above your means or to impress others
9. What your health is like
It’s important to have regular checkups with your doctor and dentist, especially if you’re over 40 and have not had any health problems before this point.
Women are more prone than men to certain diseases such as heart disease, cancer and osteoporosis, but there are many things that can be done to prevent these diseases from occurring or being more severe than they would be otherwise.
Check your vital signs regularly, do a mammogram once a year, cervical cancer screening, know your BMI(body mass index) etc.
Don’t neglect your health is what I’m saying.
10. What your values are
You should know your values by now.
By this age, you know what makes you happy and what doesn’t.
You should be able to tell the difference between what’s important to you and what’s not.
If something doesn’t fit with your values, then it needs to go.
What are your values or anything goes with you?
I’m in my thirties and one of my values is peace of mind.
I don’t tolerate anything that messes with my peace of mind.
I don’t care what it is, it has to go.
And what I value the most is my relationship with God, then my family.
I also hold honesty, excellence, kindness, and ambition in high esteem.
Know yourself and your values.
11. How to love yourself
It’s never too early or too late to start loving yourself.
And one of the best ways to love yourself is by learning how to let go of things that don’t serve you anymore — whether they’re negative thoughts about yourself or relationships that are no longer working for you.
Self-love is key.
If you don’t love yourself, how will you enjoy the love of others?
12. Don’t compare yourself to others
By 40, you should know that life is a personal race and everyone has their own unique journey.
No one has the exact same experiences as someone else so stop comparing yourself to other people.
Instead of focusing on what others have or don’t have, focus on what makes YOU happy and fulfilled in life!
13. How to take care of yourself physically, emotionally, spiritually and mentally
You should know how to take care of yourself in these major areas to achieve holistic health.
Your body is a temple. And it’s your job to take care of it.
Know the exercises that fit into your schedule and makes you feel strong, food that nourishes instead of drains your energy.
Get plenty of sleep, drink enough water and make sure you’re taking time each day to relax by yourself or with loved ones.
Engage in self-care practices that bring balance into your life.
Take care of your mind by reading books, watching movies or listening to music that inspires you.
Stay true to yourself — even if it means standing up for what’s right even when it’s not popular or convenient.
Be aware of how your emotions impact your day-to-day life — both positively and negatively — so that when they arise, you can move through them quickly instead of letting them linger.
14. Create a support network of friends and family members
By 40, you should make it a goal to build a support system that makes life enriching for you.
It could be your family, siblings, or trusted friends.
While it’s important to learn how to enjoy being by yourself, it’s crucial to enjoy meaningful relationships.
At this age, you’d want to enjoy deep interactions with like-minded people, so be intentional about building a meaningful relationship and most importantly, stay away from toxic relationships.
Make your circle small and don’t let every Tom, Dick, and Harry into your space.
Doing these will definitely set a good pace for the next decade of your life.
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