In my 20’s I dreaded turning 30. I don’t know why , just seemed to feel as though that would be the point where youth ended . That at 30 I’d be stepping onto a conveyor belt that was just all systems go to old age. I didn’t much fancy that. I was too busy whinging about how I’d wasted my best years with shitty men.
Turns out I was wrong.
Right now, at this moment , at 40 I am more content than I’ve ever been .
A few things seem to have come together to make this the case . Is it egotistical for me to talk about them? Maybe it is , shut this down if it is , accept my apologies and there’s no hard feelings.
You still with me??? Fab?
First reason getting older is good is that parenting has changed. Having 4 children was never going to be a walk in the park. Now the elder 3 are teens though , that physical exhaustion that comes with early parenthood is gone. These kids sleep and aren’t constantly demanding your attention , time , soul… Parenting teens is a different type of hard it’s mentally and emotionally tricky . You have to learn a whole other language , the non verbal kind . You don’t worry less but that bit of ‘me time’ you get and the occasional lie in means you can worry with more energy in the bank and that’s handy!! Once the kids get to teenage age though you’ve grown into your parenting style and the self doubt that comes with early parenthood isn’t so severe.Things feel a little more relaxed these days.
Secondly , for me , is realising that I’ve changed as a person in the past few years and embracing that! I’ve gone on enough on my blog about feeling healed after toxic relationships but that is such a major thing for me. Not all the changes I recognise in myself are so major though. A couple of years ago I wrote this about my hug hatred. I assumed hating physical affection was just a personality trait I was stuck with. As it turned out the more healed I got , the better I felt about myself , the more I relaxed and allowed people in rather than keep my icy little wall built around myself complete with KEEP OUT sign!!
As it happens I’m not cold hearted and I do like affection and even a hug or two! Might have taken me till 37 to learn this about myself but better late than never I guess!
This links into my 3rd reason getting older is great . I’m much better socially these days. It took so many years to truly believe that people don’t always think I’m an idiot and stupid and pointless. Took even longer for me to stop caring about the people who do think that. Once I did get to that point though it meant I became more relaxed in social situations.
I like people,I like talking to them I enjoy socialising. I had an epiphany in Edinburgh over the summer along these lines. My life and my mental well-being are enriched by having good people in my life!
I’ll always be the woman who loves her own company and will happily do dinner , theatre ,cinema alone. I also though am happy doing these things in other people’s company in a way I wasn’t when I was younger. I was too busy in my ice queen ice castle .
Also though quite crucially I’ve almost mastered the art of not spending time with anyone who makes me feel negative . Now that skill took WAY too long to learn , but hey Rome was not built in a day.
Finally something that really pleases me the more I get older is having that bit more confidence in giving my opinions, in stating my view, in being braver in vocalising issues that are important to me. You poor unfortunates who read my blog know that. Feminism, the quest for equality,Domestic abuse, emotional abuse, politics… I’m willing to nail my flag to the mast about my take on these things. Younger me would have been way too afraid of upsetting people.
All in all 40 year old me is a more confident,more relaxed woman that 27 year old me could have been. I am at my best when relaxed and not giving in to old neurosis like the hug thing. Finally I am happy with who I am , my take on the world , what I will stand for . I choose to surround myself with people who who make me feel empowered and positive and I hopefully do that in return .
2020 and its nonsense has taken the shine off my great turning 40 year, so bring on 41!!
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I love this! I’m 32 tomorrow and I’m actually embracing it! My kids are still young and demanding but I’m looking forward to what the future holds. I think as we get older we do become more confident in our beliefs and our need to express them.
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I too have found that since getting older and having a baby the more confident and vocal I’ve become. I’m not as quiet as I used to be and I’ll stand up for myself and my baby when needed! #TriumphantTales
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I think the little ones certainly help , especially when you’re their voice too!x
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I’m in my 40’s and definitely feel I’ve grown more confident over the years. I think you develop an inner confidence once you have children. Having four myself too, each with their own little quirks and needs, you need to stand up for them in many situations. Yes, parenting teenagers is a whole new ball game. I’m pleased my six year old twins keep my sane 🙂 #triumphanttales
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Yes my happy fancy 9 yr old is an antidote to the teens at times!
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I totally agree. I miss my twenties , a lot! Mostly the opportunities I missed out on, things I didn’t do… But, I wouldn’t go back. I miss them but I am quite content at 32. Things are coming together and I’m pretty damn happy. Great post. #TriumphantTales
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Yes that’s what I miss I think , the things I ‘should’ have done!!!
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Great way to look at it! I always dread getting older every birthday but I guess it has it’s perks 😊
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Ha ha yes I think this could be a birthday approaching silver lining post!!!
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Great post! Keep embracing *every* age. I have a friend who turned 50 and took an even bigger step into saying what’s on her mind! 😀
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I think that’s definitely the best way to go!!!
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It is lovely when the kids are a little older and you start getting a bit more sleep. It’s good that you have come so far.
#TriumphantTales
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It really is!!!!
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Kelly you know I am a huge fan of yours and what you have achieved for yourself and your family and it is lovely to hear you being so positive and confident. At 50 I am quite jealous of your 37 years – I had only just had my youngest then! You are lucky to be at this stage of your parenting and to have so many great and youthful years ahead of you. Enjoy every single moment. #TweensTeensBeyond
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Aaaaww thank you so much!!!
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Yay! What a lovely, positive post. I think I still have a couple of years to go before I get to feel like this. Life is still pretty complicated, but I see contentment lurking at the end of the tunnel. So glad you feel like this 🙂
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Ah I love this! I struggle with the ageing process, but we have to stay positive about it! Thanks so much for sharing with #Blogstravaganza xx
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i’m heading fast towards 50, having an older husband and older friends it’s great, no one teases me about my age, they just welcome me into the club, there’s nothing i can do about it, so i just take it as it comes
tweenteensbeyond
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Best way certainly!!!
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Being in your 40s is pretty cool really. I was dreading it but it’s not so bad! I’m not sure how I feel about the 50s but right now I can cope with the 40s! #blogstravagaza
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You hear so much panic these days about getting older so it’s nice to hear a positive take on it! Thanks for joining in at #TriumphantTales, do come back Tuesday!
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Yes I agree. I feel that I’ve got much more confident and perhaps know myself a little better. But then along comes the menopause and shakes some of that self-confidence which is not so great! Thanks so much for sharing with us at #TweensTeensBeyond
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Ahhh this is lovely to read! You are such a survivor and it is brilliant to know that you are happy and confident at 37. I think we learn so much as we get older… I already know so much more at 31 than I did at 21! Life’s lessons are so important. Its all about evolving and making ourselves into the best we can be I suppose. Thank you for joining in with the Honeybee linky! See you for the next one I hope! Xx
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You are nailing it Kelly. And for every post that you write, I always take away something very beautiful too so you can add that to your list of ’37 things’. Thanks for sharing with us at #tweensteensbeyond
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Thanks for linking up with #blogstravaganza
I am 36. Getting old doesn’t really bother me despite my search for a good wrinkle cream and plucking out white hairs 🙂
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So great to hear you embracing the positives about getting older! I agree completely – age brings so much wisdom and experience. It’s important to take stock now and then and acknowledge how far you’ve come and how much you’ve accomplished. ❤ #BlogCrush
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Love this! Lovely positive post about getting older- made me feel a lot better!! And nice to know parenting gets easier/you get more sleep! #blogcrush
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So much more sleep!!!!
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Love this post. Getting older is about accepting who you are, feeling comfortable with yourself and you are so right in saying surrounding yourself with people that empower you and bring positivity into your life. I’m in my early 40’s and to be honest, I’m happier than ever. There is no more pressure of what the 20’s and 30’s had. I’m much wiser, I’ve been through it all and I’m embracing my age as I get older every year.#Blogcrush
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Maybe it’s just getting that bit older and relaxed with who you are that helps!!
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This is so lovely, we always worry about getting old, but the truth is that every stage of our lives brings new and exciting revelations about ourselves and those around us. We all have to learn and grow x
#Blogcrush
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I think that’s it , we are constantly changing and growing still even now x
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Some great points, It’s true with teenagers we worry with more energy! I’m turning 46 soon and it sort of freaks me out in some ways but you are right about being more confident and understanding oneself more and more. I enjoyed this post. #Blogcush
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Ahh, you’ll love 40! (Says she, who turned 40 this year and still doesn’t feel grown up or settled!) #BlogCrush
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Ha ha yeah grown up is pushing it a bit!!x
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This is so true! We are all a lot happier with ourselves at this age and care a lot less about what others think which helps! #blogcrush
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It really does make all the difference!!
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I’m leaving this blog post with a totally new self perception. Thank you! #blogcrush
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Yay!!!!!x
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The saying is true: With age, comes wisdom. Lot’s of confidence, loud, strong vocals, and a few aches and pains. All beats the alternative. #blogcrush xoxo
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Absolutely beats the alternative!!!Let’s embrace it!!!
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I’ve just turned 31 and I keep waiting for this inner-confidence that is supposed to hit as you get older…! But actually, I think it probably is starting to peek out a bit – I’m definitely not as much of a walkover as I used to be, but I think a lot of that is confidence I have found from blogging and meeting lovely people like you 🙂
I am very particular about who I hug – I love hugs from a select bunch of people but most of the time I just freeze if someone tries to hug me.I love that things are falling into place for you. #blogcrush
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Ha ha that’s exactly me!!!unrequested hugs will get ice queen girl and blogging has definitely upped my confidence!!!xx
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It’s wonderful to read that you are aware of how you now react to things and that you are happier in yourself. May you continue to grow in strength #BlogCrush
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what a great post. Getting older sure soes have plenty of pluses and yes (I know as i turned 50 last year) I felt fab in my 30s , even more true to myself and confident in my 40s and am really excited about what my 50s have in store
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That’s exactly what I needed to hear!!! X
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You’re quite right…there are lots of reasons why growing older isn’t so bad. I dreaded turning 30 and was miserable as sin on my 30th birthday so when it came to turning 40 I was an absolute mess! However, it when it came it wasn’t so bad. I soon realised I was a very different person at 40 to the one I was at 30 and my life was so much better. One thing I can’t come to terms with though are the wrinkles! #ablogginggoodtime
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I am always shocked to look in the mirror and find it’s not 22year old Kelly staring back!!!
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Getting older is great as far As I am concerned less pressure to please people Thank you for linking to #Thatfridaylinky please come back next week
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I turned 31 this year and although growing old in general sucks, I’m at my happiest that I’ve ever been. Thanks for linking up to #ThatFridayLinky
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I loved being in my late 30’s for all the reasons you mention. I am 10 years older and things are tough again as physically I don’t always feel as strong. Perhaps thats the working full time! #dreamteam
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Yes!!!! Probably! It’s so hard to be doing EVERYTHING all the time is the problem I guess!!
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Really enjoyed that — I have a sense that some people, independent thinkers if you will, have a harder time than others socially; it takes a while to fit their own skin as it were. We all seem to be born with this urge to “fit in” somehow, even if that means “fitting in” with people we don’t truly value, and this of course clashes with the independent thoughts we are having, the very thing that separates us from others. Kids with these feelings have to sit in a classroom with 30 other people, in a busy school, take part in team activities, with no where to turn really when they find this does not come easy to them. What a recipe for confusion and self-doubt! Especially since, as kids, we don’t have the insight or even the vocabulary to work this through. We have to develop that perspective, that separation from self that brings self-understanding and so on.
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Yeah I guess that’s it , if your thinking and ideals and plans and dreams are a little off ‘the norm’ you do especially as a younger person , feel on the outside . Whereas actually you’re perfectly fine as you are and maybe as you get older find it easier to gravitate towards similar people …or just enjoy your own company ..or both!!
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Yeah, I agree with that … as you can probably tell your post resonated with me … I won’t elaborate too much but our 12-year-old boy is struggling with these issues in his new secondary school. He wants to “fit in” but is an independent, headstrong character and it’s not easy. And he is almost classically male in that he doesn’t want to talk about these things! Especially not with his “interfering” Dad!!!
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Ah yeah that must be tough !!! Must be internal battles going on whether to compromise or not !! Ha yeah they’re not gonna open up to us what do we know? Not like we’ve had a life!!
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Open up???No chance, unfortunately
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You can only keep plugging away I guess …. someone really does need to write a book with all the parenting answers in!!
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It probably should be online and interactive, or easy to rewrite with new information, or when kids confound us once again and defy the textbook answers! Any takers on that one!!!
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Yeah could be a mammoth task! Suppose we’ll just have to stick to making it up as we go along!!
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I’m approaching the big 4-0 this year and I can really relate to a lot of what you say here. I’m an older mum so my littles are still little, but there is definitely something to be said for the self confidence and knowing who you are that comes with a few more years under our belt. Thanks for linking this fab post up to #DreamTeam with us x
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I loved my 30’s. I learned so much about myself and I, too, spent my 30’s healing from so much bad that had happened in my childhood. I’m going to be 41 in July and I thought I would hate turning 40 because I had learned so much in my 30’s but I am still learning and still growing. It’s true that as we get older, we get more comfortable with ourselves and stop worrying about what others think. Also, having teenagers is interesting isn’t it? I have one teen and one tween. Both boys. They make my life so much more interesting:) #DreamTeam
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Yeah I’m hoping I continue to enjoy this aging thing!!Teens definitely keep you on your toes!!
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I am 41 now, seriously how am I that old? Truth be told although I don’t know how it has gone so fast, I am much more comfortable being me now. I like you said, have become happier being me and speaking up and expressing my opinions. It feels awesome to be more comfortable with my personality as I wasted many ayers battling myself and trying to be someone I was not emanate to be. Fab post!!! Thank you for joining #ablogginggoodtime
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I don’t think that 37 is old at all, I’m in my mid fifties, am a stroke survivor and my memory has been super charged#blogginggoodtime@_karendennis
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