The following is a list I found online and I revised it for myself. It’s a different way to look at middle age, so I thought I’d share. What’s most important about a woman in her 40's, I think, is to know life is good and a gift from God no matter what your age. It’s my list and I believe it shows how our perspectives can change with age.
What I can do now in my 40's I couldn’t do in my 20's
1. Bake a decent loaf of bread. 2. Make an amazing cup of coffee. 3. Tell the truth. 4. Pray aloud in front of others. 5. See value in someone else. 6. Set a goal and achieve. 7. Know what family life is and not what I think it should be. 8. Reveal the love of God without apology. 9. Never go out without makeup. 10. Not desire a ridiculously expensive car. 11. Choose organic produce. 12. Speak to a group of strangers with confidence. 13. Read Washington Post instead of Entertainment Weekly 14. Have a list of priorities and stick to them. (Still working on this one) 15. Share my opinion without hesitation. 16. Celebrate my friends’ achievements without being envious. 17. Choose clothing based on my personal style. 18. Ignore today’s celebrity du jour. 19. Ignore people's nasty comments. (Another work in progress) 20. Keep simplicity a priority. 21. Stand up for myself. 22. Stand up for others. 23. Sit and appreciate a symphonic concert. 24. Consider what’s happening in the world and know how it will affect me. 25. Take on a leadership role in the community. 26. Stop worrying about whether people like me or think I'm pretty. 27. Respect my parent’s opinion. 28. Show my children what independence looks like. 29. Show my children true beauty. 30. Drive the speed limit. 31. Pay my bills. 32. Appreciate excellent food instead of shoving it in because I’m hungry. 33. Make decisions based on experience and wisdom. 34. Swap tanning lotion for eye cream. 35. Focus on a healthy body instead of a beautiful body. 36. Say "no" to stuff. 37. Be adventurous with exercise instead of going to a gym. 38. Stop trying to be perfect. 39. Let go of unrealistic expectations. 40. Adjust to change.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: A list of maturity