Life begins at 40 – and what makes your heart beat with new purpose?
Growing up, 40 seemed ancient and yet, I still feel like a kid in a candy store when I view and think about certain things in life.
Being a dad keeps my mind young and ages my body in triple time.
There are benefits about being older… I mean, wiser – because you take each step with your cumulative life experience and lessons.
I’m more decisive and don’t agonize over every detail as much as I used to.
Exercising a good work ethic is still important – and I expect it from others – but I focus now on working smarter, not harder.
I appreciate the opportunities to give back – despite my very limited time – including enjoying coaching others.
Work life balance is a top priority. If it’s one thing the pandemic years has reinforced, it’s to enjoy life and each other while we still can.
For the most part, I’m enjoying my 40s. It isn’t without challenges – like raising a child with an invisible disability.
When I think about the next phase of life, I am more excited than daunted about what lies ahead.
I hope I never stop wanting to grow and challenge myself – because I feel the best years are still ahead.
I look at one of my muses, Kylie Minogue, who in her mid 50s is having a charts resurgence with her infectiously joyous new song, Padam Padam.
I find the narrative around her perceived comeback interesting – as if artists (and women) of a certain age should just lie down and die.
I find the middle stage of life fascinating, because we can take everything we’ve spent years honing and put it to creatively good use with more precision, decisiveness and confidence.
But I also keep it real. Life these days is centered around T – all my free time is consumed by T.
Most days, I feel deep gratitude for this; some days, I desperately want a break.
But on this Fathers Day weekend, I look at our little kid and think to myself how lucky did we get when the universe matched the hubby and I with him as his parents.
What makes your heart beat and go Padam Padam?
You sound so positI’ve in this article and I could use this kind of vibe especially when I feel down. Life truly begins at 40. You are blessed to have T
Thanks Faith. I tend to be positive and try to focus on that energy. And life brings at 40 was a line I took inspiration from your posts!
Hope you had a great Father’s Day weekend!
Thank you, Claire. It was great! 😊
And it’s very nice to hear from you. Hope you are well. I miss seeing your posts! I checked and your site is still not loading.
This post really warmed my heart Ab. I think once we hit 40 things don’t seem to bother us as much. Then you hit 60 and even more so. My granddaughter always asks why I don’t get upset when they break something, etc. I told her the same thing you said, life is too short!
Thanks Diane! That is comforting to know. I’m still at the age where I would add to the end of your sentence, “And if you break another one, your life will be shorter.” 😆 I’ll give myself a few more years. 🤣
Have your grandkids started summer yet? We have 7 more days of school till summer! 😊 Hope they have a good one!
Wonderful thoughts Ab. “Being a dad keeps my mind young and ages my body in triple time.” – how true this is. Sometimes I feel the same – like a desperately need a break from it all sometimes. I certainly feel my body struggling to keep up with the energy of my younglings. At the same time they have taught me how to look at the world as if for the first time. That has been like a breathe of fresh air. Happy belated Father’s Day Ab. Hope yours was filled with love! 🙏
Thanks AP. Kids for sure change everything – and mostly for the better! The fresh air statement is for sure. They provide the oxygen to keep on going.
Have a good week ahead with your family!
Hope today with your guys is wonderful Ab 🙂
Thank you Deb! 😊 It was a mostly relaxing day. Far too short. Hope you had a relaxing weekend too.
Happy Father’s Day to you both!
Thank you Margie!
Happy Father’s Day to you and your hubby, Ab! You’re doing such a great job. 🥰
Thank you Erin! And glad to see you had an amazing weekend getaway!
Happy Father’s Day Ab!
Thank you Tammy!
Happy Father’s Day! May you three continue this beautiful, fun life together! Blessings!
Thank you. Let’s hope! 🙏
Happy Father’s Day!! I couldn’t agree more about how our perspective and priorities change as we get older. We have many more life experiences and are more comfortable with ourselves. It can be easy to lose track of that sometimes, but it’s nothing like spending time with family that makes you remember what’s important. And that the best is yet to come!
Thanks Linda. It certainly is easy to lose that perspective. Hope you had a nice weekend. I was very disappointed to see the air quality go downhill again. Hope it’s short lived!
Happy Father’s Day to you and the hubby! Love your view of life!
Thanks Vickie. And likewise and same to you. 😊
Love this Kylie Minogue video – it’s great! And your Father’s Day thoughts are wonderful too. Big picture and we know we are incredibly blessed – and little picture which is every bit as real even though it’s so much more fluid. I totally resonated with your comment about work ethic.
Padam padam – definitely my kids – and authentic exchanges such as this post. Beautiful, Ab! Happy Father’s day to you and Hubby! <3
Thanks Wynne. I created this post just cuz I could post the video. 😂🤣
And I can tell by your posts and the weekly hearts you shared that the Centre of your heart and it beats for your kids.
Wishing you a happy Fathers Day weekend too, Wynne!
What you say about what Kylie Minogue does in her 50s reminds me of What Michelle Yeoh achieved at the age of 60. “I find the middle stage of life fascinating, because we can take everything we’ve spent years honing and put it to creatively good use with more precision, decisiveness and confidence.” I totally agree with this. Happy Father’s Day, Ab!
Thanks Wynne. Absolutely agree with you about Michelle Yeoh. What a fantastic story and career resurgence to experience in the 60s. Life is all about being open to the unexpected and at anytime. 😊
Bama here. 🤭
Hahahaha, I haven’t had my coffee yet when I was responding to you. WordPress also throws me off when the avatars get all mixed up sometimes. Sorry about that, Bama! 😆😂
Haha, no worries, Ab!