Turning 40 and Looking Forward

Turning 40 wasn’t so bad.  Last month, I reached the “over the hill” mile marker in life.  It was something I dreaded when I was young, but it turns out that it’s just another day.  The good thing about turning 40 is being able to look back at the progress I’ve made over the past few years.  Without that progress, 40 may have been a little worse.

Fat, drunk and angry is not a recipe for success…

When I turned 30, I was pretty much a mess.  I had a fledgling business that was doing well, but demanded a lot of my time.  My health was on the back burner and I was steadily over-eating and drinking too much on the weekends.  I was completely out of shape and couldn’t keep up with my 2-year old daughter.  I was hot headed, prone to anger and wanted to be right, all of the time.

Looking back, I’ve come a long way in ten years.  That makes 40 not so bad.  While I’m not in the best shape of my life, I’m back to a normal weight and functionally strong.  My blood work and health markers all come back pretty solid.  I’m able to keep up with my kids most days (nobody has as much energy as a child).  My business is stable and still growing.  I’m more receptive to critiques and suggestions, and I realize I don’t always have to be right.

I can take a look and say, “wish I knew then, what I know now”, but that’s not the answer.  I can accept that I’ve grown up over the last 10 years.  I needed fat angry me in order to get to where I am today.

Looking Forward

So 50 is the next mile marker.  I’m certain there will be defining moments that will shape me, my family and my business.  Hopefully, looking back from 50, I’ll have made smart decisions and continued to grow.  The process of personal improvement never stops and that’s something to look forward.