Hitting 40s? 7 Must-Do Things Before You Reach Your 40s
Remember that time you were a teen and couldn’t wait to grow older? It does seem like the blink of an eye. You cross your 20s and overstep the 30s, and then whoosh… 40s are just around the corner, like a black cat that crosses your path on an overtly hectic day. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
It’s inevitable to grow old, but why not make the most of it while you have the chance?
So, let’s forget about the looming age factor for the next five minutes or so. Instead, decide to become the CEO of your life for the years you’ve left before hitting your 4Os. And even if you are already in your 40s, well… it’s NEVER too late to try doing something new!
Let’s get started.
Things to Do Before You Turn 40
Start a Side Hustle
Find what you love, and let it kill you. – Charles Bukowski
You study all your life, go through high school, do odd jobs to pay for tuition, all because of the American dream job. But while that job does help you put food on the table, there’s a clear-as-day reality that goes amiss – that 9-5 job doesn’t guarantee your retirement plans.
So, the best thing to do is find a side hustle that you can carry with your regular job. And it can be anything.
- Sell your art on Amazon
- Become a YouTube Influencer
- Become a Food/Real-Estate blogger
- Start with Affiliate Marketing
The possibilities are endless, and so are the long-term benefits. 😎
Make that Road Trip You’ve Been Meaning to
Sometimes the most scenic roads in life are the detours you didn’t mean to take. Angela N. Blount. They say all work and no play make Jack a dull boy. No matter how old this saying goes, it fits well with every phase of life.
We all have dream places to visit, but delaying that much-awaited trip until you’ve retired? Not a good option. Before you start feeling too grown-up, take that road trip. Take friends or a loved one with you, or go solo.
The best time is always now because when it’s about road trips, you never know when the fuel prices might start shooting up! 👀
Set a Good Sleep Routine
Sleep is the best meditation. – Dalai Lama
Do you find yourself dozing off in the subway while coming to work? It’s a good indicator of a disturbed sleep cycle.
A regular sleep pattern can make all the difference in the world. And especially so, if you’re on your way to middle age – because there won’t be any turning back! But the measures of today deliver fruitful results tomorrow.
So, setting up a good 6-8-hour sleep routine in your 30s can help you navigate life better.
Stop Paying Rent. Invest in Your Home
The only bad time to buy property is later. – Steve Bolton
Renters know the amount of money that goes down the drain to pay rents every month. Not to mention the constant stress of finding a new place as the contract nears an end. Realistically speaking, preferring to buy a home is far-fetched. And many people stray away from it from the sheer fear of making the wrong decision. But the best alternative is to pay installments.
Not only is it reasonable but also manageable to reserve a chunk of your income for your very own home. 🏠
Experience Living in a Different Culture
You have to taste a culture to understand it. – Deborah Cater
It’s easy to form opinions about a different race, religion, or culture. The world does seem one-dimensional if you keep looking from your eyes only. But to experience it from the eyes of others serves its merits.
Take a well-deserved break to vacation in Machu Pichu, or spend some time in a holy temple in Sri Lanka. Either way, you get to interact with people who think, speak, and live differently.
Let Go of Grudges
World peace starts at home and begins with letting go of grudges. – Charles F. Glassman
We’ve all held on to grudges even though we know it’s not productive. It can either be a friend who refused to support you in your trying days or a loved one who based the relationship on lies. No matter what you do, things won’t change. But you CAN do one thing: Accept that no one is perfect. And with that acceptance, forgive everyone who’s wronged you in the past.
This way, you can embark into your forty’s life with a fresh, clean, and healthy state of mind.
Take Care of Your Health
Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live. – Jim Rohn
Put aside all the wealth you’ve earned so far, all the properties you’ve bought, and all the breathtaking places you’ve visited. If not for your health, you wouldn’t be able to make it to your 30s as you’d originally planned. Or perhaps you could, but what good could it be?
In the 21st century, we often see people tied down with hypertension, tension headaches, and sleep deprivation. All these accounts for a disturbed mental state of mind. Therefore, taking care of your health comes first. Because only when you take care of yourself can you take care of your loved ones. 👨👩👧👦
Before You Leave
Of course, there is no end to the things you should try at any time of your life. But these were just some of the top ones anyone who’s dreading their forties absolutely MUST try. If anything, it will help you appreciate, cherish, and make the most of your life.
And as JK Rowling wrote in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban: ‘Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.’ 💡
Do you have a 40’s bucket list, and did we miss any from yours?