I have been thinking a lot about turning 40. I was unsure what to feel. I remember when I turned 30, the feeling was different. It was more about a feeling that I was reaching a point in my life when things were falling into place. Like a big puzzle where you were ready to put in the last piece! I hope that makes sense!
A lot of things happened to me during my 30s. I got married to my best friend, becoming a wife. Then we had 2 gorgeous little girls and so I became a mum! These have been moments and now memories that have marked my life!
Regarding my career, I decided to persue it in the UK even though I knew it meant I had to carry on studying in order to get my conversion in law. So this was another big achievement for me during my 30s.
Towards the middle of my 30s, I started to question everything. About my life and career. I was made redundant and things were starting to be difficult. During this period, I already had Bella and was looking to get pregnant again. I wasn’t ready to go back to work in an office again. I wanted to be around my daughter and I also wanted to focus on getting pregnant again.
During this period, Nick was happy to be able to support me financially for a few years while I was getting things more stable. I was grateful to have a supportive and understanding husband. This was very important to me. So I became a Stay At Home Mother.
After looking for more than 1 year and almost when I was starting to think that it wouldn’t happen (and that I should start looking for a job), a miracle happened. I became pregnant with Sienna! It was such a blessing for us!
I was fully committed to our new daughter and decided to breastfeed her full time and also I had her with me at home longer time than what we did with Bella.
During this period I was really concerned about what to do with my life! I felt lost. I was very happy to have started a family and also being able to be around them all the time but I knew I needed to find some answers to lots of questions that I had in my head. What would I do? Would I go back to practising law? Am I ready to go back to an office? Would I be able to cope? Will I have a new job? Will I be okay not being around my daughters if anything happens? I was getting older, so who would want to hire me?
I had all these questions in my head but I didn’t have any answers. I just didn’t know what would be best for me and our family. This was killing me! I was so stressed! Nick wouldn’t be able to pay for all of us forever so I had to find something quick!
This was my new challenge: finding a new job so I was settled perfectly for when Sienna started nursery at some point. I didn’t stop researching and looking for other ways to work from home and have flexible hours.
Suddenly after watching so many YouTube videos, I had an idea. It kind of just popped into my head! I thought why not try doing some videos at home to see how it goes. We made a few videos and we loved it but I needed something else. Something that goes along with the videos.
So I decided to have a blog too. I didn’t know how to start it but thankfully my hubby who works in IT guided me. I wanted to document our lives and be able to express myself that way. I was going to start one of the biggest adventures in my life!
I worked so hard during the first year. It was not easy. There is so much behind having a blog and a youtube channel. While I was breastfeeding during the night is when I drafted a lot of my posts. I was so tired but happy. My hours were ridiculous! Now, thinking back I think how crazy I was but it was necessary.
It was a 24hr job, like being a mother. My blog became my third baby! I took care of it very much and gave it so much love that it grew very fast within a year. I was earning money from my blog which was fantastic! I still had a lot of questions in my head. Would this now be my new job and career? Am I now a blogger? Is that my new job title?
Sienna breastfed until she was about 20 months. After that, she was ready to join our local nursery. Sienna needed more stimulation and being around other kids would be perfect for her. I was now in a position to do this because I was earning money so I was able to pay towards the nursery fees. So she joined our local nursery at 20 months old.
Bella was already at school so this meant that I would have some time just for me. I was so excited because I would be able to focus on my blog and channel even more.
The blog is doing very well and now it has become my full-time job! This was a dream that finally became a reality. I went through all these changes almost reaching my 40s. The last decade has been eventful for me. I am surprised at how it has turned out and I love it.
A few months ago, I was investigating about reaching 40 and having big changes in your life. I was a little bit scared of turning 40 and feeling old and that my life was over. The reality is that I feel younger than ever! I don’t think 40 scares me anymore. I think I AM NOW READY FOR IT!
Nowadays, 40 doesn’t mean you are old anymore. It has been researched that a lot of people go through big changes when they are reaching and going through their 40s. Some people like me change their careers, some just decide to start their families or some even decide that it is time to travel around the world!
This is AMAZING, right? Sorry for the long post and if you are still reading, thank you! I just wanted to end this post saying that if you are reaching 40 like me, do not worry because 40 is now the NEW 30! It is the time to experiment, let yourself go, search for your goals, find the way to happiness. Just do what you feel will fulfil you! And most importantly ENJOY LIFE!
Are you in your 40s or just reaching 40? Do you feel the same way? How are you finding it? Did you also go through changes?
Thanks for stopping by,
Love you all ❤️
Franca 💋
Linking up with:
Age is a funny thing! I remember turning 30, I was also pregnant with my first and I finally felt ‘grown up’! Reaching 40 I thought would bother me but the closer I get the less bothered I am. I’m enjoying life.
Well done on all your achievements, and going for them x
#KCACOLS
I thought thirty was gonna be a total downer- came and went and nothing. 35 was a hangup for me. No idea how Ill feel when fourty rolls around.
You have an amazing blog!
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Glad to hear it’s not all downhill at 40 – I only have 3 years left! #KCACOLS
Absolutely agree and you just got to embrace life and enjoy X #kcacols
this is such a lovely post Franca and it sounds like you had an amazing 30s 🙂 well done for pursuing your dreams even though it can be scary at the time. here’s to the 40s! I am not too far behind you 😉 #KCACOLS
I have just turned 30, and reading this post has given me so much encouragement that you can still make changes in your thirties – I feel this pressure that I should have worked everything out by now. But seeing all the things you went through and conquered is really inspiring. I wonder if I will one day be able to write a similar post about turning 40…! Also congratulations because someone loved this post so much, they added it to the #blogcrush linky! #blogcrush
I am approaching 33 and just starting to reach the “am I happy with my life” stage. If I want to change something now is the time! #kcacols
happy birthday! 40 came and went for me without much fanfare. 30 was the hard one for me, because I wasn’t where I wanted to be. I was supposed to be an adult, doing adult things, and I had been stuck in a bad place, just having been through my second divorce, living alone in a big empty house that I couldn’t afford. #KCACOLS
I got very frustrated in myself when I turned 30 that I didn’t have everything sussed out. Perhaps 40 is my 30 and I should just enjoy life rather than worry about it. Happy Birthday x #KCACOLS
Happy belated birthday!! I love this post. I have just turned 26 and I’m freaking out about turning 30, after reading this I’m not worried at all. It’s nice to know that you can still make big life choices in your 30s and it’s still OK to not really know what you’re doing or where your life is going xx #kcacols
In my forties and will soon be exiting. It’s been a fantastic decade, We bought our family home, adopted our two kids, moved to Paris. It’s the right decade for all this to happen. Who knows what the next ten years will hold! Happy forty! #KCACOLS
What a fab post! I am slightly on the other side of the coin atm, as I am only 24 but married with two kids. Often feel like I’m looked down upon compared to other Mums who seem to be doing a far better job and are also older than me! I hope I come to a happy life balance as I age, as you have,,,although hope it comes sooner rather than later! Happy Birthday! x
#kcacols
I’m 30 so I’ve got some time to adjust before I reach 40, but I remember once reading that 40’s is often the happiest time in people’s lives! So there’s that to look forward to!
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This was such a brilliant read! Firstly Happy Belated Birthday lovely. I too recently turned 32 in May (22nd) and have just registered as a freelance journalist / writer so at the very beginning of attempting to work on my blog full time whilst looking after my Son Eco. #KCACOLS
Such a great post Franca, you have done so amazingly well with everything. Reaching 40 is wonderful, I love it and feel blessed for all the great memories each year keeps giving me:)
Mainy
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I have a few years to go till I reach 40 but I have had a very similar few year to yourself. I went back to study at night school and then when I had the twins it made financial sense for me to stay home and that is when my blog was born. I am working super hard on it and hope it can become a steady income to allow me to be with the kids more #KCACOLS
I really enjoyed reading this & finding out more about you! Bring on 40! #KCACOLS
Thank you lovely! 🙂 x
love your positivity in this post Franca…. i remember when you were still building up your blog and you have done so well and come so far…..40 sounds old when you are young but the closer you get the more you realise it really is nothing – and often it is the best time because most people feel a little more ‘sorted’. I am 32 this month and feel like I am still figuring out my place, about to have my next baby, focusing on what my plans are before executing them. I always thought 30 was old before i got there but it is nothing! cant wait to see what the future has in store for you x #kcacols
I’m 35, but my life really turned around when I hit 30 and so did my sisters. My twenties were hell but since turning 30 life has been amazing. Happy 40th, you’re an inspiration! #kcacols
I am 37 but the older I get the better I feel about myself and my life in general. My twenties were very hard with a divorce and the loss of my second son, and yet my thirties saw a remarriage and three more children. I think my thirties have been the best years of my life so I worry that forty will be a bit of a let down, I really hope not! #kcacols
Happy Birthday Franca! It sounds like your 30s were fabulous and your 40s will be even better! Great post #KCACOLS
So interesting to hear about your 30s, and a great attitude about turning 40 – I’m sure it will be great. I wish I had a good attitude to these things – I’m not good with coping with getting older. I took turning 30 VERY badly! #KCACOLS
I am always forgetting how old I am anyway! But my twenties were good, my thirties were good and my forties are feeling like a whole new me is finding a way out. I am much bolder than I ever was and I like it! #KCACOLS
I have just turned 36. I don’t think 40 is a big deal but maybe I will when I am even closer! The good thing is that we all look younger at 40 than our parents and grandparents did 🙂 #kcacols
I’m 30 and I think it’s new 20:D all the time in my head I think I’m 20 something and when someone is asking about my age I need to think first 😀
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