This post has been sponsored by Acorninfluence.com and their client. All opinions are my own! 10 Things Every Woman In Her Forties Should Do for Herself

I’ll be forty-four years-old in just over two weeks. I’m middle-aged. There, I said it. Say it with me. Don’t be afraid to say it out-loud. It can be a really complicated time in a woman’s life, but it doesn’t have to be bad or scary. At this point in life, many woman realize they have to make some changes, and change can be hard. Understandably, sometimes we struggle and take a little while to adjust to this new phase of life.

Personally, I had a really hard time adjusting to my body’s changes and figuring out how to keep them from changing my life. I’m completely post-menopause now, after going through a very early menopause. It was so early, I didn’t know what it was until it was over, and it lasted for some years. I assumed I was too young to truly be experiencing menopause, so I ignored the obvious symptoms. I also began having light bladder leakage (LBL). That, I couldn’t ignore. I felt embarrassed, dirty, and helpless.

I stopped doing things that I enjoyed. At one point, I even tried to stop exercising and laughing. Both things are triggers for my LBL, so I just started avoiding them. My quality of life was reduced. I mean, really….laugh less? exercise less? At the time, I wasn’t sure what else to do. It wasn’t something I felt comfortable asking my friends about. So, it was my little secret. Then, I found out about Poise^® Impressa, tried it, and shared my experience on this blog. That post got almost 95K Facebook shares! That was excessive and unexpected proof that I was not alone. LBL is something that affects so many women, but it’s not life-threatening. It doesn’t even have to be life-altering, because Poise^® Impressa actually works to block light bladder leakage before it happens.

Since learning about and trying this ingenious product, I’m doing all the things I was afraid to do before. I definitely didn’t want to be around people or too far from home, just in case. I don’t have those concerns anymore. I’m just trying to enjoy my young-but-not-too-young age. I believe we still have a lot of life ahead of us, but we have a lot of life behind us, too. By now, we should have learned how precious and fleeting time can be. It should be our daily mission to live each moment to the fullest, not in a cliché kind of way, but in a truly proactive approach to our own interpretations of living.  I want other women to enjoy this season of our lives, so I created this list.

10 things every woman in her forties should do for herself.

Take some “me-time” every day.

Whatever you do with your me-time is up to you, but make no mistake. Me-time is alone-time! Holding on to a cold cup of coffee, pretending you’ll get around to drinking it as you rush your children out of the house, doesn’t count.

Play outside.

This isn’t about exercise or getting fresh air. It’s about playing. Blow some bubbles, swing as high as you can on the playground, or do cartwheels in the yard. Forget about adulting for a little while. Just let your inner child out to play!

Learn and experience a different culture.

We experienced a lot so far, but what we know will always be less than what we still have to learn. There’s a lot of growing left to do and expanding our cultural awareness is a good place to start. Learn a new language, participate in traditions from other cultures, and eat food you’ve never heard of before.

Spend time with friends.

Hopefully by now, you’ve figured out who your people are. You’ve distanced yourself from people who aren’t good for you and have gotten closer to those who are. Cherish them and show them that they are appreciated by sharing quality time together.

Celebrate Yourself.

Have birthday parties! Pat yourself on the back and tell friends about your triumphs. Acknowledge all the wonderful things about yourself. Find the confidence to be who you want to be, because we’re too old to worry about who other people think we should be. You want to dye your hair purple? Do it! So what. You’re a work of art, 40 plus years in the making! Celebrate all that beauty and form.

Embrace your feelings.

Our experiences are often remembered by what we felt, rather than what happened. We can’t live in the moment if we are hiding or denying our feelings. If you’re mad, go ahead! Feeling happy? Shout it out-loud. Are you sad? Cry it out. When we embrace our feelings, it’s an act of self-awareness and self-care. We could all use a little more of that!

Explore your hometown.

Meet the neighbors. Find the hole-in-the-wall restaurants that only the locals know about. Learn about the history of your area. Be a part of your community and it’s fabric.

Be proactive about your health.

The keyword here is proactive. This is what will give us the best chance at the longest and healthiest life. In early years, our personal healthcare is usually more reactive. We get a cold, we call the doctor. It’s that time of the year, we get a physical. Our  physician discovers minor deficits, we take supplements. It’s time to get out of that phase where we are so busy taking care of others we stop taking care of ourselves. We have to be proactive so we aren’t stuck reacting to something that could have been prevented.

Laugh more!

Be silly. Smile. Laugh. Don’t be so serious all-the-time. It’s human nature. Before we could talk, we giggled. Laughter is the one most fulfilling things we can do, and it’s  understood in every language!

And don’t worry about, LBL. You’ve got Poise^®. It’s available at your local Walmart, or you can purchase it online. 

Believe in something magical.

I know life isn’t all about rainbows, sunsets, and happily ever after, but it’s still magical.

By: Alicia Gonzalez

Has anything ever kept you from doing the things you love? Share in the comments!