There’s something quietly powerful about turning 40. It’s the age where you start to feel like you’ve lived enough to know who you are, but you’re still young enough to reinvent yourself if you want to. You’ve loved, lost, learned, grown, stumbled, bounced back, and come out of it all with stories that only women in their 40s can tell with a knowing smile and a graceful shrug.
The crazy part is that your 40s can also be a bit of a mixed bag. On one hand, you’re more confident and self-aware than ever. On the other hand, your body is starting to whisper, sometimes scream, “Hey, sis, slow down.” Between career demands, raising kids (or dealing with teenagers), taking care of ageing parents, trying to stay fit, and maybe still figuring out what you really want for yourself—it’s easy to forget the woman at the centre of it all: you.
This isn’t the time to get lost in the background. If anything, your 40s should be about stepping fully into your power. This is your season to thrive, not just survive. So here’s how to make these years not just bearable, but beautifully, intentionally bold.
1. Move Like You Love Yourself
Forget punishing yourself into shape. Your body has been through a lot—it deserves love, not shame. Exercise isn’t about fitting into a pair of jeans (although we love that too); it’s about energy, longevity, and mental clarity. Find what moves you—literally. Is it yoga at dawn, Afrobeat dance classes, weekend hikes, or long, peaceful walks while you catch up on your favourite podcast? Whatever it is, do it. Often. Move in ways that make you feel alive.
Pair this with a way of eating that honours your body. That doesn’t mean giving up jollof or plantain. It just means balance. More veggies, less sugar. More water, less soda. A little mindfulness in your meals goes a long way in how you feel.
2. Be Kind to Your Bones
Here’s the thing—our bones start to lose density as we age, and women are particularly at risk for osteoporosis. Your 40s are the perfect time to start protecting your future mobility. That means getting your Vitamin D levels checked, adding calcium-rich foods like leafy greens and dairy to your diet, and incorporating strength training or resistance workouts into your weekly routine. Even a few squats while brushing your teeth in the morning can make a difference (and make you feel like a multitasking queen).
3. Get Menopause-Ready
Menopause doesn’t arrive with a red carpet and a calendar invite. For most women, it sneaks in during the 40s, masked as mood swings, irregular periods, sudden heat waves (aka hot flashes), and maybe even sleepless nights. You’re not going crazy—it’s your hormones recalibrating. This is your body’s way of shifting gears, and while it can feel disorienting, it doesn’t have to be miserable.
Talk to your doctor. Explore natural remedies or hormone therapy if needed. And most importantly, talk to other women. There’s comfort in shared stories, laughter over the weirdness of it all, and power in knowing you’re not alone.
4. Keep Those Health Checkups Sacred
You can’t pour from an empty cup—or from a cup that hasn’t been screened for lumps, bumps, or high cholesterol. Prioritise your health checkups like you do meetings and school runs. Mammograms, pap smears, blood pressure checks, cholesterol levels—get them done. Not out of fear, but out of love for the life you’re building.
And if you’re feeling tired all the time, moody, or anxious—don’t ignore it. Mental health matters, too. Speak to a therapist, journal, or join a women’s support group. It’s okay to not be okay—but it’s not okay to stay there without help.
5. Protect Your Peace Like a Designer Handbag
You wouldn’t leave your Chanel bag in the middle of a market and walk away. So why leave your peace unguarded? Your 40s will teach you that protecting your peace is a full-time job—and that it’s perfectly okay to say no. No to toxic people. No to overcommitting. No to trying to be everything to everyone.
Say yes to slow mornings. Say yes to weekends away with your girls. Say yes to naps, therapy, skincare, silence, books, prayer, or whatever nourishes your soul. This is the time to build a life that feels good on the inside, not just looks good on Instagram.
