How to Create a New You After 40

Landmark birthdays can be a time of self-exploration for many people. A person may find herself asking the age-old question, "What am I doing with my life?" The line of questioning can often lead a person to panic and want to drastically alter the path she is on. If you are newly 40, it is nowhere near too late to reinvent yourself and seek true happiness and fulfillment out of life.

Instructions

• 1

  Keep yourself open to new possibilities. If you feel stuck in a career rut, consider changing your field entirely, whether you apply for new jobs or go back to school part-time. If you're unhappy with your love life, think about making a major change there, too. Refrain from keeping yourself tied down to unhappiness and discontentment by refusing (or being too afraid) to reevaluate and change up your life.

• 2

  Figure out what you want. If you're dissatisfied yet cannot pinpoint why, try to identify the source. Ask yourself if your finances are troubling you, whether you're simply tired of being alone or whether you just feel stressed out, exhausted and overbooked all of the time. The better grasp you have of your problems, the quicker you will be able to work on and eliminate them from your life.

• 3

  Work on yourself. Sometimes a simple change may be all you need. If you feel unhappy and lackluster about your life, do a little something to bring the spark back. Get a makeover and dye your hair a totally new color. Start working out at the gym to lose a little bit of weight and tone up. Take up an exciting new hobby, such as ballroom dancing or cooking Italian style.

• 4

  Take things slowly. If you want to make a major change to your lifestyle, don't just jump into something new and unfamiliar. Start out slowly. If you determine that you want to pursue a new career, take your time to make sure it is really something that you want. Research the career, from the educational requirements to typical work hours and salary. Make sure you understand the reality of something before you take such an important leap.

• 5

  Allow yourself to be afraid. Being scared and nervous about new situations is completely healthy. You wouldn't be human if nothing ever made you feel a little uncertain. Instead of giving your fear the power to hold you back, however, acknowledge that your feelings are a normal part of the process of change and improvement.

• 6

  Believe in yourself. Have faith in your instincts and intuition. Avoid listening to naysayers and people who tell you that you cannot or shouldn't try something new. No one knows what you want and need out of your life better than yourself.