I’m 50 now, and looking back at my 40s, there are three things I wish someone had told me sooner. None of them are exciting. None of them are glamorous. But they’re the foundation for everything else you want to do in this decade — your energy, your mood, your strength, your consistency. Here’s what actually moved the needle.
Listen to the podcast episode:
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Also, this post includes sponsored items. All opinions are my own!
1. Sleep: A Non- Negotiable
Getting enough sleep is key. Seven hours is fine, but eight hours makes a real difference — it’s the foundation for everything else you want to do in your 40s.
For me, that means making the decision to go to bed earlier. I’m usually in my bedroom by 9:30, winding down so I can actually fall asleep and get my seven to eight hours a night. It’s a decision you make on purpose, not something that just happens it is critical. When I don’t sleep well, I find that I start making less healthy choices about everything—what I eat, how I respond to stress, and whether I exercise. I’m more irritable and less focused, and I even notice it in my skin! Prioritizing sleep helps me show up as my best self, and it keeps me grounded to handle whatever the day throws at me.
2. Movement – Worth the Time
Movement breaks down into two parts for me: strength training and walking.
Strength training: I aim for weights about three times a week. I tried twice a week for a while, and it just didn’t feel like enough to build real momentum or get stronger. Three times a week, an hour at a time, has been the sweet spot.
Walking: This one is so good — and so underrated. It’s not hard to do, it’s not hard on your body, and it adds up. My minimum is 10,000 steps a day, but more is even better. A lot of it comes down to habit stacking: an extra walk to the restroom, a few more steps here and there, using a standing desk. It’s easy to let slip, but it makes a noticeable difference.
3. Cut (or Minimize) Alcohol
This one tends to get a little polarizing, so let me explain where I’m coming from.
I stopped drinking about 15 years ago — not from some big moment of clarity, but because I was breastfeeding my son at the time. Pumping and waiting it out of my system felt like a lot of work, so I just kind of stopped. And once I did, I noticed alcohol was hard for me to recover from. I’d feel the impact the next day — headaches, fatigue — and it just wasn’t worth it for me anymore. There are also the extra calories, and the way it can derail your workouts, your movement, and your sleep if you’re not careful.
So for all of those reasons, cutting it out has been genuinely beneficial for me. If you’re going somewhere social, there are so many great mocktail options now — you don’t have to feel like you’re missing out, and the next day you’re not paying for it.
The Takeaway
These three things aren’t flashy. But sleep, movement, and minimizing alcohol have been the real foundation for thriving in my 40s — and now into my 50s. If I could go back and tell my 40-year-old self one thing, it would be: start here. Everything else gets easier when these three are dialed in.
