Like Sands Through the Hourglass...These are the Stages of Her Life I’m here to attest – “Forty and fabulous” is exhausting. I know some of you are scoffing, thinking “yeah, it’s exhausting to be rich and skinny too, but I’d like to try those things on for size and get back to you.”

Seriously though - there are BIG expectations. We 40-somethings are supposed to have it together: kids are grown or well on their way, careers are in full swing or we now have time to figure out what we want to be when we grow up, and most of us have at least some idea of who we are. I’m told being this age is very chic...

Yes, it’s very chic experiencing empty nest syndrome and perimenopause at the same time. I liken it to a devastatingly slow roller coaster ride. I find myself somewhere between hanging on for dear life and throwing my arms up, hoping I’ll be ejected. Oh, and did I forget to mention said roller coaster runs through the scariest fun house of all time? Creepy clowns and crazy mirrors give new meaning to “shock and awe.”

And then there’s the career. After raising kids for what seems like a lifetime, we’re supposed to just jump back into work – enthusiastically…and don’t forget, fabulously! And if we’re already well established, well then that jet lag of the past 20 years is supposed to magically disappear and be replaced by invigoration. Yep, I feel like jumping on the old treadmill and losing 20 pounds, how about you?

And finally, why do we think we have to be so dynamic? Great dinners, clean houses, nail polish that never chips, roots that never show. Why by 45 should we know how to make pie crust flaky or our homes shabby chic? Is crafty the new black? Just this past weekend, in an effort to be crowned the DIY queen, I was refinishing a pair of nightstands and found myself apologizing to them as I applied, of all things, a product called Aging Cream. You better believe I wore thick gloves and made sure that room was well-ventilated.

If you’re in any other decade of your life, be grateful. Our 20s, everything can be blamed on youth. Our 30s, we’re busy. Our 50s, we’re menopausal...finally it’s ok to be emotional (I’m going to milk that one for all its worth!). Our 60s – because Grandma said so! Our 70s, we’re forgetful, yet somehow that’s adorable.

If we can make it through our 40s, we can make it anywhere: New York, American Ninja Warrior, hanging on to an iceberg as the Titanic sinks, Route 59 during rush hour, Target on a Saturday afternoon. We’re 40-somethings and dare I say…we’re remarkable!

about the writer Tiffany Schultz resides in Sugar Grove with her husband, two kids and Shih Tzu. While seeking balance between her dueling roles as wife, mother, daughter, friend and professional, Tiffany spends as much time as possible daydreaming on her screen porch. She also enjoys cooking, traveling and yoga and hopes to one day learn Italian and make the perfect crème brulee.

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