15 Fun Things to Do at 40 Every Man Should Do

Content:

1. 40 Years – Oldness or Just the Heyday of Life?
2. Myths About 40 Years
3. 15 Fun Things to Do at 40
4. And One Last Thing

What age is the best? For some, it’s usually their carefree childhood or college time. Opinions differ, but there seems to be the main borderline moment in our lives when both personal and professional aspects begin to slowly roll downhill, and many believe it comes at 40. Not only because after 40, the chance of hearing “young man” in your address is pretty slim but also because this age brings the time men like to call “the peak of loneliness.” And if that’s not enough, by 40, a lot of men start to hate their career choices. But are prospects really that bad?

Sure, 40 is the age when you’re no longer a proud member of the youngsters’ clan, and you formally fall into another, older group, and people around expect you to behave accordingly. And don’t get us started on what happens when you turn 40 to your body. But despite all the formalities, turning the 40th birthday into some sort of Rubicon you’re about to cross is an exaggeration. Besides, it’s the period between 20 and 39 that’s the most stressful with its important life decisions, relationship anxiety, and personal growth. At 40, things tend to get much calmer, and you finally have time for yourself. So why not take your mind off thoughts of the inevitable and check out our list of fun things to do at 40?

40 Years – Oldness or Just the Heyday of Life?

You can’t turn back aging – it’s a law of nature, and nature’s pretty hard to fool. Everything around us is changing and growing older, and we all have to deal with it. But the process itself doesn’t matter as much as our attitude towards it. If a man understands that life isn’t going to end at the age of 40 but, conversely, can get even more exciting and rich, then the light won’t go off. We turn it off ourselves when affected by stereotypes, we begin to consider ourselves old, set weird boundaries, and abandon what we enjoyed before. This is the wrong path.

Luckily, a paradigm shift is already underway. We’re starting to relate differently to aging, and that's great. Nowadays, few will say, “He’s turning 40 this year, so he can afford to look bad.” It’s not age that determines the appearance and activities of a man; the main and decisive factor is his physical condition. Life at 40 can still bring a plethora of surprises: someone starts a new career, while others radically change their lives, quit their jobs, and become downshifters. People are different, and their experiences are unique. But there are some general trends.

A man can be successful, active, and charismatic at any age. These aren’t just words but a never-ending trend. In today's’ society, like hundreds of years ago, a man is a leader. He chooses his path: he’s free to stay single, have fun online, meet girls, and go on dates all the time or find that special someone, settle down, and enjoy a quiet life.

Myths About 40 Years

40 is nothing but a number that indicates your age. But for most men, the fortieth birthday means reaching a certain milestone, maturity. What these years will be like is largely up to you. There’s a huge variety of facts about turning 40 on the web, but you’ll probably learn most of them one way or another. What’s more important is to know which ones to believe. We’ve put together a few common myths that have nothing to do with reality.

It’s too late to change anything

If you suddenly want to change your family status, place of work, or appearance and add new goals to your wish list by the age of 40, then you’ll be glad to know that there’s no age limit for revising life circumstances and values. Negative thoughts can be very dangerous because they give life to internal blocks and make you feel like a product with an expiration date. Convincing yourself that your best days are over, kills your motivation to seek happiness.

You can forget about your sex life

Too many people have a solid belief that older folks shouldn’t, don’t want to, or can’t maintain an active intimate life, but sexual attraction doesn’t go anywhere once you turn 40. And while you still should be ready for certain mental changes, they won’t become an insurmountable obstacle to sex life. Erectile disfunction or lowered orgasm intensity isn’t a sign that you and your partner must forget about sexual pleasures for the rest of your lives. Thousands of couples turn these small problems into motivation to look for new ways to spice things up in bed. In fact, one of the good things about turning 40 is that your intimate life may get much brighter.

You’ll start getting shorter

Becoming inches shorter is completely normal. Over the years, the intervertebral discs grow thinner, we begin to lose muscle mass, and the cracks between the joints narrow. But a significant loss of growth may be a sign of osteoporosis. It’s a condition when bone density decreases, and the risk of fractures increases. The best way to avoid fractures is to try to prevent bone loss. Nutrition and lifestyle are the two main risk factors that you can control to protect yourself from potential health issues. Make sure your diet is high in calcium throughout your life and move regularly. Walking, jogging, aerobic and strength exercises will keep your bones fine and dandy at 40, 60, or 80.

Midlife crisis is knocking at your door

That’s one of the worst things that come in 40. Or not? You may anticipate it for years, but it will never kick in. Midlife crisis is such an abstract concept that some scholars even deny its existence. This is a very old stereotype people pass on from decade to decade. Sometimes we even expect it to come, and then, oddly enough, its signs become a relief to us. But that’s explainable – the midlife crisis is the simplest excuse to forget about the burden of responsibility for your life – “Oh snap! I’m so bad at [blank] – it’s all because of this midlife crisis!” Be bolder and stop saying you’re in crisis. Treat it as a stage before something fresh and exciting.

You’ll begin to forget stuff and talk to yourself

You’ve probably caught yourself having a chat with your brain a few times by now. This isn’t a sign that you’re getting older or developing some kind of mental condition. Things like that are completely normal. This way, we’re slowing down our thought processes to catch up with them with the help of language centers in our heads. When you speak to yourself, you’re thinking a bit slower and begin to better understand your feelings and emotions. As for forgetting things, 40 is too early for any serious changes to occur. The brain can make new cells at a much older age. Just make sure you don’t leave your brain without regular pieces of training.

Your past mistakes won’t let you build the future you desire

It’s OK to be afraid of your mishaps because you don’t know what to expect when you turn 40. Indeed, life experience has undeniable value for us – we learn from mistakes. But these mistakes shouldn’t prevent you from living in the present – their place is in the past. Every moment of your life offers you thousands of opportunities to do everything as you wish. You can’t equate your past and future. The past is your information baggage which helps but doesn’t keep you from moving further in the right direction.

You’ll get health problems and extra weight

Both can happen at any age and depend only on your lifestyle. Yes, by the age of 40, your metabolism isn’t as fast as when you were in your 20s, but you can help yourself with regular sports and proper nutrition. Train your memory, read books, solve logical problems, and the sharpness of your mind will be at its best even at 60. 40 is a wonderful age when long and happy life is ahead, and good life experience and wisdom are behind. So don’t look for reasons to doubt yourself and move forward, achieving all your goals.

15 Fun Things to Do at 40

The third and fourth decades of your life are the most important. You decide what career to pursue, determine what you believe in, and become a full-grown adult – there’s so much to do! But once you’re done, it’s time for fun. Here are 15 things to do when you turn 40.

Dress to impress

Some men just can’t cope with the fact that they’re no longer 25, so they try to keep up with youth fashion trends. Bad idea. The younger you dress, the more you highlight your age, and it makes your overall look a bit weird. The best choice for men in their 40s is to stick to the classic style with playful tones.

Visit a destination you always dreamed of

What’s great about being a 40-year-old man is that now you can afford to travel wherever you want, and you’re young enough to enjoy the trip. And what’s better – there are plenty of adventurous things to do at 40 years old. It’s a perfect time to chill somewhere in the Bahamas, look handsome, enjoy delicious food, and try out all the luxury hotels in the area. You look quite fresh – so use this to your advantage. Check the luxury vacation destinations and pick one you like most.

Start training for something

No one expects you to become a pro tennis player but having a sporty hobby to distract from work is a nice idea. Begin training regularly, and you may even discover that you’re in much better shape than you were 10 or 20 years ago. It may take a while, but once you have a solid workout plan, you’ll feel a lot younger.

Dine at a Michelin restaurant

One of the funny things about turning 40 is that you can be mature and wealthy but still have awful food habits. Try to change that. The more stars the restaurant has, the better. Sure, pleasures like this don’t come cheap and be ready to wait for months for a free table, but if you’ve never experienced the luxury of fine eating, now is the right time. Make sure you enjoy every moment once you there.

Go to a live concert of your favorite band

One day you’ll want to tell your kids, friends, or family about how you drove all day to a U2 stadium concert, grabbed the last ticket to see Sufjan Stevens when he was passing by your town and gave one single concert at a local club, or listened to Sigur Ros in an amphitheater under an open starry sky. Tickets can be pretty expensive, but a live concert is always worth it.

Watch all movies from the TOP 100 list

Back in 1998, the American Institute of Cinematography surveyed 1.500 of the most talented and influential personalities in the movie industry, asking them to help pull together a collection of the hundred best American films in the history of cinema. The list (edited in 2007) consists of works, some of which you probably already saw (such as Forrest Gump, Rocky, Star Wars, and Jaws), but if you dig deeper into history, you’re unlikely to see many of those (such like Rear Window, Stagecoach, and All Quiet on the Western Front), which show the evolution of cinema and American pop culture. Let it become a real digression into the past and broaden your horizons with good films.

Go on a volunteer trip

This is one of those things to do when you're 40 and single because you won’t have a concerned partner who’ll try to talk you out of this endeavor. Yes, the public has criticized short-term missionary trips a thousand times because they offer a short-term solution to long-term needs. But, if you take this matter seriously and find yourself in the right place at the right time, then this experience can turn your entire life. Just remember that the purpose of the trip isn’t only to teach others what you know but also to allow people to tell about their lives and see what they go through every day.

Look your fears in the eye

Be it public speaking, fear of depth, rejection, or panic on the plane, you need to stop hiding from your fears, and just boldly look into their eyes. Sign up for swimming lessons, go to an extreme-lovers club, or even talk with a psychologist. Any steps towards overcoming your fears during this period of your life can do you a great service in the future when they finally cease to control you.

Run a marathon

It doesn’t matter what physical form you’re in now, there are a lot of options where you have to show endurance and character. For example, when running a 3-mile cross-country or marathon, but you’ll have to work out for a couple of months to be able to get to the finish line. You’ll always feel awesome when recalling the work you put into this event. And running is very beneficial!

Write letters to five people who influenced you

The worst mistake you can make in letters like these is to never tell how exactly they influenced you. Even if your letter is very short, focus on the people who helped you develop in the right direction, and tell them how much their support and advice mean to you.

Reconcile with your enemies

On the way to 40, it’s silly to hold an old grudge. Make peace with the people who still make you feel bad. You have no excuse for not forgiving someone, especially as an adult conscious person. This is perhaps one of the toughest things to do when 40 is right behind the corner.

Try to get a dream job

Don’t look back thinking what if. Time’s running fast, and you must make the most out of it. Even if it seems to you that you don’t have enough skills to work your dream, do everything in your power to come for an interview. Maybe nothing will come out of it, but at least you’ll know for sure that you haven’t missed your chance.

Perform on stage

Tell a joke, sing a song, read a sermon – the choice is yours. No one’s stopping you, so you can even try your hand at stand-up comedy. Or prepare a lecture. Find the opportunity to go on stage with a solo act in front of a real audience to impress them with a microphone and your thoughts. Public speaking isn’t only about fear – it’s about adrenaline!

Write a story

Each person has a story to tell. Take time to write one and make it as fascinating as possible. You don’t even have to post it anywhere for people to read it, but this is a good exercise in introspection we all have to practice at least once in our lives.

Learn to play a musical instrument

Get that guitar, flute, or accordion that’s been collecting dust on the mezzanine or buy a drum kit you always dreamed of as a kid. Who knows, maybe you’ll discover a hidden talent you never thought you had?

And One Last Thing

The bottom line, one of the crucial things to do at 40 years old is to finally find love for yourself if you haven’t done it before. By the way, it’s the first thing you should start with according to psychologists because everything else will then follow by itself. We’re not talking about extra French fries or a few more beers at a party and not about that brand-new smart TV that would look perfect on the wall. You need to strive for inner harmony and learn to tell what you really need.