Has anybody here had an exciting life change at the age of 40 or above? I am bored, I am depressed and I am very, very alone. Obviously, the first two attributes do nothing to improve my chances for changing the third attribute. Give me hope! Any fun new careers? Any exciting new romances in spite of no longer perfect bodies? Any rebounds into health and fitness? Any conquests of self defeating personality traits? Bring 'em on, please! Do what no therapist has ever managed – inspire me to greatness and get me out of this self-pitying, “I’m too old to live” mood that I’m in. Thanks, folks!
eh, my mom switched from full-time housewife to translator at a taiwanese company when she was forty… does that count?
Does being laid off at 49 count?
Not a big change of life, but we decided to move from York, SC, to Pennsylvania. Same newspaper job, but at a larger newspaper. Sold house, bought new, larger home. Much more room.
To do this, I had to live in a basement apartment for six months, batching it, house-hunting up here while the wife, three children, three cats and a dog dealt with life down south, including getting the house sold (which finally happened after seven months and two price reductions).
Now, while the economy’s contracting, I’ve got (I hope) a secure job, in a place we LOVE, and we’re out of South Carolina. And it seems like, although PA is more expensive, my salary more than makes up for it. I am VERY grateful!
Plus, a short story I wrote during the time I spent up here by myself won second prize (and $3,000) in the Mark Twain Writing Competition. It is my first fiction sale, and I’ve been writing stories (on and off) for almost 20 years. Plus I’m writing a novel that’s going well.
Not a major life change, but an enormous boost in the right direction.
My friend’s dad decided at age 50 that, after several kids and a decades-long marriage, he really was gay.
Pretty damn life-changing.
Oh, Tenar, do I have a story for you…
I turned 40 in August of 1990. Like you, I thought that it was downhill from there. Ha. Double ha.
Since that time, I have lost 95 pounds and then underwent a tummy tuck, meaning that I have gone from a size 26/28 to a size 14. I look marvelous, darling. 
And you think that is good?? You haven’t heard anything yet. I also met and have fallen in love (for the first time!! at 40!!) with the most wonderful man–RickQ here at the SDMB. Since I had the same attitude you seem to have about turning 40, I couldn’t believe all this was happening to me. I mean, here I was, 40 years old, flying off to England to meet this young stud (sorry, sweetie, I know you will be reading this, but it had to be said) who I had met and fallen for on a message board. Me!!! at 40!!! Not an impulsive person!!! Much skinnier me!!! Unbelievable!!!
All things are possible and life after 40 can be grand, Tenar. Trust me on this one.
I have a few disjointed “inspirational” tales to tell:
My mom always says her life began at 40. She had some sort of thyroid condition, she was somewhat overweight. She was about 40 when diagnosed for the thyroid condition, and the medication helped lift her out of a bad depression.
She was over 40 when she went back to work, after being a full-time housewife for many years. Her job wasn’t a “career”, (just a JOB, you know?) but it was a major change. She also lost a whole lot of weight after age 40, and kept it off.
She also had a major religious transition (in a positive direction) when she was past 40. She was (and still is) very active in the church choir, and sang many solos (she’s got a great singing voice) waaaay past her 40s. She is considerably older now, and still gets asked to sing solos.
She took up pottery after she retired. She has taken on several new challenging and fun activities since she retired. Hell - she LEARNED HOW TO DRIVE after she retired! She now putters around town in a minivan!
She hasn’t let her age hinder her from doing some fun, challenging new things. She’s always excited about learning new stuff. Friends that are her age are ready to atrophy in the senior’s center and play Bingo. They think she’s nuts. She thinks they’re just a bit sad.
I believe that President Truman was a “nobody” at age 40, but obviously his life took an upward turn after that.
One of my friends, an accomplished potter, decided at age 40 to go back to school and get his degree, so he could teach. I remember we were all incredulous about his decision. But he did it. He’s now 50, and teaching pottery at a major Los Angeles college!
I have a friend who’s a scooch over 50, who just sent me an email asking for advice on deciding which hot babe…
I hate getting email like that.
My Dad sold his business and went to law school when he was 50. It all worked out very well for him.