Although I am an only child, I was blessed with a baby sister, even though we are not related by blood. Her name is Erin Smith, and she is, among many other things, beautiful, intelligent, loving,
caring, independent, supportive, charismatic, inspiring and strong.
And, like me, Erin is unwed, single and childless.
She recently turned forty, and my goal is to rescue her from all the perceived notions that will emerge as she enters this next phase. Fortunately, I’ve done the legwork on these pitfalls, so now she won’t have to. I’ve documented my findings in the letter below. Not only do I hope this comes as a source of encouragement for Erin, but also to anyone who may be struggling with similar life challenges, or, on the brink of turning forty themselves.
And, if that is the case…
WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!
Dear Erin,
Congratulations! You made it to forty. I don’t mean to call out your age, but it kind of goes with my theme here. 😉
Turning forty is a huge milestone in one’s life, and some deal with it better than others. I, unfortunately, was not one of those people. My early forties brought much fear, depression and anxiety, and actually turned me into a person I would eventually fail to recognize.
But don’t panic! I’m not trying to scare you. In fact, I’m here to report that the stress I absorbed from this momentous birthday was both unfounded and unnecessary, and the trauma sustained was self-inflicted. Luckily, the real Tracy has returned, (she’s baaaack), and I can now share with you what I learned over the last few years so you can make a much smoother transition than I did.
Follow these simple, (and yes, very clichéd), steps below, and you will avoid the forty “pity party” and start celebrating this new and exciting chapter in your life.
