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10 Women Get Real About Turning 40

Is it as bad as you think? Spoiler: It's so. much. better.

by Lindsay Tigar | COMMENT

PHOTO 4/11

"I realized how much of my life I wasted trying to please other people." The 40th year was a difficult one for counselor and coach Renee Jones, but one that shifted her perspective on life, living and her sense of self. After her mother passed away, Jones was left with the task of living without a parent's input, which she says freed up a lot of emotional energy to be herself and explore what that might mean. "In my 40th year I lost my mother, but I began to find myself," she explained. The largest take-away during this year of transformation was realizing how much of her years she spent attempting to satisfy the needs of other people and putting her own desires on the backburner. With this clarity, she sought to turn the tables. "I realized that living, serving and sharing my gifts with others was my purpose rather than trying to keep up with whatever trend or group. I was finally beginning to develop the courage to quit 'just working' and start living my purpose in my career," she said. "I had enough education, training and experience, and I had something real to offer to others. It was my time to step forward and claim my space."

Image via Renee Jones

SEE NEXT PAGE: "I paid my dues -- and got my PhD."

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