An Extraordinary Woman

Tomorrow, I turn 41. When I welcomed my 40, I did so with excitement, optimism, and a heart full of plans. Life, however, had other ideas. The year that followed challenged me in ways I could never have anticipated. It dismantled certainties, tested my resilience, and forced me to rebuild parts of myself from the ground up.

Yet, as I stand on the threshold of a new year, I realise that my 40^th year was defined by what I found rather than what I lost. I found strength in my work; I authored two books. I found strength in my body; I lost 15 kilograms and discovered a healthier version of myself.

I found strength in my family and friends, who stood beside me through every storm. And, above all, I found strength in my Mahadev, whose presence carried me through days when I could not see the way forward. These are the 40 lessons my 40^th year taught me.

40 Lessons I Learnt in My 40th Year

1. Life can change without warning.
2. We are far more resilient than we believe ourselves to be.
3. Not every chapter unfolds according to plan; that’s okay.
4. Our greatest growth comes from our hardest seasons.
5. Pain demands to be felt before it can be healed.
6. Healing is a daily practice.
7. Strength is built quietly, one day at a time.
8. Survival itself is an achievement.
9. It’s possible to feel broken and brave simultaneously.
10. The heart has an extraordinary capacity to recover.
11. You do not have to have all the answers to keep moving forward.
12. Family is life’s greatest safety net.
13. Real friends show up when words fail.
14. Presence is a more precious gift than advice.
15. Asking for help is an act of courage.
16. We were never meant to carry life’s burdens alone.
17. Meaningful work can be a source of healing.
18. Creativity has the power to transform pain into purpose.
19. Writing helps us understand ourselves.
20. Finishing a book teaches you that persistence creates miracles.
21. Finishing two books teaches you that you are capable of far more than you imagined.
22. Purpose can keep us steady during uncertain times.
23. Reinvention can begin at any age.
24. Every small step matters.
25. Consistency achieves what motivation cannot.
26. Health is one of the greatest investments we can make in ourselves.
27. Treating your body with kindness changes your relationship with yourself.
28. Feeling strong is more important than appearing perfect.
29. Physical transformation often begins with emotional transformation.
30. Midlife is a beginning.
31. Faith does not eliminate struggle.
32. Faith gives struggle meaning.
33. Sometimes prayer is simply choosing to trust one more day.
34. Mahadev’s grace often arrives as strength rather than solutions.
35. Surrender and courage can coexist.
36. What is meant for us does not require us to abandon ourselves.
37. Gratitude becomes easier when we stop counting losses and start counting blessings.
38. Rock bottom can become a foundation for growth.
39. Joy always finds its way back.
40. The woman leaving this year is stronger, wiser, healthier, and more herself than the woman who entered it.

As I step into 41, I carry resilience earned through experience; faith strengthened through testing; gratitude for those who stood beside me when I needed them most; pride in the books I wrote, the weight I lost, the strength I discovered, and the life I rebuilt; and the confidence that whatever the future holds, I can face it.

Because 40 transformed me. Har Har Mahadev. 🙏🏻