Your 40s aren’t about slowing down—they’re about stepping into your power.
In this post, you’ll learn 15 meaningful ways to upgrade your life in your 40s, from your health and finances to your mindset, home, and relationships. Whether you’re starting over or simply ready for more, this is your decade to intentionally glow up—from the inside out.
I didn’t fully realize this until my 40s, but a glow-up isn’t about becoming someone new—it’s about finally becoming yourself – becoming who you are truly meant to be.
The 40s Glow-Up: 15 Ways to Upgrade Your Life This Decade
Your glow-up doesn’t need to be overwhelming or expensive. It’s about small, intentional upgrades that compound over time.
Let’s break it down.
Health: Build a Body That Supports the Life You Want
1. Prioritize Strength Over Just Weight Loss
In your 40s, your body changes—and that’s not a bad thing. Instead of focusing only on losing weight, I’ve really shifted my focus to building strength, improving mobility, and having more energy.
One of the things I’ve been doing for years is Zumba toning classes. We use light 2–3 pound weights, and even though they’re small, I’ve definitely noticed a difference in the strength of my arms. It’s a great reminder that you don’t have to go extreme to see results—consistency matters so much more.
I’ve also been more intentional about increasing my protein intake. A super simple change I’ve made is adding protein powder to my oatmeal in the morning. It keeps me full longer and helps me avoid that mid-morning crash, which has been such a game changer for my energy.
And honestly, one of my favorite habits is going for walks after I eat. It’s such an easy way to move your body, get fresh air, and clear your mind at the same time. It doesn’t feel like a “workout,” but it adds up in the best way.
The goal isn’t to punish your body—it’s to support it so you can feel strong and energized in your everyday life.
- Lift weights (even light ones!) 2–3 times per week
- Focus on protein intake
- Walk daily
2. Create a Simple, Sustainable Routine
You don’t need a complicated routine to be healthy in your 40s—you need one you’ll actually stick to.
I’ve found that the simpler I keep things, the more consistent I am. Instead of trying to overhaul everything at once, I focus on a few small habits that fit naturally into my day.
For example, I love starting my day with something gentle, like a short walk or just taking a few minutes to wake up slowly, study the scriptures, instead of jumping straight into stress.
At night, I try to wind down in a way that actually helps me sleep better.
I dim the lights.
I also like to end my night with a drink of water with a pinch of Icelandic salt. This keeps me hydrated, helps my joints, and I’ve noticed I don’t have to get up in the middle of the night as often—a simple tweak with big results.
Stretching. Praying.
If I feel like I have a lot on my mind, I will open up Google Keep and use voice to text and just do a download of the day or things I’ve been thinking about. Getting my thoughts out of my head helps me sleep better.
Nothing fancy, just being more mindful about not staying up too late or scrolling forever.
And I’m not perfect at all of these things all of the time, but these small habits really do help when I implement them. And since they are simple, I do them more often than not.
The biggest shift for me has been realizing that routines don’t need to be perfect to work. They just need to be repeatable.
When your routine feels easy, you’re way more likely to stay consistent—and that’s what actually creates results over time.
Think of your routine as something that supports your life, not something that takes it over.
- Morning walks or slow starts
- Light stretching or movement
- A consistent sleep schedule
Consistency will always beat an “all or nothing” routine.
3. Get Serious About Your Energy
Energy is everything in your 40s. When your energy is high, everything else—focus, mood, motivation—flows more easily.
I’m not perfect at this—some days I slip—but I follow the 80/20 rule: focus on doing the right things most of the time, and don’t stress about occasional off days. Consistency beats perfection every time.
One of my recent favorite morning habits is using red light glasses. Just a few minutes helps me wake up fully and gives my eyes a gentle boost of natural light, which sets a positive tone for the day. I also love opening my blackout curtains to let the sunshine in.
One really nice thing is that I don’t set an alarm (unless I have to get up for something important, but even then, I usually wake up right before my alarm goes off). If I’m consistent and go to bed around the same time each night, I naturally wake up at roughly the same time. This rhythm alone has boosted my energy and mood more than I expected.
Throughout the day, I keep my energy up with simple, healthy snacks that are easy to grab:
- Unsalted mixed nuts for protein and healthy fats
- Crackers and hummus for a filling, savory snack
- Fresh fruit like apples or berries for natural sugar and fiber
- Greek yogurt or cheese sticks for extra protein
I also try to move a little every day—even short walks outside or stretching breaks can do wonders for energy and focus. Pair this with avoiding processed foods and managing sugar intake, and your body feels noticeably more alert and capable.
Finally, I remind myself that it’s okay to have off days. Protecting your energy includes being gentle with yourself—stress drains energy faster than anything else. Keep it simple, consistent, nourishing and non-judgmental.
When you make energy a priority, everything else—your glow-up in health, mindset, and productivity—becomes easier and more sustainable.
Finances: Step Into Financial Confidence
Your 40s are the perfect time to take control of your money. By now, you’ve learned a lot about spending and saving—but the glow-up here is about clarity, optimization, and making your money work for you, not the other way around.
4. Know Your Numbers (Without Obsessing)
Financial clarity is empowering. You don’t need to micromanage every penny—but you do need to know where your money is going.
I’ve been tracking my spending for years, but what really made a difference was switching to the Empower app. I love it because it’s automatic, gives me clear insight, and lets me spot patterns without hours of manual work.
Remember, we are optimizing our lives in our 40s. We don’t have to do all the things we were doing in our 20s and 30s if they don’t serve us anymore.
Just seeing all of my expenses at a quick glance, helps me to know where I need to improve. That’s the magic of knowing your numbers: you gain confidence and peace of mind without obsessing over every dollar.
5. Optimize Your Money Instead of Starting From Scratch
By your 40s, you’ve learned the basics. Now it’s about making small tweaks that add up big over time.
Some of the things I focus on:
- Making sure my savings are in high-yield savings accounts or brokerage accounts
- Using credit cards strategically to earn cashback on EVERYTHING I buy
- Reviewing subscriptions and memberships regularly—if I’m not using them or they don’t add value, they go
A few small optimizations could free up hundreds of dollars a month, and/or make us hundreds of dollars a month.
A little a side note, I was having dinner with some girlfriends the other night and one of them brought up the Automatic Millionaire. He mentions that if we can automate our savings (or investing) then it will get realistically get done. And he adds this analogy.
We have subscriptions that are automatically charged to our credit card EVERY SINGLE MONTH. But, if we had to actually transfer money to that company each month, we probably wouldn’t. We might do it for a month or two and then realize we don’t actually use that subscription that much so we wouldn’t make the transfer anymore.
Think of that in terms of saving/investing. We are less likely to manually make that transfer each month, but if it’s already automated for us, we will just let it keep doing its thing.
Let’s automate all the good things we can!
6. Start (or Expand) an Income Stream
Money growth is part of your 40s glow-up. Even if you already have savings, adding a little extra income creates more choices, more freedom, and more security.
For me, starting with the Amazon Influencer program was eye-opening. At first, the income was small—just a few dollars here and there—but over time it grew steadily, all the way to consistent $5k+ months.
It’s amazing what a little focus on growing your income can do. Once we see what’s possible, we can continue to expand that.
It was the same when I started investing in real estate. When I bought my first rental and saw the semi-passive income coming in every month (and the appreciation of the property), I knew I needed to do it again and again.
And it doesn’t have to be side hustles. I’ve also seen my completely passive stock market investments grow over time. I started with a small amount, was consistent and watched it turn into $100s of thousands.
You could also make sure to schedule times with your boss to talk about a promotion or raises.
The takeaway: it doesn’t have to be huge. Even a small, consistent side income stream, or raises at work, can make you feel more in control of your life and future.
More income creates more options, freedom—and more peace. As long as we aren’t falling prey to lifestyle inflation, where we increase our spending with the increase of our income. 😉
Home: Create a Space That Reflects Who You Are Now
Your home should be more than just a place to sleep—it should support the life you’re creating in your 40s. A few intentional upgrades can make your space feel lighter, calmer, and more aligned with the woman you’ve become.
7. Edit Your Space Ruthlessly
One of the biggest glow-ups I’ve done at home was simply letting go of things that no longer served me.
It’s amazing how much lighter and calmer your space feels when you stop holding onto items out of habit or guilt.
I sold a ton of old picture frames, decor and kitchen items at my last yard sale and it felt good to get rid of those items that weren’t serving me anymore.
Now, I am not perfect at this and it is still a work in progress, but I like a more open and minimalist home. I don’t have cabinets everywhere with knick knacks all over them. I like clean spaces with some plants for decor.
You could go through your closet, kitchen, and even living room surfaces, asking yourself:
- Do I love this?
- Do I actually use it?
If no, get rid of it. There’s so many different ways people get rid of their stuff – sell it, trash it, donate it, keep it in a box for 6 months then get rid of it.
Here’s what’s really matters though – choosing a system that you will actually follow. If you feel too overwhelmed choosing what to donate and what to throw out that you never start getting rid of stuff, that’s not the system for you. Just trash it all if you have to.
That may sound very wasteful and I get that. BUT all that stuff is wasting your energy, your time, and your focus – that is wasteful. You could be spending that energy, time and focus on things that will help other people, that will help yourself.
We are focusing on ‘glowing-up’ so get rid of the stuff that is holding you back.
Decluttering isn’t about perfection—it’s about creating space for what matters most. This is a great way to improve mental clarity.
And if you are thinking of buying items, consider these questions to ask yourself:
- Will this improve my life or just make it more expensive?
- Do I have a space for this already?
- Will it make my home feel more cluttered?
Try to avoid even bringing things into your home that aren’t going to serve you.
8. Upgrade One Area at a Time
You don’t need a full home makeover to feel like you’ve leveled up. I like to focus on small, intentional upgrades that make a noticeable difference.
For me, it started with:
- Upgrading my bedding to something soft and luxurious
- Adding a large comfy couch so everyone can enjoy it
- Creating a cozy corner for reading or journaling
- Adding flowers to my backyard
I love items that are soft to the touch. I bought a new luxurious, soft cover for my LoveSac. I have an extremely soft blanket on the soft, cozy couch with some extra silky soft couch pillows. I even have a white, soft rug in my living room (that I caught one of my roommates laying on when I came home one day – it’s that soft). These items are definitely ‘me.’
While these little upgrades might seem silly or insignificant, they really do make a big difference. Small and simple things bring to pass great things.
Changes like these make your home feel nicer, cozier, and more “you”. You can do it gradually, and each upgrade feels like a mini glow-up in itself.
These little changes help us feel empowered, happier and lead to better life results overall.
9. Make Your Home Feel Like a Sanctuary
Your home should feel like an exhale at the end of a long day. Small touches can transform your space into a sanctuary:
- Soft, calming lighting
- Cozy throws or pillows
- Clean, open surfaces
- Music you love or gentle background sounds
I’ve noticed that when my home feels calm and intentional, my whole mood shifts.
Since I work from home, I love having my home be a place of peace for me.
And I have had more than one person tell me when they’ve entered my home that they love the spirit there and the calming effect it has.
I’ve also worked very hard on creating my backyard space to be a sanctuary as well. I love spending time outside and love everything I’ve put into my backyard – it makes me incredibly happy.
I eat meals out there, I lay in the lounge chair, I have small dinner parties out back, I have larger parties out there – it brings me extreme joy – it is definitely a large piece of my ‘glow-up.’
And the goal isn’t to create a Pinterest-perfect space—it’s to make a space that nurtures you, your energy, and your lifestyle in your 40s.
Believe me, my home is not the Pinterest-perfect-space, but it is a space I love and feel peace in. That’s what really matters.
Mindset: Become the Woman You Respect
Your mindset shapes your life. In your 40s, you’ve lived enough to know what works for you—and now is the time to invest in your inner world as much as your outer glow-up.
10. Let Go of Who You “Thought You’d Be”
One of the biggest mindset shifts I’ve experienced in my 40s is learning to release expectations that no longer fit. Whether it’s career goals, relationship timelines, or how you thought life “should” look by now—it’s okay to redefine everything.
I had moments where I felt behind compared to others, but once I let go of those comparisons, I felt lighter and more focused on my path. This shift allowed me to make decisions that truly align with who I am now, not who I thought I “should” be.
I’m not married. I don’t have kids. So. I am living my best life and am making an impact where I can.
I didn’t get to 100,000 YouTube subscribers in 1 year. So. I have loyal subscribers that I am making a difference for.
I didn’t create a million dollar online business. So. I have created multiple businesses that let me be creative and live life how I want.
I didn’t move ‘up’ in my 9-5 career and become the Chief Marketing Officer of a Fortune 500 company. So. I took a different path that gives me the freedom to work when I want and not work when I don’t want and the option to start something new – like this blog.
In my 20s, I NEVER would have thought my life would look like this, but you know what, I am a very different person than I was in my 20’s and I’m happy with my life.
And if I don’t like something, I can change it at any point – I am in control of my choices and I can align those choices with who I want to be right now. That’s what really matters.
11. Raise Your Standards (Quietly)
Confidence isn’t about being loud—it’s about knowing what you will and won’t accept. In your 40s, raising your standards is a subtle, powerful glow-up.
- How people treat you
- How you spend your time (and who you spend your time with)
- What you tolerate in relationships
I’ve found that setting boundaries and sticking to them quietly creates respect—from myself and others. You don’t need to announce it; the consistency speaks for itself.
I don’t really do drama. When I was renting out my single family home to 4 different girls all at once there seemed to be a lot of drama in the house.
When I would get a text about some of this drama, I didn’t react to it. It was responding with, well, what are you going to do about it? Have you tried this or this…?
My priority isn’t drama. I’m busy living my life, helping other people become better versions of themselves and helping me do the same.
Over the years, there’s people I’ve distanced myself from because those relationships weren’t serving me.
There’s also relationships I’ve chosen to keep because they are serving me.
That may sound selfish, but let’s be real here. Do we really want to spend time with people who try to tear us down, who are negative, or who don’t support our goals? Um, the answer here is no.
If we want to ‘glow-up,’ we want to surround ourselves with people that are going to help us do that – that are going to encourage us, give us honest feedback and help us improve.
12. Invest in Yourself Like You Mean It
Your best glow-up comes from investing in yourself—your growth, your health, your knowledge, and your mindset.
This could mean:
- Courses or certifications that advance your skills
- Coaching to work through limiting beliefs
- Personal development books or workshops
I’ve seen firsthand how investing even a small amount in myself pays off exponentially in confidence, clarity, and opportunities. The returns aren’t just financial—they’re mental, emotional, and life-changing.
I have read so many self-improvement books, listened to coaching podcasts, invested in business coaches/programs, studied the scriptures, listened to prophets, done in-person workshops to improve in different areas, had mentors, all the things.
All of those things helped me become the woman I am today. Grateful, confident, having integrity, knowing I am loved and can accomplish important things (not important things to the world, but important things to you and God).
It’s so important to invest in ourselves – we are our most important asset. The more resilient our mindset, the better person we are able to become because we believe in ourselves more and take necessary action.
Mindset isn’t about perfection. It’s about choosing habits, thoughts, and actions that make you proud of the woman you are today. When your mindset is aligned with your goals and values, every other part of your glow-up—health, finances, home—becomes easier and more joyful.
Friendships: Cultivate Supportive Relationships
Your 40s are a time to prioritize the people who lift you up. Friendships aren’t just social—they’re energy, support, and community. Investing in meaningful connections is a huge part of your glow-up.
13. Evaluate Your Circle
Not every friendship from your 20s or 30s will serve you in this decade—and that’s okay. Take stock of your relationships:
- Who energizes you?
- Who leaves you drained?
- Who supports your goals and growth?
I realized that some friendships were more about habit than joy. Letting go of those didn’t feel easy at first, but it freed up space for deeper, more fulfilling connections.
We have a limited amount of time, we might as well be intentional on who we are spending that time with.
14. Make Time for the Ones Who Matter
Life gets busy, especially in your 40s, but consistent connection is key. It doesn’t have to be complicated:
- Walks or dessert with a close friend
- Monthly dinners or brunches
- Quick check-in texts/calls/Marco Polo’s to show you care
Even small gestures maintain bonds and remind friends—and yourself—that relationships are a priority.
I have a friend that when we get together, we know a walk is what we will be doing.
Another group of friends, we do a Sunday potluck.
Simple activities are very effective for maintaining relationships. No one has to stress about finding something new or exciting to do, we can just chill and catch up.
It’s important to have meaningful relationships, especially when we don’t have a spouse or children that we are spending time with. It can get really lonely at times, but if we have already built relationships, we can easily reach out to someone we feel comfortable talking to.
15. Be Intentional About New Connections
Sometimes your best friendships are still ahead of you. Don’t be afraid to seek new people who align with your values and goals.
- Join local clubs or classes you genuinely enjoy (I’ve taken a garden class, Zumba classes, Spanish class and more)
- Attend community events or workshops (breakfast the Firehouse, outdoor movies, Farmer’s market)
- Connect online in meaningful communities (I’m in quite a few different Facebook groups that align with my interests)
It may be hard to have the desire to meet new people when we have been doing this for so long, but from what I’ve seen, I’m still meeting great people that add value to my life.
I’ve found that being intentional about who I spend time with, and actively nurturing those connections, improves my happiness, motivation, and confidence.
Friendships in your 40s are less about quantity and more about quality, alignment, and mutual support. When you focus on people who genuinely lift you up, your energy, mindset, and even other areas of your glow-up thrive.
Your 40s Glow-Up Doesn’t Have to Be Perfect
You don’t need to overhaul your entire life overnight.
Start with:
- One habit
- One space
- One mindset shift
And build from there.
Because the truth is—your 40s aren’t the beginning of the end…
They’re the beginning of the most intentional, aligned, and fulfilling version of your life.
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