Confidence at Any Age: Why 40+ is Just the Beginning
For too long, society has pushed the idea that confidence is a young woman’s game. We’re told that our 20s and 30s are when we should be at our peak - full of ambition, energy, and self-assurance. But what if I told you that’s completely untrue?
Confidence isn’t about youth. It’s about experience, wisdom, and the ability to own who you are without apology. And for women over 40, this is just the beginning. The saying “life begins at 40” didn’t come out of nowhere.
If you’ve ever questioned whether it’s ‘too late’ to start something new or whether your best years are behind you, this is for you.
Why Women Over 40 Are More Powerful Than Ever
Women in their 40s, 50s, and beyond have an edge that younger generations simply don’t have yet. That’s because confidence isn’t built on external factors like looks or titles - it’s built through lived experience. According to Forbes (I’m going to get in there one day - in my 60s I think), women over 50 are among the fastest-growing demographics in entrepreneurship.
And by this stage in life, you’ve already:
✔ Overcome challenges you once thought would break you
✔ Handled difficult conversations and made tough decisions
✔ Built resilience from life’s ups and downs
✔ Learned what (and who) is truly worth your time and energy
Confidence comes as a result of trusting yourself - and after 40+ years of navigating life, you have every reason to trust that you can handle whatever comes next.
But the problem? Society still sells the idea that women ‘fade’ with age. Yes of course, we get laugh lines, wrinkles, grey hairs, maybe a little heavier, but it’s nonsense. This has nothing to do with confidence, but we unwittingly buy into it.
Look around, and you’ll see women in their 40s, 50s, and beyond doing incredible things - starting businesses, changing careers, launching passion projects, stepping into leadership, and refusing to play small.
The question isn’t whether confidence is possible at this age. It’s whether you’re ready to claim it.
What’s Holding You Back?
Despite everything we know deep down, it’s easy to let certain confidence-killers creep in. Here are the three biggest ones I see in women over 40:
1. The Fear of Being ‘Too Old’ to Start Something New
One of the biggest myths out there is that confidence and ambition belong to younger women. That somehow, if you haven’t achieved something by 40, you’ve “missed your chance.” It’s simply not true.
Many of the most successful women started later in life:
✔ Vera Wang didn’t design her first wedding dress until she was 40.
✔ Julia Child published her first cookbook at 50.
✔ Joanna Lumley only found mainstream success in her 50s.
Confidence isn’t about age - it’s about allowing yourself to pursue what excites you without worrying whether you’ve “missed the boat.”
2. Caring Too Much About What Others Think
For years, many of us were conditioned to put other people’s opinions ahead of our own. We learned to seek approval before making decisions, to worry about being “too much” or “not enough.”
But here’s the truth: other people’s opinions do not determine your worth.
The women who exude confidence aren’t necessarily the ones with the best qualifications or the most perfect lives. They’re the ones who own their space unapologetically.
3. Buying Into Outdated Beauty Standards
Another massive confidence-killer? The idea that beauty and worth diminish with age.
Women are constantly fed the message that younger = better. That once you start seeing wrinkles, grey hairs, or changes in your body, you should start hiding or shrinking yourself.
But let’s be honest - confidence has nothing to do with how you look and everything to do with how you carry yourself.
Think about the women who command attention in a room. It’s not just about their physical appearance - it’s about the energy they bring, the self-assurance they exude, and the way they own their presence.
Confidence isn’t about looking a certain way. It’s about feeling comfortable in your own skin.
How to Build Unshakable Confidence at Any Age
If you’re ready to step into this stage of life with more confidence, here’s how to start:
1. Own Your Story
Everything you’ve been through - every challenge, success, failure, and lesson - has shaped you into the woman you are today. Instead of dismissing or downplaying your experiences, embrace them as proof of your experience, strength and tanacity.
2. Stop Waiting for Permission
How often have you waited for someone else to validate your choices? Whether it’s a career change, a business idea, or a new direction in life? You do not need anyone’s permission to go after what you want in your life, especially if what you want enriches you and helps you to grow.
The most confident women aren’t waiting to be “allowed” to take up space - they just do it.
3. Say Yes Before You Feel Ready
Confidence isn’t something you wake up with one day - it’s something you build by taking action, even when you don’t feel 100% sure of yourself.
So if an opportunity excites you but scares you? Say yes anyway. You’ll figure it out as you go. This is where growth happens. This is where magic happens.
4. Invest in Yourself
Your physical and mental health play a huge role in confidence. Feeling strong, energised, and clear-headed makes it so much easier to show up as your best self.
That doesn’t mean chasing impossible standards - it means prioritising yourself in ways that make you feel good.
5. Surround Yourself with the Right People
Confidence grows when you’re in an environment that supports it. Take a look at the people around you - are they lifting you up or keeping you small? Is the energy they bring the relationship positive and uplifting, or is it negative and depleting?
If you want to step into your most confident self, find communities, mentors, and friendships that inspire you to grow.
Final Thoughts: You Are Not Too Old, and It Is Not Too Late
If there’s one thing I want you to take from this, it’s this:
Your best years are not behind you.
Confidence doesn’t fade with age - it gets stronger when you decide to own who you are and stop letting old beliefs hold you back.
So, what’s one thing you can do today to claim into your confidence?
And if this resonated with you, stay tuned - next time, we’re talking about “The Truth About Impostor Syndrome (And How to Silence It for Good).” You won’t want to miss it!
