Women moderate what they want out of life as they

Women moderate what they want out of life as they get older, a survey shows

We’re glad we’ve had enough! Women moderate what they want out of life as they get older, a survey shows

  • An Avon survey found that 62% of women in their 40s have lessened their desires in life
  • They said Covid has helped them appreciate aging and realize life is “fragile”.
  • Only 17 percent of those over 40 make their career a priority

“Having everything” – the compatibility of professional success and family – is a defining goal for some when starting their career.

But it seems that for most women by the time they hit forty, “having enough” has become the goal.

A global survey of 7,000 women by beauty company Avon found that 62 percent of women in this age group had moderated what they want out of life.

In the UK, where 1,000 women were surveyed, the figure was lower at 54 per cent, while sentiment was stronger in the Philippines, South Africa and Turkey.

It seems that for most women by the time they hit forty,

It seems that for most women by the time they hit forty, “having enough” has become the goal. A global survey of 7,000 women by beauty company Avon found that 62 percent of women in this age group had moderated what they want out of life. Image: File image

Changes in attitude have been linked to the impact of Covid, with a majority agreeing that it “made them realize that life is fragile and that getting older is something to be treasured”.

Only 35 percent of women in their 40s and over said they prioritize their careers, compared to 42 percent of women in their 30s and 51 percent in their 20s.

In the UK, just 17 percent of women over 40 prioritize their careers, the survey found.

“Turning 40 … brings with it a liberating sense of relief, confidence and self-satisfaction, with two-thirds (62 percent) of women agreeing that in their 40s, ambition for them changed rather than having everything.” “having enough,” says the report.

“While in their 30s they felt the need to prove they could have it all, women in their 40s are redefining power and realizing that what they really focus on is having all the things they really want.

“This could be a great career to focus on family, find your passion, or start your own business that maximizes your creative talents.”

In the UK, just 17 percent of women over 40 prioritize their careers, the survey found.  Image: File image

In the UK, just 17 percent of women over 40 prioritize their careers, the survey found. Image: File image

The phrase “having it all” was popularized by the title of the 1982 book “Having It All: Love, Success, Sex, Money” by Helen Gurley Brown, then editor of Cosmopolitan magazine.

But the idea has proved controversial in the decades that followed.

Earlier this year, Baroness Morrissey, a City boss and mother of nine, revealed the “anxiety” she suffered as she juggled a successful career and children and even remained silent about a miscarriage.

Earlier this year, Baroness Morrissey (pictured 2021), a City boss and mother of nine, revealed the

Earlier this year, Baroness Morrissey (pictured 2021), a City boss and mother of nine, revealed the “anxiety” she had suffered as she juggled a successful career and children

In an article for the Chron, she said: “The reality was quite different from my glossy exterior.

“Looking back, I can see that it’s women like me who created the myth that you can have anything. Today I wish I hadn’t been so stoic.

“I wish I hadn’t helped perpetuate this damaging illusion that we can get through major life events like having a baby or having a miscarriage and move on as if nothing happened.”