On the most exciting thing you did/plan to do:

“Vegas on December 31”

“graduating with my Master’s degree in my cap and gown”

“paragliding”

“quit my job”

“be more authentic”

“took a leap of faith and married my Husband”

On Biggest regret – while many of you said you had none, some of us admitted to having at least one regret:

“having one income”

“the Greek”

“not meeting him”

“wasting my 30’s”

“losing old friends”

“2 marriages”

On, If Three-6 Mafia can win an Oscar (your biggest dream)

“publish my novel”

“go back to school”

“be totally happy”

“living in Maui and Southern France”

“win a Pulitzer”

Thanks to everyone who participated. Read more 5 question challenge responses here. And Here’s to a future of forgetting about our regrets, remembering our proudest moments and working towards achieving our best dreams!

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For lots more great gift ideas, visit Uncrate.com, The Buyer’s Guide for Men.

1. Most exciting thing you did/plan to do at forty?
2. Biggest regret?
3. The thing(s) you’re most proud of?
4. The monkey on your back you can’t shake?
5. Finish this sentence (ok, so technically it’s not a question) – If Three 6 Mafia can win an Oscar, I can…

And we’ve received dozen of answers ranging from “skydive naked” to “who the heck is Three 6 Mafia?” It’s been a while since we posted your responses. So here are a few of the most recent…

Mitsi

1. Most exciting thing you did/plan to do at forty? Be more authentic.
2. Biggest regret? Regrets are useless.
3. The thing(s) you’re most proud of? My sons.
4. The monkey on your back you can’t shake? Fear. Just fear.
5. Finish this sentence (ok, so technically it’s not a question) – If Three 6 Mafia can win an Oscar, I can… find happiness daily.

Melanie

1.Most exciting thing you did/plan to do at forty? Vegas on December 31
2.Biggest regret? not having more sex
3.The thing(s) you’re most proud of? my mind, independence
4.The monkey on your back you can’t shake? Ben & Jerry’s
5.Finish this sentence (ok, so technically it’s not a question) – If Three 6 Mafia can win an Oscar, I can . . . exercise more

Genesis

1.Most exciting thing you did/plan to do at forty? commit to style
2.Biggest regret? having one income
3.The thing(s) you’re most proud of? parenting well-rounded child
4.The monkey on your back you can’t shake? just being content
5.Finish this sentence (ok, so technically it’s not a question) – If Three 6 Mafia can win an Oscar, I can… find my passion

Theresa

Most exciting thing you did/plan to do at forty? I plan on graduating with my Master’s degree in my cap and gown.
Biggest regret? I actually don’t have any.
The thing(s) you’re most proud of? I am a self-made woman. I pulled myself up by my bootstraps and joined the Navy when I was 17 years old and found a wonderful career in the government. I am successful and respected in my field. It is my hard work and persistence that has paved the way for my success. I also lost 40 pounds last year and I am back at 125 lbs and looking fantastic.
The monkey on your back you can’t shake? I get depression and sometimes have low self esteem.
Finish this sentence (ok, so technically it’s not a question) – If Three 6 Mafia can win an Oscar, I can…
What the heck is three 6 mafia??????

To read all the comments, or to take the challenge yoursef, click here.

If you’re not familiar with the challenge, it’s where we ask our readers to answer five questions. The challenge is two-fold. The first is getting 100 women to respond. The second, and even more challenging, is getting them to answer each question using three words or less (it’s not as easy as it sounds!) The goal is to see how much alike, and different, forty year old women around the world really are.

As you can imagine, the responses thus far have been really interesting. You probably won’t be surprised to learn that many of us list “finishing school” as the answer to the “Three 6 Mafia” question.  Whether it’s medical school or a bachelor’s degree, at forty, many women have their sites set on going back to school. For many of us, weight – or as Rachel put it, “my ass”  – is the monkey on our back we can’t shake (see “The life I’d Planned”). Relationships have simultaneously been our biggest regret and the thing we’re most proud of.  Whether it was the Greek, that first husband, or the three divorces, even at forty, wading through the relationship waters, for some of us at least, hasn’t gotten any easier. Other women listed their marriages and children as the thing they’re most proud of.

If you haven’t yet participated in our 5 question challenge, click here to include your answers (anonymously if you’d like) on our site. You can also add comments on our Facebook Fan page or follow us on Twitter. If you’ve got something to say and three words just won’t cut it, email us at contribute@womenatforty.com. We’d love to post your Women at Forty story on the site. Finally, if you’re reading Women at Forty from somewhere other than the U.S., here’s a challenge within a challenge for you – be the first Woman at Forty from your country to share your story with the rest of the world. We’d love to hear from you!

Here’s the latest sampling of responses to our “100 women, 5 questions, 3 words or less challenge”…

Tamika

1. Most exciting thing you did/plan to do at forty? buy a vacation home in another country
2. Biggest regret? not going to graduate school
3. The thing(s) you’re most proud of? my children and not giving up on my dreams
4. The monkey on your back you can’t shake? never feeling good enough
5. Finish this sentence (ok, so technically it’s not a question) – If Three 6 Mafia can win an Oscar, I can… win one too!

“HereandNow”

1. Most exciting thing you did/plan to do at forty? Moving out
2. Biggest regret? Feeling apologetic
3. The thing(s) you’re most proud of? Remaining calm
4. The monkey on your back you can’t shake? White cheddar popcorn
5. If Three 6 Mafia can win an Oscar, I can… still go to med school

Teresa

1. Most exciting thing you did/plan to do at forty? Got a divorce
2. Biggest regret? 2 marriages!
3. The thing(s) you’re most proud of? New younger boyfriend
4. The monkey on your back you can’t shake? Those 2 divorces!
5. Finish this sentence (ok, so technically it’s not a question) – If Three 6 Mafia can win an Oscar, I can… be totally happy.

Dorothy

1.Most exciting thing you did/plan to do at forty? Leave everything behind and move to Granton, WI.
2.Biggest regret? Not finishing nursing school.
3.The thing(s) you’re most proud of? My Familia all of them.
4.The monkey on your back you can’t shake?…Smoking
5.Finish this sentence (ok, so technically it’s not a question) – If Three 6 Mafia can win an Oscar, I can…Finish school

Reese

1. Most exciting thing you did/plan to do at forty? month in europe
2. Biggest regret? not enough sex
3. The thing(s) you’re most proud of? happily single
4. The monkey on your back you can’t shake? a wicked ex
5. If Three 6 Mafia can win an Oscar, I can too!

Most exciting thing you did/plan to do at forty? Skydive naked, Embrace my age, Son’s first birthday Skinny dipping

Biggest regret? The Greek guy, A man, Loving Taco Bell, Not finishing school, Wouldn’t change a thing

The monkey on your back? My mother nagging, My weight, My inner critic

The answers keep coming, and I’ll keep sharing. You can check out all the responses here.

My observations so far 1) There appears to be at least a little planned nudity in our fortieth year, 2) men, of all ethnicities, seem to be some of our biggest regrets and 3) a lot of our monkeys are really heavy…

The Women at Forty Five Questions Challenge – 100 women, 5 questions, 3 words or less

We want 100 women to answer 5 questions in 3 words or less. As a woman whose nickname was the village lawyer as a child, I know how hard it is to answer any question in 3 words or less, but that’s why this is a challenge. As for getting 100 women to respond…if Three 6 Mafia can win an Oscar…

So, here are the ground rules:

• Leave your responses in the comment section of this post
• Copy and past the question block, and type your answers next to the questions
• Include your name (screen name if you prefer to remain anonymous) and your age
• Answer each question in three words or less
• Any woman who’s turning forty soon (you decide what soon is) or been there-done that (no matter how long ago), can participate

And here are your five questions:

1. Most exciting thing you did/plan to do at forty?
2. Biggest regret?
3. The thing(s) you’re most proud of?
4. The monkey on your back you can’t shake?
5. Finish this sentence (ok, so technically it’s not a question) – If Three 6 Mafia can win an Oscar, I can…

Forward the challenge to your friends and keep up with everyone’s answers by clicking on the comment section of this post. You can also keep up with responses by clicking the five questions tag in the tag cloud located in the video box on the right side of our home page. To start us off, check out my answers here.

Become a fan of the Women at Forty page on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter @womenatforty.