My trip to Las Vegas to celebrate my 40th birthday was a victory lap, not a midlife crisis

• I celebrated my 40th birthday by going to Las Vegas with friends and was nervous it'd be exhausting.
• Instead of partying like I was 21, I embraced a relaxing trip with activities I was excited about.
• The trip wasn't about clinging to my youth — it was about celebrating just how far I'd come.

When I first began planning a Las Vegas trip with my girlfriends to celebrate my 40th birthday, I was a bit uneasy.

While I packed, I found myself trying on the tight, sparkly dresses I used to wear and wondering if I could still zip them up. Visions of crowded nightclubs, loud music, and tequila shooters gave me pause.

I didn't want to chug energy drinks to go clubbing until dawn and endure the cacophony of a DJ I'd never heard of. The Vegas I used to experience sounded exhausting, and I was too tired to pretend I was still in my 20s.

And then, I had a liberating realization: I didn't have to. I had nothing to prove, only things to celebrate.

I was free to craft an experience that truly resonated with me, not lean into an outdated notion of what a fun Vegas trip should look like. The pressure to be "cool" drifted away.

I planned a trip that balanced fun and relaxation

The heart of the Las Vegas Strip is a sensory overload, and its energy can be as exhausting as it is intoxicating. So, I knew that for my 40th, I wanted a sanctuary, a place to retreat and recharge.

Instead of staying at one of the over-the-top, party-centric hotels Vegas is known for, I booked a suite at Crockford's, a luxury hotel on the top eight floors of Resorts World Las Vegas.

My trip also itinerary looked a lot different from Vegas weekends in my 20s. I knew I wanted to come home to my toddler feeling refreshed, not drained, so relaxation was a top priority.

I scheduled more time at spas than at bars, prioritizing wellness and relaxation over late-night revelry. Instead of pregaming before a night out, I headed to a salon for a glamourous blowout.

On my last day in Vegas, I spent the entire afternoon at a spa getting a decadent hot-stone massage and sipping cucumber water in the sauna.

Of course, my friends and I also dove into some Las Vegas hedonism.

We drank fantastic cocktails, sharing tableside Manhattans swirling with cherry smoke at Pinky's by Vanderpump and dirty martinis downtown at Carousel Bar.

We feasted on seafood towers and bubbly during brunch at Giada and sipped espresso martinis at The Living Room. We watched the new Cirque du Soleil performance and boogied at an immersive '70s dance party and show.

The trip was the perfect way to enter my 40s

Getting older — especially celebrating milestone birthdays — was exciting when I was young but feels increasingly complicated as I age.

However, I felt exhilarated surrounded by friends in a city buzzing with such infectious energy. I've also realized that the older I get, the more I feel free of expectations.

If this is what "over the hill" looks like, I'm on board. My 40th birthday celebration in Las Vegas wasn't a desperate attempt to cling to youth — it was a victory lap and a celebration of a life lived on my own terms.

And as I raise my glass to another year, I know the best is yet to come.