Beyoncé Knowles Carter is reflecting on her life and career after turning 40, revealing that her new age has brought a sense of freedom.

Her birthday was on 4th of September and she travelled to Italy and France with family for a long vacation to celebrate the milestone.

In a heartfelt letter to fans, shared on her website, the singer stated she is grateful to be “grown” and refuses to feed into the notion that women are supposed to feel “old or unhappy” once they reach the milestone.

The handwritten note read: “As Virgo Season comes to an end, I hope my fellow Virgos had great birthdays. I’m so thankful for every inspiring human who took the time to send me all the beautiful messages,” she wrote.

 “I cried tears of joy and was covered in chilly bumps. Your VIDEOS, YOUR POSTS, YOUR countdowns, your playlists and your well wishes, I will cherish forever. I’m grateful to everyone involved, especially the fans, for the time and level of detail it took to organize such beautiful tributes,” she continued.

‘I’m grateful to everyone involved, especially the fans, for the time and level of detail it took to organize such beautiful tributes. I admire you and respect all of you and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.’

Beyoncé continued: ‘This is the first year that I really understand what it means to be alive and to live in the moment.

‘It’s the first time that I have an understanding of how fragile life truly is, how hard life can be at times, and therefore how important it is to stop and smell the roses during the good times.’

She explained that she thought she knew what that meant in her younger years but the older she gets; the more joy she gets out of life.

The Halo hitmaker went on to write: ‘Whoever tried to condition women to feel that we are supposed to feel old or unhappy when we turn 40 got it ALL THE WAY F’D UP.

‘This has absolutely been the best I’ve felt in my life. I’m so grateful to be GROWN, GROWN!’

She concluded the sweet message with: ‘Most of y’all met me when I was 15, and we have grown up together. You bring sooooo much joy into my life. I hope my art can continue to bring a little joy to you.’

Beyoncé finished the message with ‘I love you deep’ with deep written out 40 times.

The global icon, who burst onto the music scene in 1997 as part of girl group Destiny’s Child, has sold more than 100 million records as a solo artist, earned dozens of awards and built an entertainment and business empire from her successful career.