So one of my friends is turning 30 this week and she's feeling apprehensive.
I've tried telling her she's a spring chicken, and that birthdays are just dates and numbers really, aren't they? But she's got it in her head that it's all downhill from here.
And it's true, that for some women, turning 30 can be a milestone that many would
prefer to skip over entirely.
What a waste!
Instead of mourning the alleged end of your
youth, stand back and take a good luck at the situation.
A century ago, turning
30 would be akin to a mid-life crisis. Today, 30 is the start of an entirely
new chapter in your life, and you are still very much young enough to embrace
it all.
Plus, there's no question that you are smarter now than you were at 20.
Use your wisdom to take on the next decade of your life. And keep these
reminders in the back of your mind. Thirty might be the end of your twenties,
but it is far from the end of your life.
Perspective: Now You Have
Some
Think back to something that defined your twenties. It might
have been getting turned down for your dream job, or it might have been
breaking up with your serious-at-the-time boyfriend. Either way, it probably
felt like the end of the world. When you are just starting life as a young
adult, even relatively minor setbacks can be devastating, and you might not
have understood how to deal with them. At 30, you can take setbacks in stride.
Getting turned down for a promotion might spark you to apply for a new job
elsewhere. You know that not getting a call back from a guy you like isn't the
end of world; it's just his loss. Having an extra decade of experience gives
you incredible perspective, and it can actually make you a more competent
person in all areas of your life.
Insecure? Not Anymore
For many women, their twenties are a time of insecurity. You
might not have felt smart enough, pretty enough, thin enough or outgoing enough
over the past decade. By your thirties, however, many of the biggest
insecurities should be long gone. People at this stage of life no longer make
snap judgments about people based on how they look or what they wear, and you
don't have to conform in the same way that you might have in the past. You can
wear the outfits you love, style your hair the way that suits you and decide to
pursue any profession you think is a good fit. At 30, it's time to speak up and
let the world know that you are a confident, sexy woman.
You Have Friends Who Are
In It For The Long Haul
Throughout the first few decades of life, many people are
friends out of convenience. It's easy to be friends with the children in your
classroom, and maybe you loved the girls in your university dormitory. Once you
have an established life, some of those casual friends might fall away. The
ones that stick around, however, are in it for good. The friends you have at 30
will be the ones that stand by your side for an entire lifetime, and knowing
that these loved ones have your back is an incredible feeling to have.
You Are Building a Life
At 30, the days are done when you never planned ahead or
thought about anything past your next birthday. It's time to think about saving
for retirement, buying a home and taking care of your health. One of the
"grown-up" decisions you'll need to make is getting health insurance
coverage. Comparing private health insurance can give you a policy that fits into your budget, and it is
just one way to mark the passing of your carefree twenties.
You Know What You Want —
Mostly
Think about what you wanted in a man when you were twenty.
Things like hair colour and bicep circumference might have topped the list back
then, and there's no reason they still can't now. However, women in their
thirties have a deeper understanding of what they want out of partners, relationships
and life. You don't have to have things set in stone, but it's nice to have
real goals that you can work towards.
Instead of acting like your 30th birthday is a funeral for
your youth, throw a party. Celebrate the passing of one era and the entry into
a decade full of confidence, security and love.
Have you ever had a birthday that scared you?
2 comments:
My last birthday was one of my favourites. I turned 50! It means that I'm now in a higher age group for running so I might (and I do stress the word might) occasionally pick up an age group prize being the youngest of the group.
I wasn't coy about telling people my age (because I needed to wrap my head around it) and it was such an ego-boost to have people tell me that I didn't look 50 and that was the highlight!
Oh I like the way you think Char!
Post a Comment