A few months ago, I turned 30. T h i r t y. The birthday that seems far off in the stratosphere until all of a sudden you’re turning 29, and then it’s a quickly approaching asteroid hurtling right at you.
In the lead-up to my birthday, I was anxious. Not pre-midlife crisis anxious (but hey, if you had one of those at 30, no big deal), but anxious like I was on a precipice. Based on what I had heard, I expected 30 to be shattering. . .life altering. . . a terribly tragic event. Seriously. Everyone says they’re “29 and holding” because clearly turning 30 is the worst thing ever.
But honestly, life isn’t all that different. I was 29 on Thursday night at 11:59 p.m., and 30 on Friday morning at 12:00 a.m. One day, one minute, one second. Nothing changed other than the number. I most certainly didn’t change over night. My goals didn’t change over night. My worth didn’t change overnight. Hey, I didn’t even wake up with new wrinkles on Friday morning. . . say what?!
It turns out the struggle I was feeling was all because society builds you up to dread your 30s.
Why is it that we’re lead to believe life is over at 30? That everything is downhill from there??? It’s a myth. Regardless of the reason, let me tell you, I see 30 as the beginning. I have so much I want to accomplish personally and professionally. I’ve only been an attorney for four years. The blog is growing and evolving. Kane is just a toddler. Chauncey and I have tons of thing we want to get done. God willing, I have so much ahead of me.
So what’s it’s like no longer being twenty-something? The same but maybe, just maybe, better. If anything, I’m more comfortable in my own skin than I ever have been. I’m more confident in myself and my capabilities. I’m more mature and sure of my path. I’m even more determined to hustle and achieve my goals. And yes, I may have a few more wrinkles than I did at 20 or 25, but at the end of the day, I’m okay with that.
