I turned 30 in September and despite being a little apprehensive about it, my family and friends made it so special for me. I was completely spoilt and I still can’t get over the effort everyone made!
As cheesy as it sounds, I feel so blessed to have such wonderful people in my life. A huge thank you to everyone who took the time to celebrate with me. As you get older, you really do appreciate the people who are there for you.
While I’m trying to embrace being 30 or ‘dirty thirty’ as people seem to call it, I still the occasional pang of worry about it. It’s one of those milestone birthdays which comes with expectations. Engaged or married? Check. House? Check. Children? Check.
I shouldn’t let such expectations get to me because everyone has their own pace and their own way of doing things. But sometimes, I can’t help but feel that I haven’t achieved enough because I haven’t ticked those things off the imaginary list.
Let’s be honest. They’re a load of rubbish. Being married isn’t necessarily fulfilling. You’re not less of an adult because you don’t own property. And having a child doesn’t make you complete. I just need to remember these things when I feel the pressure getting to me.
Overall, I feel content with my situation. I’m not ‘tied down’ to anything as such and now is the time to focus on what I really want in life. The thought of leaving my twenties behind is actually rather comforting. I feel far more self-assured, confident and secure than I did when I was 25. Plus, I have a better job, more money and more life experience than I did back then.
But as I said, I do have some apprehensions about being the big 3-0. I think it’s more fear of not achieving things while I’m still relatively young and unattached. Also, I want to do things while I have the energy – like further qualifications, volunteering and travel. All things which I’m planning on pursuing within the next year. Bring on the next 12 months!
Although I am well aware that you can achieve things at any age, I feel pressure to do as much as I can now. After all, life is short and all that jazz. Besides that, I didn’t have the self-confidence I have now when I was younger. So in a way, I feel like I’m making up for lost time. I want to do as much as I can while I can!
Anyone else out there get where I’m coming from?