30 is the New 18

A lady once told me girls grow up quickly and this both intrigued and baffled me. At 9, I thought adults have everything figured out – but I was wrong.

Bye, Bye Teens!
When I turned 20, it felt like stepping into a different world. Twenty was just a number, but the curtain closed on my teens – a period where I was totally carefree. Now that I’m thirty, it’s a good time to reflect upon the ‘past decade.’

My 20’s were full of interesting ups and downs. According to Ann Brashares, it’s supposed to be the prime of your life, the most vital, the most beautiful. But you’re making your critical decisions and sometimes your most critical mistakes. So what happened?

I completed my degree and got my first job in a pharmaceutical manufacturing plant. I had a lot of friends and now I’m left with a few good ones. Most friends faded away into their careers and relationships and I learned valuable lessons at work. There was joy, happiness, sadness, and fear.
Overall, it was a good decade. Finding my own way in the corporate world for the first time was scary, but I managed to get a hang of it. I have the strongest support system and I’ve learned to find my own happiness. The only thing left to learn now is to let go!
The 30s has been a bumpy ride so far. I travelled and got my nose pierced (yes, that’s a little late). Two-faced people exist is something I learned the hard way. The fact is we all get hurt at some stage. Life’s too short to stress about negative people and negativity, but there seems to be too much of it. Often we have to make unwanted decisions, swallow our pride and even apologize for being right and it is definitely not the most pleasant thing.
My late 20s taught me to love my own self first and take that leap of faith. I’ve made some amazing friends – people who don’t judge me for who I am.

The 30s and the New Perspective

It’s okay to feel sad at times. It’s kind of hard to unwrap negative thoughts but imagine all the amazing things you can accomplish if you stop worrying about failure. So what has changed the most in me? I have accepted that people change. And if you want to retain your sanity, don’t crave the drama life offers you.

My 20-year-self was emotional and sensitive and the difference between the 20-year-old and the 30-year-old me is my perspective. My eyes know not everything is black and white. My heart knows people are not just good or bad. Life is full of surprises and you just can’t predict what will be thrown at you.
My heart is still 18, but somewhere I know I’ll never be the same ‘carefree’ teenager again. The sooner we learn to identify and tackle the grey areas in life, the better it will be.
Do I have new targets for my 30s? Absolutely!
I never had ‘goals’ in my 20s but I did pretty well. I learned new things, discovered life is exciting; not as scary as I once thought. I know who I am, what I want and what I dislike. It feels good to be empowered. And now I am getting older, I feel a lot wiser.

It sounds clichéd, but for me, 30 is the new 18. So here’s to another eventful decade of learning and personal development. Let’s just hope the world is a little kind.

Author: Thinking Thirty

A firm believer in positive thinking | Breaking the stigma against single women | Giving up & giving in isn’t an option | It’s never too late to make a change View all posts by Thinking Thirty