“I’m celebrating the 5th anniversary of turning 29!”
Whenever I hear this, I always feel a bit…sad…for these women. I say women because I’ve never heard a man say this, or anything similar to this, or complain about a birthday or “being old.”
Except for my husband when he says things like, “I’m such an old man,” when he admits he’d rather be at home with me eating ice cream and watching How I Met Your Mother than out drinking and partying with The Guys. (Don’t tell The Guys.)
But that’s different, like my girlfriends saying they’re “Old Ladies” because they like to knit more than they like grinding up on strangers in dance clubs.
Anyway…
Why can’t they CELEBRATE their birthdays? I’ll admit, I haven’t been one to throw big parties for myself or make a big to-do about my birthdays, but I smile and add a number onto my age and enjoy every one of the next 365 days (you know, unless I’ve had food poisoning) until the next number gets added on.
A while ago, my oldest sister said something along the lines of, “Your 20s are great because you’re figuring out what you want in life, and you GO GET IT. But I’m really looking forward to my 30s, because that’s when you HAVE IT TOGETHER.” Now she’s been in her 30s for a little while, and she definitely has it together. She enjoys life and doesn’t look back, wishing she were younger. I admire that.
In 2 years I’ll be 30. Not “29 again.” I’m looking forward to it. Not as if anything will change on that date, but I’ll be a little closer to “having it together.” Maybe I’ll be a real grown-up, not a “young adult.” (Do you ever feel like you’re faking adulthood, playing house?)
Do you ever find yourself saying things like,
- Oh lord, another year older…*sigh*
- Enjoy it! College years are the best years of your life! (Really? I hugely disagree. And how sad would that be to never have a better year waiting for you in your future?)
- I’m 29 for the 5th time!
- I’m 29 for the 55th time! (Can you see how ridiculous this gets, when you deny, deny, deny?)
If so, maybe it’s time to examine your feelings about aging. Change your attitude.
Carpe diem.
Live vibrantly. Live well. Live.
For a long, long time. And enjoy it.
Pfizer’s new Get Old community wants you to change your attitude about aging. Aging isn’t just for the elderly; all of us are on our own journey and in our individual stage of our aging process. At Get Old, you can share your feelings about aging, read the feelings others have about growing older, and find tips and tools to help age in a satisfying, fulfilling fashion.
Tell me how you feel about getting older in comments for the chance to win one of three $500 SpaFinder gift cards, courtesy of BlogHer and Pfizer! Entries from all participating blogs will be pooled and three winners selected.
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Hi! I'm Emily. I'm a Navy wife and stay at home mom of two beautiful children. I cook simple, delicious, grain-free recipes, do crafts, decorate my home on a budget, and keep a happy household. I tandem breastfeed, babywear, cloth diaper, practice elimination communication, homebirth, and co-sleep, but I'm not a hippie.
i feel GREAT about it. as long as i am getting old, it means im still living, and to me ::wink: thats a good thing
Thanks for a super giveaway!
I feel very uneasy!
I feel uneasy. However, I hope for the best and realize that I cannot sit around dwelling on growing old… although today is my birthday!
31 is already too old for me, but with age comes freedom to say whatever you want and get away with it!
I look forward to retirement and traveling in my “old age”
I want to see my kids grow up and get married some day, getting old isn’t all bad
I want to see my kids grow up and get married some day, getting old isn’t all bad
I’m not at peace with it quite yet, but I’m getting there.
alittlenosh AT gmail.com
i dislike getting older due to the pains and aches
I’m excited to get older and experience more of life
karinaroselee at gmail dot com
I like getting older. I am more at ease with myself and the world around me than I ever have been. I enjoy each day, for what it brings into my life and can move through the irritations much easier than I used to. I’ll be 45 this year. I’m definitely throwing a party (though it might involve my women friends, some wine and pajamas at my house!!)
I see it as part of life and I am ready for it.
I don’t have a problem with getting older. I’ve heard the 40s are the best years of your life.
I turned 30 in January… and while I too have been looking forward to my 30s for the same reason as yohr sister has, I am far from having it ‘together’ (like everything would magically fall into place on my 30th birthday, ha!)…
But what I do that is 2 beautiful children and one more on the way. I have a husband, who is further from having it together at 30 than I am, but he’s my best friend and has loved me for me long before I knew ‘me’. And, I know ‘me’ now. I think that came with giving birth to my son (DD1 is actually my stepdaughter, though, she’s really my daughter-you know, the one your mom cursed you with when you were a teenager?). After spending my teens & 20s trying to conform and fit ‘in.’ After years of disrepecting myself because I thought I was ‘cool’. I’m FINALLY comfortable in my own skin. I don’t apologize for my thoughts or opinions. I’ve found that I have far more inner strength than I ever dreamed was possible. And while I wish I could have discovered this strength years ago, I’m happy that I am able to set an example for my kids, specifically my daughter and her sister coming in August, that just because others *seem* happier than you, you’ll never be happy with yourself by conforming to their standards of happiness.
When we’re kids we make fun of geeks and nerds… but geeks, nerds, and dorks have it all right. They are happy doing whatever geeky, nerdy thing they enjoy while the jocks, and wannabe crowd (yep-that was me) feign happiness.
I hope and pray my children are geeks, nerds, and dorks. I will do everything I can to ensure they are!
Thanks for this post! I am about to turn 30.. in a couple months.. and I was actually dreading it. For a while I have been “in my 20s”.. but I won’t be anymore! But I guess that really isn’t all that bad! Yes, I do feel like I am playing house still sometimes! I have 2 young children, and would like to have more one day, so there are great days to come! Thanks for pointing this out to me.
Well said. I have embraced and celebrated each year as it has come and will do so again this year for the 37th time.
And if you think the 30′s are great…wait til you are in your 50′s.
I think I agree with your sister that your 30′s are when you get it together, especially since I spent my 20′s in San Francisco and then grad school- places where people are hesitant to grow up.
I am also kind of glad to be 30 because people tend to take you more seriously professionally.