Sooo I turned 30 this month. My birthday provoked me to do some serious self-reflection. It made me stop and think a bit about my goals, dreams, beliefs, and values. More than that I’ve been thinking why are people so scared of aging? From my point of view, I can say that the older I get, the better I feel. This is probably because I know myself better, I am a wiser woman, and most of all – I feel more myself. The strange thing is that I even feel that I am more attractive than I was in my 20’s 😉
Despite what anti-aging ads say, growing older can be better. I feel better in my skin, 100 percent. You have greater effects of gravity, but the better sense of yourself you have is something I wouldn’t trade. Women who lie about their age – ‘why?’
Demi Moore
On that special occasion, I prepared a list of the 6 most valuable life lessons I’ve learned during my 30 year-long journey.
I must admit that when I was composing this blog post I’ve constantly been thinking: If only I had known this earlier…
So, are you ready to enrich your life?
I’ve learned a very important lesson – as long as it seems easier to blame other people or circumstances when things don’t go as I assume, that kind of behavior is the perfect reason to play the victim role. And I am sure that to be happy and to lead a fulfilling living it’s necessary to be in control of my life.
At some point, I’ve achieved a proper level of maturity which made it possible for me to step out of the victim role. It was (and still is) a long and hard process but it’s definitely worth all the effort I’m putting into that change. Why? I think this is because instead of having a grudge against the outer world I started focusing on things I can change by myself.
Taking responsibility for my emotions, choices and every single thing in my life has been a HUGE step in the process of my personal growth. I can say that I was transformed from an overthinker to a woman of action. And I totally love that!
We are often told how important is to get a good job, buy a beautiful house, start a family. Everyone works hard for that, right? That kind of thinking was the biggest obstacle in my life in search of the life of my dreams. Someday I realized that I’ve been living my life to meet other people’s (world’s?) expectations. It’s not surprising to me now that I’ve felt miserable and unhappy back then despite having a good job, husband, my own apartment, and a lovely dog.
I felt that way because I wasn’t aware of my personal values, desires, and core beliefs. I didn’t know what deeply matters to me.
Today, a couple of years after, I earn a bit less money compared to the old days. But the difference is I really enjoy my current work. I do what I like doing best – I draw and make graphic design projects. I can honestly say I’m glad that I took a risk and chose a job and career path related to my passion. Now I know that my life is eventually on the right track because I feel happier and more peaceful.
“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do.”
Steve Jobs
Three years ago, I discovered CrossFit. That moment was a life-changer for me because I fell in love with exercise. In the gym, I’m developing not only my muscle power but also mental strength. As a positive side effect, I have a lot more attractive body than I had in my 20’s (in my opinion). I feel more feminine and I’m not embarrassed to wear short dresses and skirts and show up my legs 😉
As far back as I can remember, perfectionism has been one of my biggest issues. It has made me fearful for almost my entire life. I’ve been challenging myself with ultra-high standards. Before I took action to overcome the perfectionistic tendencies I was leading a life full of anxiety and stress.
It turned out that a key to let go was… self-love! When I started being kind and understanding for myself, things started to fell into place. This process took me a lot of long years (and I’m still in progress), but if you’re in the habit of perfectionism too, then I guarantee it’s the best way to overcome it.
No one will ever persuade me that overthinking can be a good thing. Thinking too much is a huge timewaster. Especially if you spend too much time in the negative. I’ve noticed the big benefits of taking action instead of thinking endlessly about different options.
I’m trying to overcome my habit of overthinking by meditating, exercising, and drawing. I’m doing pretty well!
Well, I think that’s all for today. I wish you a very happy life ahead!
Love, M.
