It’s my birthday! Woot! Woot! I am officially 35 years old! Leaving your 20’s is tough, I remember having a hard time when I turned 30. Not anymore. I feel like this is the perfect age. (until next year… then THAT will be the perfect age)
Here are 10 ways I am better now than I was 10 years ago:
1. I stopped comparing. I used to always worry about what other people had. I would compare jobs, homes, clothes… whatever. These days, I don’t care about that stuff. Someone is always going to be richer, skinnier, more successful. Now I am happy and thankful for what I have, and I don’t waste my time comparing.
2. No more second-guessing. In my 20’s, I was always second guessing myself. Now, I am more confident in my decisions. I am always open to advice, but I have found that trusting my instincts has rarely let me down.
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| I kept it understated for my 21st… as you can see. |
3. I’ve learned to say, “No!” I can’t tell you how many times I have stressed myself out by taking on more than I can chew. I thought I could do it all, but now I am wise enough to know I can’t. So I have learned to use a wonderful word… NO. “I’m sorry, I can’t make it to two birthday parties in one day.” “Brunch sounds great, but this week was exhausting so I am going to have to pass.” Once you realize that ‘No’ is a perfectly acceptable answer, your life will become much easier.
4. I am more forgiving. I spent many years of my life holding onto grudges. I have abruptly ended many friendships after getting hurt. But now I am much more forgiving. No one is perfect, and I have made plenty of mistakes. I try to consider both sides of the story, and talk about my feelings with people before just cutting them off altogether. But on the other hand…
5. I know when to let go. Even though I am way more forgiving than I used to be… I still know when it is time to let go. If I have someone in my life who refuses to make me a priority in the same way I do for them… or consistently lets me or my family down… I no longer try to hold onto the relationship. I don’t need people in my life who aren’t true and if a conversation doesn’t resolve the situation, I am okay with that. I am mature enough now to wish them the best… and move on.
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| My hubby threw me the BEST 30th birthday party! |
6. I am more comfortable with my body. After having two kids… there is no denying my body has seen better days. And while I may have looked better in a bikini 10 years ago, I FEEL better in one now. I am much more accepting of my body and my flaws.
7. I enjoy myself more. I am much better at living in the moment. I try to enjoy what I am doing while it is actually happening. I don’t worry about when the vacation will be over, I just enjoy the vacation. I try not to think about all the things I have to do while I am spending time with my kids. I have a long way to go with this one, but I am definitely better at it than I was 10 years ago.
8. I worry less. I will admit, I have a certain level of anxiety that is always around. I try to keep it under control, but I have always been a nervous person. As I get older, I have learned that worrying doesn’t change the outcome, and usually I spend time worrying about something that never ends up happening anyway.
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| I got married 10 years ago this November! |
9. I’m better at giving compliments. For some reason, when I was younger… I didn’t give many compliments. I used to feel uncomfortable when I was complimented, so I never really gave them out. Now I try to give AT LEAST 3 compliments a day. They aren’t forced, but often I find myself thinking, “Wow, she looks great in that dress.” or “He got a haircut, it looks nice.” Now, I just tell those people what I am thinking. I especially enjoy complimenting people on a job well done… and my favorite people to compliment are my sweet hubby & kids!
10. I am always thankful. From the moment I wake up to the moment I go to sleep, I try to remind myself to be thankful. When you really think about it, there is always something to be thankful for. I write these things down each night in my journal. When you are thankful and grateful for what you have, you become a happier person overall. And isn’t that the ultimate goal?
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Love this!!! Happy birthday to you! ❤
Thank you! Have a wonderful weekend!
Happy Birthday! Being thankful is something I struggle with some days, I love your idea of writing down specific things every day that you are thankful for. What a good way to keep things in perspective! I might have to do that now! 🙂
You should! It made a huge difference for me when I was going through a hard time, so I've kept it going. 🙂
this is absolutely amazing! You are an awesome woman! Thanks for sharing these great inspirational messages for your birthday!!
Thank you Constance! Have a wonderful weekend!! 🙂
I love this!!! Happy birthday!
Thanks Sue! 🙂
Happy happy Birthday! ! Love your list!
Thank you Natasha! Any excuse to show a picture of myself in a tiara and feather boa… 😉
Happy Birthday and what a beautiful reflection!
Thank you for stopping by and taking the time to comment! 🙂
Happy Birthday! I just turned 35 this past week as well and feel like I, too have gotten better in the things you listed as well. This was a great post! Thanks for sharing!
Happy Birthday! It feels like a good age, right?
Don't we all wish we knew then what we know now!
Oh my goodness, YES!! 😉
Happiest of birthdays! This so very much sums up how I felt turning thirty this year. Leaving behind the indecisiveness, the drama, the insecurity, the silliness of my (especially earlier) 20s, and starting my 30s married with two kids felt AMAZING!!! I'm sharing this, because it just sums up those feelings so well. And I agree, we only get better with age 😉
That's amazing and welcome to your 30's! You will love it! 😉
Happy birthday! I'm 35 too =) I definitely don't care much about what people think of me anymore. It's a great feeling. Love the pictures.
Yes, when I finally reached that point when I genuinely didn't care what other people thought or what they had.. it was such a awesome feeling! 🙂
I'm late but hope you had a great birthday!
Happy Belated Birthday!
I loved this! Wow… I need to learn some of these lessons too.
I agree with so much you shared here. Not comparing yourself is bang on… so much discontentment can come from looking at someone else and feeling like you don't measure up.
Fabulous post.
Thanks so much for sharing. I hope you had lots of celebrations!
Wishing you a lovely day.
xoxo
Thank you! I celebrated JUST enough! 😉
Love this post. It is so nice that we can learn and grow as we age. I am a better person than I was 10 years ago as well. Hopefully I am a better person than I was one year ago. Thanks for a thoughtful reminder!
Thanks for stopping by, I am glad you enjoyed it! 🙂 Have a wonderful weekend!
This is a great post and I can relate to a lot of the points since I'm in my 30s too. I especially agree about knowing when to let go. I've done that over the years with a few female friends and had to do it once again recently. It's actually a really liberating feeling! Love the pic from your 21st! 🙂
Yeah, its always hard when you realize that someone in your life may be better OUT of your life, but everyone changes… I guess its only natural! And I also LOVE that pic from my 21st, it could basically represent my 4 amazing years at FSU in one perfect picture! ha!
Happy 35th Birthday ~ hope you had a good one!
I think that the changes over the past ten years have definitely been for the better. When we are young we have so much to learn, but think we know it all. It's only as we experience life that we can truly learn.
For me learning to let things go was a biggy. I used to dwell on things to much. Especially things that upset me or if I thought I had done something wrong. Now i think things over and if I can't do anything about it I let it go. No more mulling for me!…Well, maybe just a little!
I love the fact that you are more comfortable in a bikini now than you were ten years ago. Having children kind of puts things into perspective and just knowing we created those little bundles of joy inside our body is enough to learn to respect it, no matter what it looks like.
Keeping a journal is an excellent way of keeping track of things to be thankful for.
Popped over from #SHINEbloghop..Congratulations on co-hosting today!
Thanks for stopping over, I really appreciate it! Letting go was a big one, and I am def still working on it, maybe I will be ever BETTER at it in another 10 years! 😉
Happy Birthday! We do tend to improve in these areas with age. I'd like to be as young as I was ten years ago with the wisdom I have now! 🙂 Great post! #shinebloghop
Yes, I def needed LESS makeup 10 years ago… I cant tell you that! 😉 Thank you for stopping by and I hope you are having a wonderful weekend!
Happy Birthday! You look great. As I get older, I tend to worry a whole lot less. I pick my battles because I understand, even more, life is so very short. You need to enjoy every moment and live for today because you cannot change your past and you really do not know what tomorrow holds. I enjoy the outdoors, my nieces and nephews, my husband and ALL the life has to offer. Enjoy your day, you deserve it!
That is great advice!! I am def still a major work in progress, but I am trying to spend more of my time being 'happy' than the other way around! 🙂 Thanks for your comment!
Congratulations! In another 10 years you will learn so much more. At 35 I wasn't nearly as mature as you. So far the 40's are the best time of my life!
That's awesome Tammi… gives me something to look forward to in 5 years! Thank you for stopping by and I hope you are having a wonderful weekend!
I love this list! #8 and #10 are my favorites and probably the areas I have grown in the most. Isn't it wonderful that we can look back into our past and be thankful to see such growth? I hope your birthday was wonderful.
I agree, I think #10 is the most important thing I have learned and really started to focus on in the past 10 years. I think a positive life is ALL about the mindset you choose! I hope you are having a wonderful weekend and thank you so much for stopping by!
Such a great list! And I loved the pictures you shared. It's amazing to see how much we grow as people over just a decade. Here's to celebrating your 35th in style!
Stopped by via the #SHINEbloghop
I had fun picking the pictures… I spent a good hour looking through albums since I got caught up in it all! It was great to look back! Thanks for stopping by and I hope you are having a great week!
Love this and happy belated birthday! I think something magical happens to a lot of us women in our 30's and 40's. We come alive and we become more confident than we ever were. We're stronger and we don't take crap from anyone! lol No, seriously…I love how it feels and am happy you shared.
Yes I def agree with you! Thanks for stopping by Lisa! 😉
I can relate to this so much – except for the worry less part. I need to work on that, but one step at a time, right? Number five is probably the most important way I'm better in my thirties, too. I wish I knew then what I know now, but I guess it's all part of growing up. Thanks for sharing this!
Good blog. I just had a birthday too and a fair bit older. I agree with all you list. I would add that at thirty something make the most of fashion before you decide you're too old at fifty:)
Good blog. I just had a birthday too and a fair bit older. I agree with all you list. I would add that at thirty something make the most of fashion before you decide you're too old at fifty:)
And now, at 38, all of that gets even better! Aging rocks!
Thanks for sharing this, I don’t know what it is but for most of us it’s uplifting to read such stories and reminding ourselves that, you know what? it’s great aging and learning and becoming a better person for yourself and the ones you love. Much love!