I will be turning 30 next year; I am both scared and excited by it. Scared because getting to the big three-oh mark means I am no longer getting any younger. Therefore, I have to wizen up and make some changes in my lifestyle that is more appropriate to my age. It is normal to feel some degree of trepidation whenever one is faced with the need to make some major changes in her life, and I am as normal as anyone can get. Life changes are always scary.
But I am also quite excited with the idea of turning 30 soon. For me, it means that the people around me will finally stop treating me like some hotshot rookie just because I am just a young'un in my twenties. The work that I do, the ideas that I share and the opinions that I make will no longer be met with genial, indulgent smiles by people who are older than me. They will recognize that by turning 30, I might have gained the insight and experience that are needed to be taken seriously and to be treated as a peer.
There are many other things I can look forward to once I reach my thirtieth birthday. For one, I can make bold career moves. Like most women my age, I have already made the connections and built the network I need to gain more control of the direction of my career. The work that I started doing when I was 20 is beginning to pay off. The experience that I have gained from working solidly in the last ten years will have given me added poise and self-confidence, enough to make bosses and clients take notice, and for the rookies to start looking up to me. I am on my way to the top, and I am definitely getting there.
Another thing that is nice about turning 30 is that my love life does not have to have so much drama anymore. I am still unmarried, but that does not mean that I am frantic and fearful of growing old a sour spinster. On the contrary, I have learned the value of taking my time in choosing and getting to know my mate. The failures of my past relationships would have taught me where my weak points are when relationships are concerned, and so I am more aware of them now, now that I am older. I would no longer be so eager to fall head first towards the same mistake again.
Turning 30 also means that my mind will be more in tune with the condition of my body. I know that I am no longer getting any younger, so I will be more conscious about taking care of my body and my health. Also, I will be more aware of my body clock, and my body and my mind will be more prepared with the idea of motherhood.
The best thing about turning 30 is getting to finally be at the same level as my parents are. Of course, they will always be the parents and I will always be the child, but at least this time, we can relate to each other now as equals. I will also be more in position to give back all the love and support they have given me while I was growing up and starting out on my own. The best years of our relationship as parents and child are yet to come.
Turning 30 does not need to be so fearsome. It really is not something to be afraid of. Turning 30 means we are old enough to know exactly what we want. Turning 30 also means we are still young enough to work for and get exactly what we want.
