Numbers aren’t scary by nature. But sometimes, in a certain context, they can be. Today, the number 30 scares me just a little. Because today, that’s how many years I’ve been on Earth.
I mean, I suppose in a way it’s kind of thrilling. 30! Three decades of learning and growing and living. It’s easy to focus on what I haven’t done in 30 years, or just how old I will be in 30 more years, instead of focusing on what I have done in 30 years.
Graduated college.
Married my best friend.
Found a writing community.
Started the process of querying in hopes of becoming a published author (a long-time dream).
Bought houses and cars. Went on vacations. Other “grown-uppy” things that I couldn’t really do 10 years ago.
I may not be exactly where I had hoped to be in all aspects of my life, but it’s not a failure to not be on a certain timeline. The important thing is I am moving forward.
And as I move forward, I have two goals for myself that I feel encompass the things I have been learning lately about what kind of person I want to be.
I believe I have been improving in these areas over the past year or two, and I want to continue to do so. When I start to think of myself first, I want to stop and consider others. And when I consider not pursuing something I want simply because of fear, I want to move forward anyway.
I don’t want to think of life going downhill from here. I want to think of life as getting better, richer, fuller, and more meaningful. I want to continue to grow and learn and try.
So here’s to 30.