Yesterday, I celebrated my 35th birthday. I must say….I was not looking forward to it. I mean, at 20, you are on the brink of “adulthood”. At 25, the world is your oyster. At 30, you feel “legit”, having the swing of the adult life. At 35? Well…you begin to notice the bags under your eyes, the spare tire around your waist, and the fact that you’re gasping for air after a half mile walk. 
Call it a mid-life crisis or whatever, I just found it really difficult to be “Happy” about my birthday. All day, I was reminded that 35 was the new number for me, with countless messages of birthday greetings on my Facebook wall. I didn’t want to be a scrooge about it, but I swear being 35 brought the grump out of me. I hesitantly replied to my loved ones and faked a smile while posting the reply (as if anyone could actually see my face), “Thanks.”
Even in all my grumpiness, I did let some of my well-wishers know that they were loved. Don’t get me wrong, I may not have been happy about getting older, but I definitely appreciated every message that wished me happiness on that day. After much agitation, frustration, seemingly insane outbursts of tears, and a good conversation with my best friend, I had come to the conclusion that life as I knew it was OVER!!
In actuality, it is. I’m 35 years old. And although it took me the entire 24 hours to get it, I realize that I am an adult that can make educated decisions about where I will go from here. So, I can choose to see this as the end or I can see the prospect of the future. With 35 years of legitimate experience under my belt, I feel pretty safe in believing the decisions that I make from here on out will be wise decisions.
I mean, after all, I’ve survived puberty, losing my virginity, learning that boys like sex and so do girls, that if you make yourself super available to a guy he loses his interest, in relationships sometimes you get your heart broken, been married, been divorced, excelled in a career, experienced being penniless, pursued my dreams as a recording artists, mentored to young women and men, become an entrepreneur, and in pursuit of becoming a media mogul! That rap sheet reads like a tried and true recipe for an interesting path before me.
So ladies, don’t get caught up in where you aren’t, how you don’t look…instead celebrate how what all you’ve been through will contribute to where you’re going!!
What are your thoughts on turning 35? What lessons have you learned? I’d love to read your responses!
At 35, I was literally starting over. I was single after a very bad marriage and living in a small town home after being in a 5-bedroom home…it was the happiest year of my life! At 37, I’m a year away from having my master degree, I’m traveling, enjoying the new people and experiences, and I have so much peace. My confidence level is insane as I am no longer concerned with others’ opinion of me. I don’t know about you, but I’m excited about the possibilities and I’m getting better with age 😉