Unngghh. Birthdays.Well getting older, really. Because let's be honest, I kind of love my birthday. The amount of coupons and free things that you get alone are enough to get anyone excited. (Free yoga class! $5 off my next hair appointment! $10 off at Victoria's Secret! Free gifts at Sephora! ALL THE PRESENTS!)
I think what is getting to me most this year isn't so much the physical number, but more-so the life changes I'm noticing as I get older. Don't get me wrong, some of them are amazing - but some them can also be a bit depressing. Things change - it's a part of life - but when I occasionally take the time to look at my life last year, five years ago, ten years ago - it's of crazy. Not only with what is happening in my life, but who I am as a person. What I've done, where I've gone, how my life has turned out thus far.
Basically, I'm getting all introspective in my last year of my 20's. (Thanks, yoga.) And no, I'm not super freaked by turning 30 - everyone I know says their 30's are better than their 20's, so kudos to that!
But, as with anything, there's going to be the good, the bad, and the ugly.
- Everyone says it, and it's hard to actually believe it until it happens, but your body totally changes on you. I suppose I may be "lucky" that I haven't noticed too much changing until probably the last six months or so, but what they say is true: you metabolize differently, you hold body weight differently, and your body needs different things than it did in your childhood (well duh), teens, and early twenties.
To be fair, I've never been the type to lose weight easily, and I've always had a bit of "baby fat" that my body just loves to hang on to, regardless of my weight or health habits. But I will say that I never really thought too much about what was going in my body and the repercussions of it later. I mean, I ate shitty one day and I'd just eat well for a few days and all is well and good, right?
Sure, when you're a young spring chicken and you know how your body deals with that. Except for that first time when it stops doing that. And you eat three chicken nuggets and feel it for the next five days. Or go happy-go-lucky on a bottle of wine one night and feel like a beached whale the next three days. To be honest, this is actually a good thing. I know my schooling and training has a bit to do with my personal health and eating habits, but the older I get, the more I realize my body is telling me what is good and what isn't - which is great. The hard part is figuring out what it now needs, and how to take care of it differently than I was before. (And the fact that my genes decided that I, too, should receive the little hereditary belly pooch that will NEVER. GO. AWAY. Thanks, mom.)
- Speaking of bodies.. dear lord, mine has started to have some aches and pains in places I never had them before. Granted I know some of this is simply more years of hard work piled on each other (I've always had very physical jobs.. dancer, waitress, bartender, massage therapist, winery event coordinator), but some of it has really caught me off guard. For example, I have some asinine issue with my SI joint (that I'm sure is due to falling on my coccyx 8 years ago) that didn't decide to show up until 2 years ago. And all sorts of funky hip issues (no doubt from my super flexible dancing days - that ish totally takes its toll). And let's not even talk about my neck and shoulder issues. Good thing I know some good massage therapists!
- Everyone is getting married. I can't even tell you how many long, chiffon dresses are sitting in my closet right now. But, I do love me some weddings, so I really can't complain about this one!
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- You know what else everyone is doing? Having babies. And - while this is a topic that deserves its own post - it's a bit tricky to navigate when you are currently of the mindset that you don't want kids. It's almost a sacrilegious thing to think in your late 20's and early 30's, and it gets a little annoying when people keep saying "well you're young, you'll change your mind". You know what? Maybe I will.. but maybe I won't. Right now, Scot and I have decided we don't want kids. And there's really nothing wrong with that.
The thing with babies is that they are so unpredictable. I was supposed to go out for birthday celebrations last night with a friend who had to cancel because her friend went into labor the same day. Petty pouting, for sure - but it definitely throws a wrench in things. And that's just the day their born. (Don't get me wrong - babies are cute! I just like that I can hand them back to their parents at the end of the day!)
- The down side to everyone getting married is that I am now actually at the point where some people are getting divorced. It's a messy situation, especially when you're close with both parties involved - and it definitely can mess with your own relationship if you're not careful.
- Money and debt - the lack & contents of. For me, being an independent contractor come tax time literally makes me want to cry and flee the country. We also live in a very high-cost area, where unless you are debt-free (which we aren't), it is incredibly hard to keep up a decent savings and "keep up with the Joneses", if you will. Getting older means increased responsibility (obviously), and damn, sometimes I just wish I could be 12 again with a weekly allowance and someone to buy me my food.
- Being a bit older and having some life experience means that I finally got to a place where I felt confident and amazing about opening my own business. I don't think I would have had the knowledge, let alone the guts to do something like that even just a few years ago. It really puts a new meaning to the word independence for me. I've always admired my mom for her own independence, her smarts, and her passion among other things.. and I finally feel like I'm absorbing some of that myself. It's pretty awesome.
- The older I get, the more I also notice who my true-blue friends are. It's interesting how certain experiences and even just time itself can really make it crystal clear who is and isn't meant to be in your life. No, I may not have a million friends or even just one best-best-best friend, but I do have a handful that I would do anything for, and I know they would do the same for me. I'd much rather a few people like that than a host of fakes.
- Lastly: sleep. I love sleep. I know it's bad when I'm out and about and all I can think about is going home, putting on sweat pants, and having a cup of tea.
I know I didn't hit all the points, but these are the ones that have been especially loud in my brain as of late.
What have you noticed changing as you get older? How do you find yourself dealing with it?
6 comments:
I think the biggest sign for me that I'm getting older is the fact that a hangover is now an all-day, lie in bed and feel awful affair. I don't know I ever shook it off, drank some water, and went to work. Same with staying up late.
Kudos to you for seeing the bright side of birthdays, though! There are definitely some great things about getting older. :)
Wow! I think you nailed just about ALL the points. I actually THREW OUT MY BACK a few months ago. WTF? Sorry for the screaming, but man did that make me feel old. (I'm in good shape, was also a dancer blah blah). As for the no kids thing, I'm also right there with ya. Living in LA there are plenty of people in their 30's sans kiddos, BUT sometimes it's easy to feel a bit left out! And finally, thanks for rounding up all the thoughts that have been floating around my brain lately. How'd you know? :)
That really is everything, isn't it? I can actually feel, in my knees, when a storm is coming- isn't that supposed to be only for the elderly? How is this my life? And the sleep...you hit the nail on the head :)
The tax thing fo' sho'. It's like every time my accountant calls it's to make me cry about how much money we owe the government this quarter. Boo. I can't wait to be debt free, it would remove such a huge burden from my shoulders!
You're so right, basically being an adult (in their 30's!) kind of bites, but then again I do like myself waaay more than I did when I was in my early 20's. And I'm sorry people won't believe you when you say you don't want kids. It's so annoying that society wants everyone to fit into a perfect box when there are so many different life paths to take!
@Shayla Omgosh yes. Hangovers are no joke now. It's terribly annoying!
@Tabitha It's actually reassuring to hear that others feel the same away, about any of this! Aging dancers unite! ;)
@Erin Ugh sleep. So good.
@Allie Amen to that! We just started a new budget to control our debt situation.. it's like every time we get a head, I owe another $10k + to the government.
@Stephanie Crazy, isn't it? It's like - I don't always FEEL old, but then sometimes I look at all this and I do, hah!
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