Why I'm Enjoying My 30's..

I (vaguely) remember being a teenager, and thinking that 30 was old. I also thought flannel was the greatest fabric created, so what the hell did I know?
The point is... the older you get, the more your definition of "old" changes. I no longer define old. Age is just a number, and attitude is everything. Some days, I feel really old. Other days, I feel quite young. But talking with a friend the other day, she was telling me how nervous she was to celebrate her 30th birthday this year. That got me to thinking... Are your 30's really that bad?? I was surprised to realize that, so far, I am rather enjoying them. I think people take you more seriously in your 30's. You've lost that ignorance of youth, and are now gaining wisdom. You are old enough to take part in everything, and still young enough to enjoy most of it. So would I want to be 18 again? No. And here's why...
I'm smarter now. I have a better understanding of the world around me and how things work. At 18, you're naive to most things, and so you make MANY mistakes. So now I get to enjoy the wisdom and knowledge that those lessons taught me, and laugh at the younger generations.

I'm happier now. Teenage angst is so dramatic. Your world view is so narrow that the littlest things seem catastrophic and earth shattering. In your 30's, you don't sweat the small stuff as much. You understand that life is short and you learn to count your blessings. You know that there is REAL tragedy in the world, and you know how to put things into perspective. 

At 18, you think friendships are about quantity. In your 30's, you know it's really about quality. It isn't how many friends you have, it's how meaningful those relationships are. It isn't about how much time you spend together, it's about what that time entails. With age, you learn to weed out fair weather friends, users and abusers. The people in my life now are the people who truly matter. Ones who have stood by me through thick and thin, and who I would do anything for. 

Being single is not all it's cracked up to be. As a teen, the idea of being with someone for more than a month seems insane. You want to catch all the fish in the sea. You are always thinking you can do better. In your 30's, if you are single, you envy your committed friends. You've caught most of the fish in the sea, and would happily throw them back. A happy, monogamous relationship is one of the greatest things in life. If you are lucky enough to be in one (and thank the stars, I am) you value it and nurture it. 

I am much more comfortable in my body. At 18, I didn't hate my body, but I would happily have changed it. I was quick to see the flaws and tried to hide behind baggy clothes. Now, I own it. I have curves now, and I love them. (I wouldn't hate having a FEW less in some areas, mind you.) I feel content in my skin and accept it, flaws and all. When my hubs tells me I look sexy, I actually FEEL sexy. That doesn't mean the same thing to me as it did in my teens and 20's. I only THOUGHT I knew what sexy was then... now I understand that it has less to do with your size and more to do with your attitude. 

I've accepted who I am. In your teens, you are still discovering yourself. Figuring out where you fit and who you are. By your 30's, you (should) have that figured out. You know what you believe, what you stand for and what you will and won't tolerate. I know I'm far from perfect, and that's ok. There is nothing wrong with who I am. (Though some may argue that.) I truly don't care what people think of me, because I understand that the people who matter, will love me, flaws and all, and the rest aren't my problem. 

Now I could go on, of course, but I think you get the idea. Aging isn't something to dread, or to fear. It simply means you are getting better. Like a fine wine. Or cheese. Yes... I am becoming a stinky, classy cheese, and I am proud of it. So own who you are. At every age. Because you are growing into a better, more well oiled version of yourself, and that is a very good thing.