I’ll be 35 in a few short days. 35 is nowhere near ripe and well-seasoned, and I don’t claim to have it all figured out, but I have learned one or two things along the way.  I have noticed the Instagram crowd is a tad younger than me, so this blog post might be for you.

1.) Don’t be so hard on yourself.  I’ll be the first to admit this one was not me in my 20’s (I was insanely hard on myself). I’m glad social media and all these perfect images weren’t around back then, or I may have lost my way to the happiness I now practice.  Appreciate your youthful glow, take care of yourself, and don’t dwell on imperfections because in most cases you are the only one that notices.  You are YOU; be gloriously authentic and appreciate simmering in your own skin.

Be mindful of your thoughts and words, especially when referring to yourself, but also to others.  I’ve learned that critizing or speaking negatively about yourself and others doesn’t help you love yourself more, and can leave you with the rancid taste of guilt floating around your pallet. I’m still working on this because there is no such thing as harmless gossiping.

2.) Slow down but don’t stay stagnant.  I’ve learned to live in the moment and take it all in.  In my 20’s, I never appreciated the joy of a moment. I was happy, but constantly looking for the next occasion that would bring me the same happy. I was a happiness junkie, always searching the horizon for my ‘next fix’. In looking forward, I missed the ‘now’ moment that was right in front of my face.

I also learned to just pick up and go, getting away as often as I can. Life is about a series of fleeting moments, and sometimes those moments happen and sometimes moments are made.  I learned to practice both in equal parts.  

3.) Date your husband.  Small children consume your life and bring you the ultimate joy, but those same children grow up and leave the nest.  If you don’t keep in mind (and heart) the person you chose to start that family with, showing them the same love and commitment you showed pre-kids, when they leave you are going to be left with one empty love tank.  I’m not saying to put your spouse ahead of children, because obviously our children need us more at this time, but don’t forget to throw him a bone every now and then, and make him a priority from time to time. Make sure the two of you are walking beside each other on the map of life, instead of in different lanes, or worse, on different streets.

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I’m sure I’ve learned a tad more than this (I want to hope), but this is is the trio that seems relevant at this time. I’m still learning a lot about myself every day, but I will say I love 35 year old Linda more than 25 year old Linda, and I’m a whole lot nicer to her, too.  Here’s to being mid thirty, and I’m excited for my journey into 40, but I can definitely wait.

XOXO Linda