Important Lessons in my 30’s

Our lives flash by very quickly if we blink. I’ll start by saying that when I was seven, I wanted nothing but to be an adult. I wanted to have a car to drive, and I wanted to have a job to go to and pretend that I had an important business meeting. I wanted to eat whatever I could and live on microwave popcorn. I thought that’s all adults wanted to do, and that’s all they had to do. I think we were all told the same thing, we get a degree, get a job, buy a house and have two to five children and we will figure out the rest like our parents did. That reality has been washed away by inflation and our bad economy. However, we cannot keep thinking these negative thoughts. I have learned a few lessons in my early thirties that I will share with you all.

1) A job is just a job. Millennials grew up with people telling us, "you can love your job," and "follow your passion," and "follow those dreams." Then reality came in, and I realized. A job is a job and not my life. That's what my whole "career" was about anyway. I wanted a job that pays the bills, but I also wanted to come home to it and not think about work. Life outside of work is what counts. We joined some pickleball tournaments for now. Then, when summer comes, we will be spending time at the beach or drinking iced tea in the backyard and grilling burgers. Those are the moments that count.

2) Sleep while you can. It all happened so quickly and suddenly I am an autie to 14 kiddos. I see how tired all the adults are; they are barely functioning. Why? Because as soon as you have children, sleep goes out the window, and it's a huge adjustment. So I will sleep in while I am childless and young.

3) Everything has a way of working out. I started to disdain my previous job, and suddenly, my husband and I decided to relocate, which was the best move for us. I was able to move on from my job. Now, I get to experience my new life and adjust to things. I got a job nearly five years ago in healthcare, but I had to be patient for the right opportunity. Once again, I am learning to be patient with whatever opportunity I will get.

4) I know my passion. I love to write on Vocal, but it also encourages me to write my book and work on editing (which I actually despise). I love working on crafts such as wood burning, embroidery and knitting. The nice thing about being in your thirties is that you are done exploring what you love and don't. Sure, I can try the odd hobby or sport here and there. But I know what I love doing.

5) Children are exhausting. No matter what the age. I observed what it's like having toddlers, babies, and children at every age. You are exhausted from constantly watching over them when they are babies. However, parenting does not get any easier because then it's "Dad! Dad!" or "Mom! Mom!" constantly over and over again until you can pay attention to one of them, but then guess what the others are then also yelling "Mom" or "Dad" at you. It's non-stop, and a good night's sleep is about five hours if you are lucky, and it's rinse and repeat again. I always thought that only having toddlers and babies makes you exhausted, and then it gets easier. However, it appears that most of the time, parenting is very hard. If you want children, you need to be sure you want them.

This is a list coming from a 32-year-old so far. What are some of the things you found out in your thirties?