5 Lessons I've Learned On My 30th Birthday
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5 Lessons I've Learned On My 30th Birthday
Hello friends. As I continue to post my regular content, please know that nothing is normal for Israel and Jews around the world. Please continue to keep the people of Israel in your prayers.
Happy Monday, friends! I am getting so excited because my husband is coming home TODAY after being gone for two whole weeks! It has been such a crazy time and I can’t wait to see him again. But I am so blessed to have family close to me, and this weekend was a great example of that. My mother came to stay with me for Sabbath and helped take care of Little Man since my pregnancy sciatica has really ramped up in the last week. We just spent the day together talking, reading, and enjoying one another’s company.
On Sunday, Jacob’s father came to visit to spend time with me and Little Man and it was such a great day! Little Man has started swim lessons and so we’ve been practicing swimming once a week to make sure he retains everything he learned. We went in our pool with my father-in-law and Little Man is doing so well! He remembered how to kick, how to blow bubbles, and do something called “choo-choo,” which means moving his hands over the wall of the pool toward a step or ledge for drowning prevention. He’s really getting the hang of things!
After that, we headed to the park, where my parents met us and then my father-in-law, my parents, Little Man, and I went to dinner as a family. How cute is that? I am so lucky to have such a wonderful support system and my son is so lucky to be so loved!
In other news…I am turning 30 on Wednesday. What a milestone! 30 feels absolutely huge to me. I can’t believe I’m crossing out of my twenties and into my thirties! I’m keeping the phrase, “Thirty, Flirty, and Thriving” in my mind because I’m so not used to the idea of being in this new stage of life. In a way, I think your twenties are all about figuring out who you are and what you believe, and your thirties are about living out your established worldview with confidence. And even though I am emotional about leaving behind a more youthful part of myself, I know how blessed I am to be entering my thirties exactly where I want to be. So today, I thought I would share with you all five lessons I’ve learned as I move from one decade into the next.
Time moves a lot faster after having kids. Before I had my son I felt like I had all the time in the world. Nothing really marked the passage of time in any obvious way except major milestones like graduating from college or getting married. I didn’t notice that a week, a month, or a year had passed. That all changed when I became a mom. Time is now an incredibly obvious ticking clock. I can look at my son and see how much he has grown from one day to the next and I know how quickly time is flying! I had a baby in 2022 and I’ll have a baby in 2023. My family is growing as the minute hand ticks away. Once time has meaning, everything changes. Life is so much more precious when you can see how quickly it moves. And it makes me even more grateful for the days I get to spend at home with my son, for the times I get to spend with my husband, and for the life I get to live in service of God.
Aches and pains compound after a while…and that’s okay. When you’re young, aches and pains tend to come and go. You heal and the bump or bruise goes away. You can look at little kids and it’s very clear: they’ll scrape their knees or bump their heads, and within a few minutes it’s as if nothing ever happened. As I am getting older, I have realized that the aches and pains don’t always go away. That sometimes they stick around a little bit. And that’s normal. Of course, if there’s something serious you should check it out and see your doctor. But sometimes, your hips are just going to hurt or your back is more sensitive or your feet will ache and that’s just part of aging. For example, when I had my first son, I got a little bit of numbness in my feet. It never went away! I went to a few different doctors and we couldn’t find a solution. It’s possible if I see someone else I’ll be able to solve the problem, but it’s also possible that I just have to live with this. And since it doesn’t bother me for the most part, that’s okay. Accepting the fact that our bodies do age is part and parcel of maturity.
Staying healthy is about you feel, not how you look. When I was in my twenties, most of my concern with eating well and exercising was about how I looked. I wanted to appear my best, and that’s normal, especially when you’re looking for a partner in life. Nowadays, though, I find that my motivation for staying healthy is a bit different. Of course, I still care what I look like, but I find that an even better motivator for me is feeling good. I need to stay strong and healthy for my family, so taking care of my body is a top priority for me. I want to be strong so that I can be around for as long as possible and able to chase around my kids with ease. I want to be able to stand in the kitchen for long periods of time while I cook without getting back pain that takes me out for a couple of days! As I enter my thirties, I think it’s important to recognize that feeling healthy is the most important part of taking care of myself. I owe that to myself and to my family.
Living slowly is the best way to experience life. I am so grateful that I get to live a slower life. I used to buy into hustle culture, thinking I needed to prove myself at every turn. But I’ve learned in the last year and a half that living life on your terms to your full enjoyment is the best way to live. Now, I want to clarify that I don’t mean “live your life” in the sense of doing whatever you want, whenever you want, to the detriment of others and completely for your own entertainment. What I mean is, it’s okay to want a life that is slower, more contained, and less showy just because it’s enjoyable. It’s okay to live a life that has time for reading, or taking walks, or playing with your kids even if it comes at the cost of a higher paycheck. And I am grateful that I have embraced that philosophy as I enter my thirties.
Reading is SO important. I have been reading a ton lately, and a huge reason for that is our Substack book club, but another part is wanting to educate myself on parenting, motherhood, and homemaking. And what I’ve learned is how important it is to read. Reading is the best way to learn and inform yourself, and it gives you the power to know more about any topic that’s important to you. I have loved learning all about different education and parenting methods, and I am so grateful to audiobooks for giving me the chance to read while I’m accomplishing other tasks! If you’ve been struggling with reading, I highly recommend starting with audiobooks while you’re driving, doing chores, or taking walks. You will learn so much, and in turn, you will feel so good about yourself!
Are you approaching any milestone birthdays? What lessons have you learned in the last year? Drop them in a comment down below!
Do you have any qualifications for coaching? Or is it just life experience?
Wow. Point 1 actually made me cry. My two sons are 1.5 and 4 months now. I felt like I went to the hospital, gave birth, and the next day I was right back at the hospital giving birth again. Each day goes by so fast, it’s hard to fathom. Each night I say goodnight to my boys, knowing that the next day they’ll be new kids learning new skills and developing their own personalities.
Ive learned this past year to really appreciate every second of life because it really is too short, especially after you have kids. I wouldn’t want my kids to stay young forever but I do wish the time would slow down just a little bit. I’m so fortunate to be a stay at home mom. It’s tough financially but money can’t buy you time with your family. If it means we don’t give our kids as much materialistically, that’s ok. The greatest gift we can give to them when they’re young is our love and affection.