3 decades, 3 lessons

• 3 decades, 3 lessons

When I was younger, I used to dread reaching my thirties. I would always ask myself that when I am 30 years old, "Will I be good enough, successful? Will I reach my goals?"  Now that I finally reached this age, I realized it is something I should not fear, but instead, should welcome wholeheartedly. Your 30s is the time to fully embrace maturity and the wisdom that comes with it. With this, here are some valuable insights I gained over my life's  three decades.

1. Where you are is where exactly you should be
- Our life is a product of our choices and decisions, so wherever we are right now is where we are meant to be. Many times we will be bothered by our "what ifs." Instead on dwelling on things that can't be undone, focus on what is. What can you do to make things better at the moment? We should refocus our energy on the present because it is entirely pointless to mope over our past or regrets. Remember, each brand new day is an opportunity to turn dreams into reality, regrets to learning experiences. Believe that where you are is due to divine appointment, not by accident.

2.  Always find the beauty in things.
- The world is already filled with toxicity and negativity, and we don't need more of that. Our reactions to circumstances can make or break us, so it is wise to practice using "the pause button". Admittedly, this is still challenging for me, but if I am confronted with problems, I try to ask myself: "Will stressing over this matter in months or years? If not, I will just let it go." Life is always full of good things. And sometimes we ignore our "blessings" and pay much attention to the "burdens". So whatever and whoever it is that makes you happy, dwell on that. Spend time with your family and loved ones, travel, pursue your hobbies - the possibilities are endless. Life is beautiful and there is always something worthy to celebrate. As they say, live, laugh, love. And don't forget to thank the Almighty at the end of the day, for all the blessings -big or small.

3. Be gentle with yourself, but be open for growth.
- Most of the time, we are our own worst critic. And we are most unforgiving of our own faults. Mistakes and failures are normal occurences in life and it is through these that we grow. Why should you be harsh and keep all the blame to yourself? You can always brush off the dirt on your knees and stand up after every fall. Tap yourself and say, "it's alright. I can do better next time." Take it easy, but do not be complacent. Cry if you must for a day or two, but know when to stop.
You will see that after every fall, there is a stronger, wiser and tougher you. Take it to heart that you can always transform mistaked and failures as learning experiences, and all it takes is a heart that is open to forgive and to take risks and chances for oneself.

It might have taken some time before I learned these things and the journey had not been easy. At 30, I am still a work in progress, my life is not perfect, but that is okay. I thank God for the 30 fruitful years and what lies ahead, though still uncertain, I place it in the palm of God's hands.

I'm 30 and I'm loving it! Cheers to more decades to come!   ♥️