Three Things I've Already Learned in My Thirties

Heather C Heather C is a married, mom of three: big sis Lily and identical twins Natalie and Sophia. She has been guest blogging for Mumbling Mommy since February of 2012 and began working as a Social Media Editor in 2014. After nearly a decade in banking, she now works part time at a doctor's office specializing in breastfeeding medicine and spends the rest of her days in her Midwest home as zookeeper/stay-at-home-mom. Heather C is also a runner, hiker, yogi, bike rider and more. She reads when she finds more than a few minutes to herself and she hosts a lot of pajama dance parties in her kitchen. In her spare time, she's the co-leader for her daughter's Girl Scout troop and an active member of the school's Parent-Teacher Committee as well as a certified postpartum doula.

Thirty, Flirty, and Fabulous … Right?

I just celebrated my 31st birthday. Turning 30 was an afterthought for me. By age 30, I was celebrating my 10th wedding anniversary. I had three kids, two cars, two mortgages, and my student loans paid off. I didn’t have a bucket list of things I wanted to accomplish by age 30 and, honestly, I didn’t think anything was going to feel different about turning 30.

Then I turned 31, and looking back on the short time I have spent in my thirties so far, I realized the impact it has already had on me.

Here are three things I’ve already learned in my thirties:

To decline requests without feeling guilty. There was a point when I wanted everyone to be happy. I was agreeing to favors and requests that I didn’t have time for, nor the passion to do. My schedule was overwhelming. I had overlapping commitments and I was burnt out. I have a confidence now that I didn’t have before. Maybe it comes with experience. I now take the time to consider my priorities, the value of my time, and my abilities.
The value of self care. Exercise and eating healthy are only the tips of the iceberg. I make sure to go to bed at reasonable hours and rest during the day after a hard night. I soak in the tub or practice yoga stretches for sore muscles. I seek expert advice and medical care when warranted. Self care is truly about listening to your body and knowing when to say when. I didn’t respect this in my twenties.
That it really is all in my head. Mental strength goes a long way. I have to truly believe in myself and put my heart and soul into what I want. When I doubt myself, my dedication and strength truly suffer. I keep affirmation statements of all kinds around me and focus on what matters most.

There was no exact moment when I felt like I had this secret knowledge. I knew the information and advice in my twenties but for some reason, it didn’t register; I couldn’t implement it in my life. But my thirties, while maybe not flirty (unless you count with my husband), are definitely fabulous so far.

True stories from the front lines of parenting.

Let’s connect on social media, too:

Mumbling Mommy on Facebook

Mumbling Mommy on Pinterest

Mumbling Mommy on Twitter