On Wednesday, March 1st, I turned mad old (28, in case you were wondering). I’ve been saying that I’m old since I was 16 – yes, I’m that obnoxious one. But if I’m not actually old, at least I’m an old soul. Maybe I’m not old enough to say something like “Oh, to be young again!” but I’m genuinely enjoying the process of aging at the pace that I am. To celebrate, I’m sharing all the reasons why I love where life is at the moment.
1. I’m comfortable with myself
My early twenties were a lot of fun but I wasn’t sure who I was. Being a bit more mature than I was a few years ago makes all the difference in the world. Now, I’m comfortable with who I am and there aren’t many things that make me insecure. I love my imperfect body. I love my awkward personality quirks. And I really love feeling confident about myself.
2. I’m more value-oriented
I used to keep certain people around just because I’ve known them rather than for the value they add to my life. Nowadays, I’m completely okay with fallouts if certain relationships don’t provide value for the time that I’m putting in. It’s not a matter of disliking that person. Instead, it’s about needing people who will constantly push me to reach my fullest potential.
3. I’m priority
I used to be obsessed with pleasing others. I tried to fit in. I pretended to be cool with things I was against. I apologized a lot. And I let others dictate my happiness. But eventually, I learned to be selfish and prioritize my happiness. I will never sacrifice my well-being just to please someone else. I’ve upset people along the way but I’m completely fine with that.
4. I can be happy for others
Although I selfishly prioritize my happiness, I’ve also learned to be happy for others. I experience jealousy when a friend gets a job that I want or has a major breakthrough in life. But I’m genuinely happier when I can be happy for my friends. It comes from a place where I know how much they struggled to get what they have and I love sharing those moments.
5. I choose quality
I’ve come to a point in life where I’m willing to put in a little extra money and/or effort for quality. And when I talk about quality, it’s not just the physical and superficial stuff. It’s also about time and relationships. Again, it comes back to value and the return on investment. Going that extra mile for quality is always worthwhile and saves a lot of hassle in the long run.
6. I embrace challenges
I had a tough time accepting struggles as opportunities to grow. Anytime that a challenge in my life came up, I swept them under the rug. I got really good at it until things came crashing down. Dealing with struggles never became easier. But eventually, I got stronger and understood that dealing with them is much more empowering than to pretend like they don’t exist.
7. I say no a lot
People have always tried to convince me to accept an opportunity just because it’s an opportunity. Now that I’m actively seeking out the right opportunities, I’m able to say “no” more often than “yes” and I’m fortunate to experience that. Being picky and declining more opportunities just means that the ones I do accept are of remarkable quality.
8. I’m doing what I love
And the grand finale of this list is that right now, I’m able to say that I’m doing everything that I love. I’m challenging myself and doing things that scare me. I’m actualizing my lifelong goal of running the marathon. I’m pursuing a career that I’m passionate about. In summary, I’m completely crushing it.
27 was a good year. I’ve matured significantly as a human being and have developed an approach for life that challenges me to do things that scare me. I’m proud of myself for that. But I still have a lot to learn and a long way to go. Things are not where I want them to be but I’m taking the steps to make big things happen. And I’m loving it every step of the way. 28 will be explosive.
Cheers,
Riri
