I don't know that each "milestone" year brought me special anticipation compared with non-milestone birthdays (unless, of course, it brought a new legal right along with it, lol). I'm also turning 40 this year, and basically since 2020, I've been really feeling positive about turning 40; I think that a few personal changes right before the pandemic and then the pandemic itself really accelerated the mentality that I was promised for 40 — that you stop caring about BS things. (I was told this at age 22/23 by a co-worker, and it was a mythical promise to me for years, probably single-handedly fighting the typical doom-and-gloom people want to project about aging.) But it's only been in the past year or two that I've begun to feel like I hit the "portal" that Anne Helen Petersen wrote about. Anyway, this was a rather directionless comment, but I'll wrap up with saying I love how you pointed out that we have twice the adulthood ahead of us that is behind us (based on life expectancy trends).
I've had that same message in my head for years from older women — that as I age, I'll care less and less about the nonsense. And it had the same effect on me, that I've looked forward to aging, rather than dreading it. What a gift!
Happy birthday, Dana! I'm glad you were born; the world is a better place with you in it. 💝
I'm five years older than you, and *my* mom's black-balloon over-the-hill birthday party WAS HER THIRTIETH 😬🖤
For me:
10: all I ever wanted to do was grow up, and turning double digits helped get me there 🥳
18: truly don't remember it 🤷♀️
21: my dad had just died (suddenly, traumatically) three weeks prior sooo 🫤
30: was super excited for this one because I thought THIS WAS IT (nope, it wasn't) for having my life in order and truly being a fully formed self (hahahahaha) 🫠
40: still sheltered at home; was the day of the coup/domestic terrorism 😫
45: just two months ago! It was everything I wanted my 40th birthday to be, it was everything I'd thought my 30th birthday would be. THIS IS IT. 🌟🩵🙌🦄✨
Black balloons at 30?! This is ridiculous. Although, I do think 30 felt like a way bigger hill to crest for me than 40 does, because of that same feeling you describe. At 40, I finally realize that feeling will never come.
When I turned 30, I had just left a relationship that I thought would be The One, but I had moved into my own place and was feeling very confident that at least I had my career figured out. I will be turning 40 later this year… on my 39th birthday, I walked away from my career with no idea what comes next, but I’m married to the love of my life and hopefully I still will be on my birthday! It would be nice to have a glimmer of what kind of work I’ll be doing in the next chapter by then, but I will remain patient and optimistic.
Here's to patience and optimism :) I'm still digging out of a period of uncertainty myself, and I know how unsettling that is. But I wish you all the best for your next chapter — we nearly always look back at these moments happy for the change!
Just turned 60.
I am not optimistic about my remaining years, this country or the world.
I don't know that each "milestone" year brought me special anticipation compared with non-milestone birthdays (unless, of course, it brought a new legal right along with it, lol). I'm also turning 40 this year, and basically since 2020, I've been really feeling positive about turning 40; I think that a few personal changes right before the pandemic and then the pandemic itself really accelerated the mentality that I was promised for 40 — that you stop caring about BS things. (I was told this at age 22/23 by a co-worker, and it was a mythical promise to me for years, probably single-handedly fighting the typical doom-and-gloom people want to project about aging.) But it's only been in the past year or two that I've begun to feel like I hit the "portal" that Anne Helen Petersen wrote about. Anyway, this was a rather directionless comment, but I'll wrap up with saying I love how you pointed out that we have twice the adulthood ahead of us that is behind us (based on life expectancy trends).
I've had that same message in my head for years from older women — that as I age, I'll care less and less about the nonsense. And it had the same effect on me, that I've looked forward to aging, rather than dreading it. What a gift!
Happy birthday, Dana! I'm glad you were born; the world is a better place with you in it. 💝
I'm five years older than you, and *my* mom's black-balloon over-the-hill birthday party WAS HER THIRTIETH 😬🖤
For me:
10: all I ever wanted to do was grow up, and turning double digits helped get me there 🥳
18: truly don't remember it 🤷♀️
21: my dad had just died (suddenly, traumatically) three weeks prior sooo 🫤
30: was super excited for this one because I thought THIS WAS IT (nope, it wasn't) for having my life in order and truly being a fully formed self (hahahahaha) 🫠
40: still sheltered at home; was the day of the coup/domestic terrorism 😫
45: just two months ago! It was everything I wanted my 40th birthday to be, it was everything I'd thought my 30th birthday would be. THIS IS IT. 🌟🩵🙌🦄✨
Thank you! What a lovely birthday message :)
Black balloons at 30?! This is ridiculous. Although, I do think 30 felt like a way bigger hill to crest for me than 40 does, because of that same feeling you describe. At 40, I finally realize that feeling will never come.
Welcome to 45!!
When I turned 30, I had just left a relationship that I thought would be The One, but I had moved into my own place and was feeling very confident that at least I had my career figured out. I will be turning 40 later this year… on my 39th birthday, I walked away from my career with no idea what comes next, but I’m married to the love of my life and hopefully I still will be on my birthday! It would be nice to have a glimmer of what kind of work I’ll be doing in the next chapter by then, but I will remain patient and optimistic.
Here's to patience and optimism :) I'm still digging out of a period of uncertainty myself, and I know how unsettling that is. But I wish you all the best for your next chapter — we nearly always look back at these moments happy for the change!
Happy birthday, @Dana Miranda!!!
Thank you!