What I have learned in my 30's | Brooke Holliday Photography | Buckley WA Family Photographer
30 Was A Turning Point
It’s funny how you think when you are 18 that 30 is so old. You often think that 30 is a representation of your parents and that you never want to be that. If you didn’t than that is how I felt. As a teen I thought that I would never get old but for some reason wanted to grow up so I could be an adult and have freedom asap.
But once you get there you don’t really understand what that means and I spent part of my twenties relishing in that freedom and the other half really bogging down and trying to hash out what my responsibilities really meant. As I inched closer to 30 I was dreading it for some reason. Like it was a label that I didn’t want to accept. I wanted to be in my twenties forever.
Then 30 came and I felt no different than the day before. Granted by 30 I had an almost 1 year old daughter. Nothing really made me feel as different as becoming a mother. So turning 30 really didn’t feel so different. As the years started to tick on I really started to fulling come into my own. I really started to know myself more than I had ever before. I am not sure if that is something that just happens with age or if I was finally mature enough to see the difference.
So today I wanted to share a few things that I have learned since turning 30.
Self care is so important
As a women we are really taught from the outset of life that we are meant to take care of it all. Back in “the day” all women needed to do was stay home and keep it in order and make sure the kids were taken care of. As time progressed and women started getting into the work force we were and still are expected to have a job and still keep the house up, cook dinner and take care of the kids. I and many others have a partner that is willing to help but for some reason inside of me I still feel like I need to DO IT ALL!
This is where self care comes in and is so important. I learned that I needed to take the gas off the peddle and take care of my self sometimes. Self care is sold as a luxury to women. Taking care of our basic needs it sold as a luxury. Isn’t that messed up? If you don’t hear anything else today, hear me right now. You deserve to take care of yourself how ever that is, running a bath, reading a book, sitting alone in silence for 15 minutes to recharge, buying a new dress, whatever it is. You deserve that, it is not a luxury to take care of yourself. You matter and you deserve to be happy.
Creativity is the spice of life
Have you ever been on a diet where all you can eat is boring chicken breast, plain rice and plain veggies? No. Well I have and it is mentally hard to live with bland tasteless foods for months. It’s like there is nothing to look forward to. LOL
This is how I feel about creativity. A life with out a creative outlet is not a very happy and exciting life. Creativity can be so many thing to different people. For me it’s photography. For others it can be DIY projects, painting, drawing, home decor, cooking, etc. Something that allows you to create and sets your soul on fire! Find it harness it and practice it often. In school we are literally hijacked as beautiful creative souls and molded into workers. Told falsehoods on how to be a successful adult. Keep your kids in the arts, it’s actually proven to be beneficial for youth. Here is a research paper if you would like to see more. https://www.arts.gov/sites/default/files/Research-Art-Works-Maryland.pdf
Move your body
Exercise has been sold to us as a way to be thin and get in shape. And while that may be true if you are able to also watch your food intake, to me exercise it more of a mind flush. When I exercise it makes me feel good mentally. It helps me feel accomplished. Back in high school I hated PE. I hated team sports, due to previous experiences, and I hated running which they made us do a lot. Then I found weight lifting. Weightlifting was something that I was good at and made me feel like I had a goal. By the time I graduated I could lift 200 pounds with my legs and made the 500 weight club. Once I left school I lost all interest in exercise and lost all that muscle. ( I was a really strong person ). Now that I am 30 I have reignited my love to move. Part of that might be that I want to be active for my kids but also that I want to feel good in my body for as long as I possibly can.
As I close this out I want to say thank you for listening to my inter thoughts on how I feel better mentally at 30 thank I did at 20. I am sending you lots of love and motivation to reach your goals and live a life that you are proud of.
Click the button below if you would like to see how I get creative for my families!