There’s a quote that says “getting lost is a good way to find yourself” and I think it sums up my 30’s to perfection. I arrived at 30 with an immaculately executed plan, went on some crazy, weird and wonderful new paths in my 30’s and ended up exactly where I want to be at 40.
Getting lost is a good way to find yourself
When I was in my 20’s I had a list of things I wanted to accomplish by the time I turned 30. I wanted to be married, be a Media Director at work, own a house and have a baby. I was relentless in my pursuit of all of these things and had them all ticked off (just) by the time I turned 30.
Now I sit here – a week out from 40 – and realise that I don’t have a list of anything to tick off. I was kind of just to busy doing to really think that far ahead.
If I had, I doubt top of my list would be to get a divorce by 40 (ticked that one off by the way). I never could have possibly imagined that I would be living with my best friend James and that we would be raising our kids together. Back then I wrote only for myself, not for a community of over 10,000 on Facebook and I couldn’t even imagine that people would pay me to take their photos. I never thought past being a Media Director to the 7 years I spent at TVNZ and my amazing day job crafting strategies for a group of amazing NZ companies.
I’m not worried at all about turning 40. It doesn’t feel old to me and I don’t feel on the verge of any mid-life crisis. In fact I’m pretty massively excited about my party this weekend in the private room at Clooney (more to come on that later). I love my life and the people in it. It maybe wasn’t the list I forgot to write but I don’t think I could have imagined it better.
So, I ticked of the list I had for 30. I nailed 40 despite sailing into it relatively unprepared and with no clear objectives. It seems fitting then that I make a bit of a list for when I’m 50. So here’s what winning at 50 looks like to me right now…
- Having raised 3 healthy, happy, confident, well adjusted teenagers
- Having my family and friends around me
- Waking up every morning looking forward to spending the rest of my life with James
- Loving every day I spend at work – which ever of my 3 jobs I end up narrowing it down to
- Being happy
- Having fun
- And of course still getting lost every chance I get
It feels good to be lost in the right direction
What a different list it is compared to when I was 30 and looking forward over the next 10 years. It’s probably going to be every bit as hard with as many ups and downs in my 20’s but what a destination to get to.
And to use another quote – it feels good to be lost in the right direction!
I’d love to know what your lists are (or if you have one at all) and how you are doing getting there.
Cat xx