So it’s my birthday. Yup, ripe old age of…..wait for it…..34?!?!?! No kids. No marriage. Wasn’t I supposed to be divorced and remarried with 3.5 kids by now? When celebrities like BEYONCE and JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE and ALICIA KEYES and GISELE BUNDCHEN are my age, it’s easy to compare your lame instagram photos of your cute mutt dog to those of many who are way more successful than you will ever claim to be. But there in lies the truth – that at the “ripe old age of 34”, you might have some wisdom to impart to these celebrities that may or may not have already started to feel the effects of being 34 in Hollywood (something that I (and my non-botox-ed forehead) will thankfully never seem to have…so here, my dear readers, lies my four point checklist of wisdom that I have learned in my 34 years:
1) TRUST THE TIMING OF YOUR LIFE – there are things that have happened in my life that – had they happened at another time – would not be as poignant as they are now. Trust the timing even when it seems that all hope is lost.
2) HAVE FAITH IN THE UNIVERSE – going hand in hand with the timing of your life – have faith that the universe will figure it out for you…no matter how hard you try to plan or over-analyze your existence, the universe has a plan for you, and if you just have faith in that plan, your ability to throw caution to the wind will exponentially grow – and your life will be simpler. Trust me on that one.
3) KNOW WHEN TO ASK FOR HELP – there are certain times in life when you will need to ask for help. Either personally or professionally. And there is no shame or heartbreak in that. Trust yourself to know when you need it and to surrender to it.
4) SAY “I LOVE YOU” MORE OFTEN – I’m in that age range where things are just starting not to work…joints are creaking and things are just harder to get over (see Crossfit and red wine Netflix binges) – things are just going to get harder from here on out…so the only solace that I can find when you are nursing a sore shoulder (or a broken heart) is to say I LOVE YOU more often than not. To your best friend. To your parents. To your dog. To anyone and everyone who continues to be there for you and inspire you – those are the people who you need to say these simple, simple words to. For if there is anything I have learned in my 34 years, it’s that life – this crazy motherfucking life of ours – this life is short and soooo (motherfucking) worth it. And love is all that really matters anyway.
This thirty-fourth year of my birth has taught me many things – but above all else – friends and lovers and family (blood or otherwise) is all that really matters in the grand scheme of things. So, no matter how much you compare yourself to KIM KARDASHIAN or RYAN GOSLING or VENUS WILLIAMS or ELI MANNING (all 34 by the way) … you are enough. And so gosh darn worth it.
