With Age Comes Wisdom

So I’m a year older now.  Well, I guess technically each day I grow older than the last.  Last Wednesday I celebrated 33 years.  It’s an odd number, isn’t it?  Finally into my 30s yet not close enough to 40 to panic.  Over the past couple of years my aging has become noticeable to me.  When I look in the mirror I can see fine lines around my eyes and mouth.  Thankfully my hair dresser helps me hide the gray hair well.  Instead of focusing on the fact my body is aging, I decided to look back over the years and contemplate the wisdom I’ve earned.

Side Profile Photo

My teen captured this candid photo of me at a family wedding two weeks ago.  I thought it was cute until I zoomed in.  It took some time to embrace the changes I’ve noticed over the last couple of years and focus on what the path ahead holds.  You know, what’s truly important.  Beyond age and beauty lies your life passions, the struggles you’ve overcome and the future you are building.

With age comes wisdom so on my birthday I went to Facebook and asked my friends to share some advice.  I asked “If you could share one piece of advice with your 21-year-old self, what would it be?“.  {actually I posted if your 21-year-old self could share one piece of advice with you, what would it be? but I had already been locked indoors after two snow days and it was my birthday so clearly I wasn’t thinking straight}

Oh, to remember the day when I was 21.  My life had just turned upside down.  I was recently divorced and had a daughter that was just diagnosed with several special needs.  But I had a plan.  I thought I had it all figured out.  I knew what career was ahead for me.  I knew what degree I was on the verge of getting in college.  I had this mom thing down.  I didn’t need a man.  I was independent and self-sufficient.  There was only one path ahead and it was straight.  Are you laughing, yet?  That path twisted and turned so many times I felt like I was off-roading in a big mac truck.

Birthday Quote 2

If I could give advice to my 21-year-old self it would be to listen to your heart, not always your head.  Continue to follow your passions, not just the career you think best suits your family.  Work towards your dreams, not other’s.  And at the end of the day be ready to accept change.  Change is constantly happening all around you but mostly, change is happening within.  It doesn’t matter if your plan is written in stone and you work hard towards it, you will change and that’s okay.

To my 21-year-old self, I share this advice:

Live your life on your own terms and not to please anyone else or society’s standards.  ~ Heather from Dallas Single Mom

Slow down. Make time to enjoy the people you love. ~ Erica Mueller

Be good to you.  ~ Elizabeth Stripe

Even when you don’t agree, your parents really do have wisdom you should heed. Give them a chance and don’t ignore their words. ~ Katie from You Brew My Tea

Relax. Things won’t be, and don’t have to be, perfect. ~ Jenn from Jenn’s RAQ

Remember, so much of this will be a faded memory.  Keep it simple.  ~ Carissa from KnowDifferent 

Think before you speak ~ Lee from My Sentiment Exactlee

Do not lose yourself in your quest to please others. ~ Kadi Prescott

Stop moving and thinking long enough to hear that little voice inside that’s trying to give you good advice, it’s never been wrong. You will save yourself so much time, energy and heart ache if you will just be still and listen. ~ Pamela Kramer

What advice would you give your young-adult self?

3 Comments

  1. First off, welcome to 33!!! I have admired you from the first time we spoke, ups and downs, arguments, not speaking but we always come back to a place where we can agree. I agree with the fact that life is always changing, around us but most of all within us. You are heading down a path following what your heart and passions lead you towards, I see a difference in you and it is an amazing one! Inspirational post, Dwan! Loved reading this!

  2. I love these! We’ve all been 21 and just sure we knew everything!
    Ha! Life has a way of showing us we didn’t. I have a feeling we could do this again in ten years and laugh at our 30-some year old selves…

  3. I would tell myself- That friend you’re trying to hold on to? yeah you’re better off telling them to go suck an egg now because they won’t be there in 2 years anyway! The point is, friendships shouldn’t be hard, they should grow and flourish. Will they be perfect, NO, but it shouldn’t be stressful. It’s ok to only have a couple friends. Those are the ones that will be there through life!

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