This is 29: A Dash of Hip Pain And A Whole Lot Of Stability

“This is 29,” I thought on the toilet this morning, my hip hurting from falling asleep in an awkward position around my dog, who refused to move when I crawled back into bed at 2:30.

Everyone says there’s a mental and emotional shift that takes place when you turn 30. Like a switch goes off, and “I give zero fucks” becomes a life motto. But when I woke up this morning, I felt different — and not just because my aching hip made me feel 79. So I made a decision: I’m not waiting for 30 to shift my perspective.

My 28th year closed a three-year cycle of rebuilding, reintegrating and redefining my values. I worked to have a more positive outlook and crystallized my vision for the future. For every obstacle faced and lesson learned, the blessings received have been tenfold. I fixed my credit, bought a new car, grew my business, learned new skills and topics, dedicated time to hobbies and deepened my yoga practice. 

I learned to trust myself again. I accepted and let go of my past and committed to showing up in each present moment, finally understanding what it means to steer my ship.

So yes, I may have recently found a bunch of grey hairs and frantically told my stylist to pluck them, and I have to do yoga every day, or my joints will yell at me; I’m still incredibly grateful to be here. At 29, I actively choose to love who I am and allow myself to enjoy this life uninhibited. I trust that the Universe is guiding me where I need to be. 

The past 24ish hours have consisted of: submitting my freelance project ahead of schedule and learning how to operate my new camera, which my hilarious, handsome and hard-working partner gave me before we watched stand-up and snugged with the Huskies. I stayed up late writing, drafting this post in the early hours of my 29th year. I had a long talk with my Mom, who pushed me into the world 29 years ago on her 29th birthday. I worked from home and relished being with “the pack” on my birthday. 

This is 29, and I’ll trade temporary hip pain for this emotional, physical and financial stability any day. To my fellow 1994 babies and those ‘95, ‘96, and ‘97 babes with your late 20s approaching, I promise you, it’s better at this end of the decade.

Thank you for the birthday messages and phone calls. I’m walking into 29 feeling very loved. And as always, thank you for reading and supporting this site. 2023 is a good year for March First Media - I can feel it!