Today I turn 35 years old. That sounds like a minor milestone, not as big a deal as 18, 21, 30 or perhaps 40. But something about 35 feels momentous. I’m on the back nine of my 30s at this point, which seems to be the point when you officially should be a fully mature adult. Early 30s – eh, you’re not that far removed from your 20s where you’re broadly expected to still not have your act together. Late 30s – you’re just a grownup now.
So what advice do I have to share at the wise old age of 35? Here goes…
Saying no is a beautiful thing. You will always have opportunities to volunteer or participate in extra-curricular activities in your work, family, church or community. You should say yes to lots of them. However, you should always remember it’s ok to say no at some point. Worthy causes are abundant. There are always things that are worthy of your time that you may feel like you should say yes to. However, if you say yes to all of them, you won’t have much time to do anything really well, let alone actually enjoy your life, maintain relationships or even stay sane. Today I’ve given myself permission to say no to a couple of things as a birthday present to myself, and I feel really good about that, but it’s still really hard.