It's NOT the End of the World As We Know It

On my 30th birthday I cried for something like 5 seconds (at most).

I actually remember it as if it were yesterday. After I finished, I was asked why I was upset. The only answer I could come up with was "I'm 30." As if my world was coming to an end at that very moment. Obviously, my world didn't come to an end and I have thus far enjoyed my 30's - believe it or not.

I think about that moment periodically. The last time it came up was a few months ago when I was having a conversation with some friends about goals we set out to accomplished by the age of 30, the sacrifices we had to make to achieve those goals and pondered why the hell we were in such a rush. Personally, I had two major goals. And, as I had set out to, I accomplished both by my 30th birthday. Actually, to be exact, I finished the second one three months shy of my birthday. Looking back, I now believe, the reason I cried that night had nothing to do with the fact I was 30 or even that I was a year older. It had to do with the fact that for the first time in four years I had no goals to strive towards. Not even a small goal. It was a truly bizarre feeling.

Now, three and a half years later I have a few long term, major, goals, but I'm not rushing to accomplish them by a certain age. I'll let them sit and develop a bit. I know that when the time is right I will tackle them head-on. In the meantime, I've started working on some short term goals that I'm more than happy to focus on.

The "big" lessons out of all of this:

• Being in your thirties is not the end of the world. Hell! Getting older isn't the end of the world.
• You're only as old as you feel - with more maturity (at least in most cases).
  
• Having goals is a good thing, but give them the time they deserve is important.

And most importantly. . .

• Enjoy the ride while you're working towards accomplishing your goals. The time goes by quicker than you think.
  

Until later . . .