If you’re a frequenter of social media you might have noticed a popular hashtag #10YearChallenge in the last few months as we say goodbye to the 2010s (technically called the oughts, which refers to the first decade of a century). I just turned 30 this year (I might take a page from legendary comedian Jack Benny when I turn 39 and continue to say I’m 39 till the day I die. Kidding. Not! Maybe… (wink). and The #10YearChallenge got me thinking about my 20s (which technically refer to most people’s roughest decade of life).

Have I Changed?

I used to be one of those people who reflected a lot, wrote poetry on occassion.

Yes I was tall (5″10), but I actually could get dates thank you very much.

But now I find all that reflecting and poetry writing pointless and a waste of time. Maybe it’s a defense mechanism so that I forget negative things that happened in my 20s, but really the past is past, the past doesn’t matter anymore.

That’s one thing I learned in my 20s, to spend my time more wisely and to do less of the things that don’t make me feel good or improve me. I also learned that life works itself out in its own way. You can try to control some things about your life, but there’s only so much you can control. I’m more forgetful now, but I think having children also makes you more forgetful because you lose gray matter in the pregnancy process. Le-sigh….

About myself I feel like a contradiction in terms now. I feel lighter, like there is less weighing on my mind and yet I have more responsabilities and things to worry about but I don’t feel as though I do. I am less afraid of uncertainty but still uncertain of where I see myself in the future. I am both wiser and less wise than when I began my 20s; I am both stronger and more vulnerable; I am both the same and different in so many ways.

Pros and Cons of Getting Older

One thing I hate about getting older is having to pluck white hairs from my head from time to time. It’s more difficult to lose weight (metabolism and hormones change), but I’m more secure with my body (I think having a husband that has a healthy concept of female beauty helps). And this one awful, I got my first callous under my right foot last month! Time for pedicure and using shoe inserts. It’s also annoying that I need to be more vigilant about my skincare regimen to keep ahead of losing collagen and other things that make young skin attractive, but I love that my acne calmed down. The last con about getting older is that I can’t do whatever I want; I have to think about how things will impact my family and I, but that’s ok, I’m not missing anything. The only thing that’s terrible to miss out on is making great memories with people who care about you. I travelled a lot when I was younger, experienced other cultures, but I’m more appreciative and contented now. It’s definitely a plus when you get older that you understand what’s valuable and what’s not.

Closing Statement On The 20s

I started the decade out a single college psychology major (French minor) and I’m closing out the decade a married, mother, and marketer (business owner too). A lot of Ms (the letter that is). I’m not an extraordinary person and I don’t have too much to say about my 20s that hasn’t been said by anyone else. What I can say in my short reflection on my 20s and what I learned is that it can be a rough ride, but thank goodness it’s only for ten years.

I leave you with this inspirational proverb: