Friday, December 8, 2017

Life at 35. Just hang in there !

First things first, when I was younger I never imagined a day that I would be 35. My dreams were always I presume limited to till 30. I would have counted being done with my studies, a career, a family and being settled by the time I was 30. And even if I did think after that it would be what I wanted to do at old age. Never even once I imagined a 35 me. Well then Hello Life! Trust it never to go the way things are planned. Being married at 31 it actually meant a major portion of my life exists in the 30s.

Today when I look back there is one hell of a list of things I learnt in these 35 years of life. I would love to make a list that says "Top 3 things that I learnt at 35" but then I learnt something very early on. I love being lazy. So I just thought of putting together my top 10.

 
             
                           

1. Don't wish for an older self : When I was younger I would always wish for the next stage to happen. In school, I wanted college. In college I wanted a job. In a job I wanted family life. But today all I want is to restart. I really wish I never wished myself away.

2. You can not please everyone : Learnt this may be the hard way during my work days (seems a century ago) but then kept this for anyone who then appeared in my life. Colleagues, bosses, relatives, parents, social media friends, other friends and even to my husband and son. Sorry I cant please you all the time!

3. When you want something open your mouth and ask for it : No one can mind read you, however long they know you for or how much so ever close they are to you. Most of your disappointments in life could have been avoided just by conversation.

4. Look after your body as it's the only one you got : I so wish I had realized this 10 years ago when I just didn't care what I ate or whether I worked out or not. Today when I chase my kid around literally for 12 hours a day I so much wish I was a fitter me.  When I look into my mirror and wish for another me I come to my next learning.

5.  How you dress can change how you feel : I was never really bothered about how I dress till at work place. Slowly I learnt that the way you dress not only projected your personality but also had the power to change your mood. So even today a new dress, sandals or any accessory just gives me that essential boost.

6. Sleep is a luxury : Even when I used to do shifts at work, I loved to sleep. In those care free years I could get back from work and sleep everything away. Work pressure, relationship stress, nagging parents, there was nothing that sleep could not cure. Entering family life with a small kid and a bigger one (my husband) I know that sleep is a luxury. Yawn...

7.  It's ok to love yourself : There are times when I am selfish. I have been occasionally selfish  forever actually. But today I am unapologetic about it. I love my "me" time. I could get up an hour before everyone else, put my kid to sleep earlier at times, make my favourite meal instead of everyone else's demands and not care. I want to love myself and feel that is the only way someone else could love me too.

8.  You can keep a child alive : Yipee! what i thought was an impossible task when I saw my friends entering motherhood now seems possible for me too. And what I learnt after I became a mother, is a totally different post all together. But yes! I am surviving and he is alive and kicking the hell out of me each minute.

9. Your home and parents our your ultimate holiday destination : Plan a million trips around the world, it is always stress at some point or another. But being at your own home with your parents it your ideal holiday. They will still shower you with love, pamper your child and give you all the me time you need. And you get that much needed break from cleaning, washing, cooking and parenting! Yeah, I am selfish!

10. Learn to forgive yourself for your past mistakes : No one is perfect. You could have wronged so many in this past half that you lived on the planet. Forgive yourself and just learn from all those mistakes that you made. Just Chill.