I remember when 33 sounded “so old” when I assumed people were just boring old married couples with lots of kids running around. Little did I know, 33 would be the year that I would understand what mattered in life, learned to take care of myself, learn to put my happiness higher up on the priority list, and learn that life is short so there is no time to waste. That’s right, year 33 is the year of “me”.
Well, we all know that the ‘Rona has made 2020 quite an adventure for everyone. I decided to turn the year around and make it about me and finding out what truly makes me happy. I started with a little self-care. Silly as it sounds, I went to the dermatologist for the first time and got all my questions answered and skin products all lined up. Of course, hoping I’m not too late in the game to fix all the things I did to my skin in my 20’s. I was given great advice and a routine that I have stuck to months later, and I can actually see a difference.
Along with that, I started a work-out routine. I started working out 6 days a week and started to visibly notice differences in my body. I also noticed how much stronger I was, happier I was, and how much I looked forward to having that 30-45 minutes every night to myself. It was time I could reflect about my day and put my pent up energy into something positive so I didn’t take my anger from the workday out on my family.
Thirty-three has also taught me to choose my friends wisely. I realized that quality over quantity was much more important to me than having hundreds of friends on Instagram that I never actually see in person. I am focusing on the friendships that lift me up and we both find joy in our conversations and time together. Finding those few friendships to really dive into allowed me to open up, be more positive, and to focus on both of our needs rather than just a one-sided friendship.
I also was able to stop caring about what my house looked like all the time. My family is making memories, and I don’t want to be on the sidelines, scrubbing the floor until my knees give out. This means leaving dirty dishes in the sink overnight to go outside and push my kids on the swing. It means I needed to enjoy some TV time with my husband in the evenings, rather than cleaning bathrooms. And by doing this, it created more happiness in my life.
“Thirty-three” doesn’t have to be the magic number for everyone, but where are you at on the scale of happiness? Are you where you want to be? What can you change in your life to make it “your year”? I suggest sitting down and making a list of all of the things you’ve wanted to do, but haven’t made the time for. It can be something as simple as making a doctor’s appointment or even heading to the salon. Challenge yourself to make it your “year”–mama, I know you deserve it!
