Not making mountains out of milestones

Yesterday, was my birthday. I turned 35. It is not officially a milestone, but 35 is still a fairly significant number as I am now FIRMLY in my mid-thirties. I'm the kind of person who LOVES birthdays. I love getting presents. I love people thinking about me. I love being treated to breakfast/lunch/dinner/a night out (or all of those things). I love taking a day off work and spending it with my family. (I always do this!)

What I do NOT like - is the numbers creeping up.

I have always freaked out at milestone birthdays. I did not have the customary big party for my 18th birthday, nor for my 21st birthday, probably because I wasn't ready to celebrate becoming an 'Adult'. Turning 25 was even worse. Halfway to 50 was NOT appealing! Turning 30 was probably the worst. I did have a big party, but only because I thought I should, but it wasn't really me... and I wasn't really myself at that time. I didn't really know who I was, or what I wanted... it was all a bit uuuuggghhhh... I'm thhhiiiirrrttttyyy... W.T.F.....

Five years later, and things are completely different. Thirty-five feels surprisingly good!

In fairness, my priorities have changed a bit since turning thirty. I now have 3-year old twins to distract me. Not only do they not give me a minute to navel-gaze about how much older I'm getting or how many things I haven't achieved, but they inspire me to have a more positive approach to life in general and to look forward to being around for a long time to come.

A walk by the reservoir

Actually, I feel better than I have in years. I have changed my diet significantly this past couple of months and my neighbour (who I have only recently met - even though she has lived two doors down for the past three years!) and I have started training using the C25K app - which is completely brilliant. We're in week five now and I find that we are hitting our stride. I look forward to each session - I have never looked forward to exercise EVER - so it must be good!

I have finally, FINALLY cut out wheat completely from my diet and stopped the nasty pizza habit I picked up when I was pregnant and carb-crazy and somehow forgot to quit... for three years.... even though I'm wheat intolerant...

I have also cut out all other junk/processed food and have not succumbed once in over 6 weeks. It feels good.

Yesterday, I enjoyed my birthday - I didn't make a mountain out of the milestone. I enjoyed the day. The sun even came out!

I like 35. It suits me. I know (mostly) who I am and where I am and what makes me happy and that's the best feeling in the world.

I am lucky. Truly lucky.