I’m turning 30 in two months and I’ve noticed I’m starting to panic. I’m questioning everything: my relationship, career, friendships, everything! I’ve heard about people having “quarter-life crisis” around this age, but I feel so lost. I’m the last of my friends to turn 30, and none of them panicked like I am, so I feel super out of place. Has anyone else experienced this? If so, what did you do? How did you move past it?
Comments
Login here to leave a comment
It’s a good time to recalibrate, your 30’s are still your prime to find a good path and you’re a little wiser now (one would hope)
None of them panicked… that you know of.
I went on a solo trip for my 30th birthday. I drove around in the countryside, hiked, visited museums and did some reflecting on the decade. I’m happy to report from the other side that you have lots of time to make big changes in your life and this is a great moment to start.
I started calling myself “30” a couple of years early because I was afraid it would be a shock. 30 came and went and I never thought anything of it. You think of 30 (or whatever age you’re staring down) as the age you’re supposed to have it together and be on your best life path, but that doesn’t happen for anyone. We’re all just out here winging it and doing our best.
If you’re questioning things, take a look at them. As we grow and gain more life experience, we develop different priorities. I cut a toxic friend out of my life, got married, started gardening, moved across the country for a job, and became a homeowner, all after 30.
You’re doing great. But remember to be kind and patient with yourself. You still have a lot of life left.
I never got too freaked out by upcoming birthdays until my 48th because I knew that meant 50 was right around the corner. Now I’m 51 and dread every birthday. Getting old sucks.
I bet they did panic. You need to take a deep breath and write down a list of the things worrying you. Then take each one and ask yourself why you are worried about it, is it grounded in reality and is there something you can do about it.
Don’t do this all in one go as you will need breathers in between. Chunk it into a list and take them one at a time.
Try to think about what you would say to someone else if they came to you with these worries.
Finally, remember, 30 being significant is entirely arbitrary. A year is only 365 days because of earth’s orbit. We care more about multiples of 10 because we have 10 fingers, not because there is anything intrinsic about the number 10 (or 30.)
Time is a continuum and a birthday is only significant because we say it is.
I say this as someone turning 40 on Saturday and feeling similar things!
Nah not really.
I forgot it was my birthday on the day. It was just another day.
It might have helped that I’m the youngest of my friends, so it felt like a bit of a nothing event
That doesn’t mean I don’t go through periods of feeling lost in the areas you’ve mentioned, it’s just not attached to my age
I was at a major transition point when I turned 30. I had just finished grad school and I was six months pregnant. So there was definitely some introspection on where I was in life!