Turning 30!

Twitter has become a home away from home for a lot of us. Sometimes one finds hate, and sometimes we find help. We also really nice accounts like @WeRateDogs.  Then there are all the views and opinions and threads that one needs to take with a pinch of salt.

A few days back I stumbled upon one thread. Someone (@Suhail) asked advice from others about turning thirty. And he then posted his observations and findings in a succinct tweet as well. Reading through such threads is a joyful experience by itself.

And I decided to add my opinions to this list as well, but here as a post.

Now, coming to all the advice that he was given. Excercise is important. So is eating healthier. Recently, I was chatting with a friend who wanted to begin working out. She wanted to lose weight, but couldn’t find the time to sneak a short workout in her day. That is the most common reason we all have. Finding time. Finally, we discussed things and decided to actually sneak in a twenty-minute walk each day. And maybe, just maybe, the next day we could make it a twenty-one-minute walk. Hopefully, we could just increment it every day or every other day and get to an hour’s walk. But I do realise that while we spoke so much about getting off our asses, we never spoke about eating clean. Or eating healthy. Even as I write this, I am imagining eating biryani for dinner. I am not saying biryani is not healthy, it’s got carbs and protein. Just add a serving of veggies and it is almost a balanced meal. If one discounts the extra fat that it may contain. Does it matter if I walk two half-hour walks, instead of just one the next day? Perhaps. If turning thirty has taught me anything then it is that one really does not need to deny oneself when it comes to cravings. I cut back on sugar in my beverages. On a daily basis, I do not add sugar to my coffee, tea or milk. But I do not feel guilty about having sweets or icecreams once in a while. I do feel like a sugar bomb exploded in my head, but the high does come down in a while. Have whatever you want to indulge in, but in moderation. That is important.

The next thing on the list is about guarding your time. Me-time is a very important thing. Set aside a particular slot of time every day just for yourself. Sit and paint or meditate or stare at a wall. You could give yourself a manicure or indulge with a face mask or a bubble bath. Do something that involves only you. Something that you do for yourself only! There is also another aspect to guarding your time. There are those say every second we need to live. But then there also those who say, we are dying every second. Time is an entity that does not care for anyone. And we need to especially careful about who we give that precious resource to. If there are people who do not make you feel good about yourself, there is no reason why you need to spend time with them. Toxicity at work is a thing we all have put up with at some time or the other. Restrict the time spent in that situation. Do not linger. Remember that no one, absolutely no one, can give you back that time. You can not take that moment and turn it into a happy one. Be stingy with your time in such cases, and be lavish with time when it comes to good company and self-care.

Then there are two points, about sleep and not caring about what people think. I do feel that these two are quite a bit interdependent. When you stop caring about what other people think, then you tend to sleep better. If you have survived to turn thirty then you already care less about what people think. It may invariably be because you have been hurt by the judgement and hypocrisy. This does not mean that you will not hurt ever again. You will definitely feel bad when you find those whom you care about judge you harshly. But the frequency and intensity of that hurt would have changed for the better. There is also the literal sleeping habit. Early to bed, early to rise adage makes sense for some. One does tend to get more things done as an early riser. But for those like me, nocturnal owls, we function better the other way around. Doesn’t matter what category you fall into, make sure you get 7-8 hours of undisturbed sleep. Mindful meditation helps, in my personal experience.

Start a family sooner. Sigh! This is a recurring statement in the world of a singleton. Again I look at this in two ways. Yes, you need to start a family sooner. And you invariably have. Everyone has a family that we are born into. And then there is the family you form, your friends and loved ones. Do not become that person who has 5000 friends, and not a single best friend. Have a few good friends, people who make you a better person, who encourage you and stand by you through the walk of life. Cherish the person and the relationship. Weed out the ones who just suck time and energy and have no positive vibes. Start building your tribe sooner.

Then comes the ‘family’ family. Of course, there will be people who are happy to become husbands and wives in their twenties. Soon enough they are moms and dads. Works for them and they are happy. But this need not necessarily work for everyone. And when it comes to this topic, there is no right way or wrong. It is an incredible responsibility to be in a committed relationship with someone. And an even greater one to be a parent. Personally, I need to understand that I am emotionally capable of handling all that such a situation could deal for me before I take a step in that direction. When it comes to this, to each his own.

Oh, and stainless steel appliances. I have no clue about them as I do not have any. 😉

 

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