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I'm a wis(er) old lady.

I was in the car today listening to Classic FM, all classical, all the time baby. It rocks and I have Jake hooked too. We're old people. I even listen to the Breakfast Quiz in the morning and contemplate calling in when I know the answer. If I did call in I would have to give a fake name because I would be too embarrassed to say my real name. Jenna? Jamie? Jackie? Anyway, I love classical music AND the totally nerdy hosts on the station.

Over the last year or so I have started to notice that I feel more comfortable in my own skin. Its not all the time and I'm not floating on a cloud of self-love, I just noticed that I feel more comfortable. I do more things that I like just because I like them, not because I think I should like them. My friends seem happier too. My conclusion is this: WE'VE CUT THE BULLSHIT (except for giving a fake name on the breakfast quiz radio call-in). There was a lot of it in my 20's - A LOT - and even more before that. Embarrassing really but I think that's just how life is for someone like me and lots of us.

As I was rocking out to a Chopin Concerto on my way to _ _ _ _ (I said I wouldn't talk about _ _ _ _ anymore after multiple Facebook posts about _ _ _ _), I was thinking about how cool my Facebook friends are. I have former bosses, family, teachers, two film makers, music lovers, hippies, IT nerds...and school friends. Now I must confess that I haven't kept in touch with many from high school but I love having high school friends even more now that we are not in high school anymore. There are no social "boundaries" around our friendship, no group definitions and I LOVE IT. Driving along I was thinking about how my 15-16-17-18-year-old brain and my total immaturity only allowed me to cross boundaries that I was comfortable with. Because of that I missed out on some really, really cool people who now have become some of my favorite Facebook friends. They are interesting and unique and creative. I am glad they don't still see me as the half-popular, part-time cheerleading, theater/music loving wannabe and hopefully find me equally as interesting and unique. Again, no BS. Maybe in your 30s you become who you are meant to be and then it just keeps getting better and better from there.

So friends in your 40s, 50s, 60s...am I going to look back on this and see the naiveté that I see in myself in my 20s? Just wondering.

Are you comfortable in your skin? Are you more comfortable than you were in your 20s? What has made you that way? Does life keep getting better despite the grown-up challenges we have? Have you cut out the BS?

I have not reached any kind of summit, but I like the view from my 30s. I'm happy here. It feels good.

Comments

  1. Just like you, I look back at High School and think...wish I would have just been ME! I have noticed that in my brain, I am still that girl in High School, but operating in a grown up world. For me, my life experiences of the 30s, 40s, 50s, and now 60s have made me comfortable in my skin. I like who I am because something still drives me to put everyone else first and I guess that goes with the "Golden Rule", but damn it's hard!

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  2. Love this post. I agree..the older we get the easier it becomes and the less we are concerned with the crap other's do. High school was such a rough patch for me..do I fit in, does he/she like me, am I cool enough, how is my hair, check this check that...blah blah blah..now really if you don't like me or love me for that matter I don't need you in my life. Back in the day I was scrambling to do things different just to fit in. I'm definitely happier now and funny that most of that has come as my flaws and imperfections truly show :)

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