#FridayFive – the perks of being 30

I’m only ONE day late this time!  I’m going to get the hang of this by the end of the month.   #FridayFive was started by my fellow FTL Launch Team member who writes a blog called Mrs. Disciple.  Each Friday she posts a topic for us all to write on and a place for all of us to link up.  Today, as I wandered over to her site and I scrolled through her post I realized that she and I actually met in Austin.  We chatted for a few minutes after dinner at this great BBQ place and I didn’t realize she was the same woman that writes this blog – which I’ve grown to love.  So sorry, Kelly, for being so slow on the uptake!  (That’s the phrase right?) That just goes to show you how crazy that weekend in Austin really was for all of us.
Anyways, without further ado… This week’s #FridayFive is:

The Perks of Being 30 (and single)

I’m throwing my own little flair into this one – adding the “and single” part for me.  So many times in my life I get asked why I’m still single at my age, whether overtly or more subtly.  And no – not by anyone who actually has a relationship with me, but it comes up.  So I’m taking this chance to be a little thankful for the life that I lead.
Confidence in myself – It wasn’t like a magical switch on the day I turned 30, although that would be nice.  But it’s a been a slow feeling growing within myself over the last few years.  I’ve suddenly began to find that self-confidence people are always telling me about.  The one that comes from actually listening and believing the encouragements people give me and owning those things I’ve been gifted.
Getting to be the fun Aunt – not just to my three little loves but to all my friends’ kids.  This is an extremely rare opportunity that I get to have where I get to invest in the lives of my friends and their littles.  Being so far away from my own family, it means that much more to me to be able to be Auntie Alicia to my friends’ kids.  I realize that this stage won’t last forever, but for now, I’m loving the opportunity.
Stability – It took me a while to get to this place.  I’ve moved around a lot since college – I always had an expiration date on my position, on my living situation, on my time in any given city.  But now, this place I’m in, it’s more permanent.  It feels stable but not stale.  It definitely feels like I could be here for a while.  I have a great job, a great apartment, great friends – all in all, it’s a great life.
Friends – Oh these friends of mine.  Being 30 means that I have adult friends – real adult friends.  There’s something about being a little bit older and making friends – it’s at the same time extremely hard and extremely rewarding.  It takes work because you aren’t just naturally surrounded by like minded people the way you were in college, in grad school – but it’s also extremely rewarding because we’ve grown out of our insecurities and mean spiritedness.  We’re kinder, we’re more accepting and we’re more vulnerable.  My friends are amazing, they love me well through all the ups and downs of life.  It took me a while to find them, but now I have them and I want to hold onto them forever.
Free Time – Even though my job keeps me really busy, I also have a fair amount of free time.  Time to read, write letters, color in coloring books (yes I’m serious), hang out with friends, etc.  It’s a perk of being single and again, I realize it won’t last forever.  But for now, I’m really enjoying the independence and flexibility of spending my time exactly as I would like to.

That was fun!  Looking around at this stage of life and taking stock of what I’m thankful for in this time.  I know these things will change, will only get better as I move through the stages of life.  But for now, I’m really enjoying this time of life.  I didn’t freak out about turning 30 like I feared I would a few years ago.  I ran full throttle into my thirties.  Thirty, flirty and thriving – ain’t that right?