People say to embrace your thirties, as your thirties are when life truly begins. It’s a more empowered age than your twenties, being older, wiser and more experienced. You should feel at ease, you should feel comfortable. By now, you should know yourself, and know what you are doing and where you are headed.
But what if instead, you feel trapped in uncertainty and are questioning your very life’s purpose?
I was so very far from where I thought I’d be by the time I turned thirty. All of a sudden, there seemed no room for mistakes. Yet I was completely clueless where to go with my life, and had this impending sense of doom looming darkly at not having figured anything out yet.
This is your reminder that it is okay to catch your breath.
You do not need to live your life for anyone other than yourself. Most of what seems important right now, will seem unimportant in time. Your thirties are just as much a time for self-exploration as your twenties. There will be struggles, and there will be victories. You are not in a race with anyone except yourself. No-one else knows what they are doing either, so you don’t need to have everything figured out. Head into your thirties with an open heart and mind, and everything will work out just fine.
Your thirties are a new chapter promising growth and a deep understanding of who you are. You do not need to be anywhere, other than exactly where you are.
Wander, to your hearts content. It is your life to do with as you please.
Above all, be kind to yourself.
Your thirties are simply an extension of all you’ve lived so far— a time to keep discovering who you are, to reshape dreams, and redefine fulfilment. It’s a decade of heightened self-awareness, a perfect time to keep growing. There’s no need to have it all figured out; that’s a lifelong journey. Whatever your thirties bring, it’s exactly where you’re meant to be.
Embrace your thirties. Let yourself enjoy it.
We believe our lives must follow a pattern
We believe our lives must follow a pattern:
twenties for living,
thirties for choices,
forties and beyond for the weight of those choices.
But this isn’t a pattern; it’s a blueprint for unfulfillment.
Life isn’t meant to be scripted; it flows as it will,
disregarding our agendas.
It doesn’t have to make sense—
most of the time, it won’t.
In life, there are no rules,
which means the freedom to live it
is entirely yours.
Stop apologizing for who you are and how you choose to live
Stop apologizing for who you are and how you choose to live.
You owe no one an explanation.
Your only obligation is to yourself,
to live your life as you see fit.
In ten years, when you ask, “Am I happy?”
it will be your own voice that answers.2
The end of one chapter, but also the dawn of another
Once you reach a certain age,
life accelerates.
Weeks, once stretching like years,
now slip by like days.
You find yourself longing for the endless
summers of your youth,
when time was an ally,
a day brimming with a thousand memories,
and existence felt limitless.
Standing at the edge of maturity,
you confront the reality that your youth has entered its winter,
while a new spring awaits.
This marks the end of one chapter,
but also the dawn of another.
The journey ahead carries the echoes of your past:
lessons learned,
friendships forged,
the growth that shaped you,
time shared with loved ones,
adventures sought,
and places traveled.
This next stage promises wisdom,
deeper self-understanding,
and the chance to rediscover who you are.
It’s natural to mourn what’s behind,
but don’t let that eclipse the potential of what lies ahead.
Not everyone reaches their golden years;
to age is to be fortunate enough
to have lived a rich life.
Make yours a joyful one.
In the end
In the end,
you’ll arrive
where you’re meant to be.*
Amy Roullier
Amy Roullier is a British writer and author of Silent Reflections of a Fragile Heart. For her, writing began as personal therapy and has evolved into a way to connect with others, posing questions and offering reflections that might help readers find clarity. Based in Lincolnshire, Amy is an occasional vegetarian and a dedicated lover of carbs—her true soulmate. She’s currently navigating a mid-life crisis through running, and mornings are simply impossible without coffee.
