I'm aging
#lemon8diarychallenge #birthday #aging #agingwithgrace #embracevulnerability #Lemon8Diary
Last Wednesday was my birthday. The day after my birthday, my fiancé and I announced our engagement. We did celebrate my birthday, but this year it was different. I am a year closer to 40, and I spent a lot of time feeling 22. I spent a lot of time single, healing between relationships so I could grow and not repeat the same mistakes twice. This time, I found my person. In the past year, I've found a new side of myself. I've never found a true teammate or partner before. It's allowed me to look to the future as a partner and teammate myself, and not an individual participant. I'm looking forward to a future I could only dream of, but in many ways, it doesn't look anything like I thought it would. My mindset has changed, and although I know I still have a lot of growing to do, I've matured a lot. So this birthday feels different as I shift into a new phase of life, not just a new year. Adulting feels less mysterious and more familiar. Things that scared me before seem easy, while some things that seemed easy are scarier. Getting older hasn't changed me; my priorities and focus have. And older does not mean something bad; it just means moving a little differently through the world than I did before.
It's funny how we often think of aging as this one-size-fits-all journey, but really, it's so personal. When I hear 'aging types face,' my mind doesn't go straight to wrinkles or grey hair first. Instead, I think about the different mindsets we adopt as we get older, and how we 'face' those changes. It's like there are several unique ways people navigate this path, and I've certainly experienced a few myself. Sometimes, I still catch myself feeling like that 'fictional adult' the internet jokes about, even though I'm building a life I used to only dream of. The journey from feeling like a 'fictional adult' to a 'functional adult' (or at least faking it till you make it!) is a huge part of what I call the 'experiential types of aging.' You know, the type where you're constantly learning, adapting, and sometimes just winging it. From my own observations and experiences, I've seen a few common 'types' emerge in how we cope with aging: The 'Eternal Youth' Seeker: This type might cling to their younger years, perhaps feeling a bit stuck in a past phase. I definitely spent a long time in this camp, feeling 22 for what felt like forever. It's not necessarily bad, but it can sometimes prevent you from fully embracing the present and future. The 'Graceful Embracer': This is where I find myself shifting now. It's about finding peace and new purpose in each stage, understanding that growing older isn't about losing something, but gaining wisdom, new perspectives, and different joys. It’s realizing that 'older' doesn’t mean something bad; it just means moving a little differently through the world. The 'Overwhelmed Adult': This type often feels the weight of new responsibilities, perhaps struggling with the gap between their youthful ideals and the realities of adulthood. The 'fictional adult' meme resonates deeply here, as they navigate careers, relationships, and life's curveballs, often feeling unprepared. The 'Constant Reinventor': For this type, aging is a catalyst for new beginnings. They might pick up new hobbies, change careers, travel, or dive into new relationships. It’s about using each year as an opportunity to evolve and redefine who they are. My own journey has definitely moved from the 'eternal youth' type, yearning for a past sense of freedom, to more of a 'graceful embracer,' finding strength and excitement in new chapters. It's about how you face yourself and the world with each passing year, and recognizing that those priorities and focuses shift. Finding my person and realizing I can be a true teammate has fundamentally changed my perspective. It's a beautiful, complex process, and honestly, it's okay to feel like a 'fictional adult' sometimes, as long as you're still growing into the amazing person you're becoming.