It’s my birthday today. I am now 34. Not quite mid-thirties, but not on the young side of 30 either.
Age has never really bothered me all that much before. Oh, sure, I couldn’t wait until I turned 16 so I could get my driver’s license or the excitement of being able to order an alcoholic drink in a restaurant at age 21.
The year I turned 30 was not the big life-changing event my friends told me about. It was a day of friendship and family, but I certainly didn’t feel older.
This year I feel a little bit older than I did before. I’m seeing more “young people” getting cancer, having strokes, having gallbladders removed. I’ve seen friends and family battling financial hardships and depression. Those kinds of things aren’t supposed to happen to “young people.”
And then I think that maybe I’m not as young as I used to be. Or maybe I just need to make a change.
I’m 34 now, which means I still have plenty of years to kick around. It’s time to take care of my health with the same (if not better) care that I take with the family finances. That means I need to trim back the fat from my diet (and my spending). I need to exercise my body as well as my brain cells.
Retirement is still a long ways off for me, and that’s exactly why I need to work harder at preparing for it.
I need to set some goals for the life I want to live and start living that life now.
I’m happy I’m 34. I don’t miss the awkward age of 14 or the spendthrift I was at 24. I’m happy where I’m at. And being content is a great place to be.
I hope that wherever you are is where you want to be, and if it’s not, then start doing something about it!
Okay… enough seriousness. It’s time for me to celebrate. I think I’ll go take advantage of some of those birthday freebies I’ve got coming to me.
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