Big day tomorrow, my 40th birthday! I will be closing the chapter of my 30s and starting fresh. And the neat thing is, I really have NO idea what my 40s will hold for me, but I'm excited to find out. But before I end my 30s, I did want to look back a bit.
In my 30s, the most significant event of my life happened. I became a mom. Being a mom has been the absolute greatest joy of my life. I cannot imagine life before Jenna. Not only did I become a mom, but I became a mom to HER. She is the sweetest, most loving, most caring child and she has my whole heart.
When I turned 30, I was working in urgent care. About a year later, I realized how much I missed hospital nursing, and I went back to working in the hospital. I have changed hospitals a few times since then, but I'm so glad I realized my true love in nursing is med/surg patients. I can't imagine doing another specialty, and I'm so fortunate that I've worked where I have for the past 3 years. In my 30s, I found the best hospital and unit I've ever worked for.
Also in my 30s, I became a Certified Medical Surgical nurse (CMSRN). It means I know quite a bit about my field, and it's a great certification to have.
Personally, in the second half of my 30s, I discovered a joy of cooking. I also have Jenna to thank for that, because I truly think that being a mom helped make me want to cook more, to provide better meals for her. And I really, really enjoy it. It's been a pleasant surprise.
Also in the second half of my 30s, I discovered I LOVE running. I think I've completed close to 20 races since I started running in February 2012, including a Warrior Dash (5K obstacle course.) I look back at the first entries of this blog, and I wrote about wanting to run a 5K and even further. And in less than 2 weeks, I'll be completing my first half marathon!
Also in my 30s, not only did I realize I love running, but I discovered my inner athlete. Running is way up on the list, but I've also really enjoyed working out in general. I realized the other day that I've belonged to a gym for over 2 years and I've actually used it frequently! I think I've probably belonged to gyms that length of time before but I never consistently worked out.
As I end my 30s, I realize that I'm truly beginning to find out who I really am. That process started in the last few years, as I became healthier, more confident, and happier. That is definitely a work in progress, but in my 30s, I found my voice. I'm not just a mom, a daughter, a sister, a nurse. I wasn't just a wife. I'm a really good person, and now is the time to find out just what kind of life I want to have. I think so often, women especially, get caught up in the busy day to day life, and they don't have time for themselves to think about what THEY want. And I've been fortunate enough to start that process in the last couple years. I think that's what is most exciting about turning 40. It's my time. Of course, I will continue to be a mom, a daughter, a sister, a nurse. But finding my true self will only help in all those other roles.
So 40 is going to be an open book. Get ready world.
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