Given the uncertain times we’re all in, a lot of us find ourselves reflecting and thinking about stuff more. So, we started DL REFLECTIONS, our new series where we reflect on some of the things that impact us all.
First up - getting older. We speak to our founder, Georgia, about her reflections on saying goodbye to your twenties, and embracing your thirties.
So, when did you enter your thirties, and how did it make you feel?
“I’m 32 now so it was a couple of years ago. Growing up, I’d always thought “oh my GOD I can’t believe I’m ever going to be 30, how will I cope with being that old?!” But once the time came around, it felt positively progressive (as opposed to daunting). I’d found both my teenage years and my 20s incredibly up and down, so entering a new, more “grounded” era felt like the natural next step.”
Do you feel differently about yourself in your thirties?
“I think it’s less about your age, and more about where you’re at in your head, and in your life. I had a baby at 31, so that was a big kick up the arse for me, and changed my life dramatically. And at 32, I still care what others think about me, but I definitely care LESS. I’m not so wrapped up in my appearance or whether I’ve said the right thing. I feel more authentically “me”. I was on that path before having a baby, so I can’t totally put my new attitude down to that. But, having such a big life change, definitely accelerated the process. Once I’d entered the new world of motherhood, I just didn’t have the time to focus on myself anymore. Taking this focus away from always thinking about me, and placing it onto thinking about someone else, ended up being a bit of a self development journey. It was bloody hard, but I learnt a lot from it. It also made me realise the importance of taking time for myself, too. It’s not healthy to swing at the end of either extreme. The ideal, if it’s possible, is to find a balance somewhere in the middle.”
How do you feel about society, and the world, now that you’re in your thirties?
“I started reading my 17-year-old diary the other day, and although I was a bit embarrassed at how teenager-y I sounded, I was also surprised at how similar my attitude was to the world. I’ve always believed in the same core things - being kind, expressing yourself, being authentic, taking risks, alternative ideas and concepts. The main difference is that now I feel I have more experience to back up my beliefs. The past year, though, has seen my attitude change towards the world. I definitely feel more strongly that we are all connected to each other and to nature. I really hope that once the virus is over, we all start to see this connection more clearly.”
What do you wish you’d known, when you were in your early twenties?
“That there isn’t as much to worry about as you think there is. Although bad things can and do happen, you can cope with them much better than you think. In fact, they often propel you into taking more positive action and change for the future. I also wish I’d known that no one really cares about what you do/say/look like as much as you think they do. Everyone’s just thinking about themselves, and how they come across, most of the time. Any negativity you experience is only the other person projecting how they feel about themselves, on to you. At the end of the day, we’re all on a very similar path emotionally, and once we realise that, we can feel less lonely and more connected.”
Find Georgia here: @georgia_doralarsen
