Advice I wish I'd taken at 35
Advice I wish I'd taken at 35
At 35, I did not think I needed advice.
I had children, work, plans, bills, ambition, laundry, dinner, responsibilities, and probably a face cream that promised miracles by Tuesday.
I was busy becoming someone. Useful. Capable. Reliable.
If an older woman had taken me aside and said, “Darling, half of this is nonsense,” I would have smiled politely and gone back to being indispensable.
So here it is. The advice I wish I had taken at 35.
Be strong, but stop carrying the whole circus.
Do not work so hard to make people like you. The ones worth keeping already do. The others can manage the tragedy somehow.
Do more useless things.
Walk without a purpose. Dance without talent. Ask strange questions. Look at clouds. Stay curious. Be ridiculous before life gives you permission.
Spend more time with your children.
Say no before your body has to say it for you.
Be less perfect. More awake.
Less useful to everyone. More faithful to yourself.
Now I lie on a beach with Tom, take a ridiculous selfie, and call it wisdom.
At 35, I wanted to become enough. At almost 60, I think I already was.
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