Loved this. And happy birthday. I really felt my 30s were such a time of learning about myself. By 34 I was starting to feel like I knew who I was becoming and that I could trust myself.
Now, at 40, that feeling continues to grow. I love spending time with myself and I’m far more confident and comfortable in my own skin than ever before.
Some of what I thought would happen did, but not a lot! It’s largely been a wonderful surprise but now it makes so much sense.
I definitely feel trusting of myself, and just a little more excited to learn more about who I am. It's great to be reflective around birthdays, everything slowly makes a little more sense.
happy 34, Michelle! thank you for giving US a gift on your birthday - all your gem-like thoughts on being "happily in {your} 30s." as an eldest daughter with many wobbles herself, birthdays have progressively felt more gloomy to me, but your perspective is infectious. i'm definitely taking rich inspo from you on being more courageous with my happiness, and taking everything in stride. thank you, thank you!!
I’m a 23 year old eldest daughter and this gave me so much peace to read—to know that I can actually take a deep breath and it will be okay :) (even if the world isn’t making it look it will be right now)
yay happy belated birthday Michelle!! i loved reading your perspective of being 34. as most were, i was afraid of growing up in my teens, but now at 24 (this year) i’m really looking forward to experiencing my 30s :-) maybe i’ll be in my prime then
I remember being so excited to turn 18, then 21, then 25, and then the excitement slowed down. Thankfully, my thirties have been completely amazing! In hindsight, I loved the chaos of my twenties, but I've really found myself in my thirties. Thanks for reading ❤️
Oh Michelle happy birthday!! I look forward to another year of you sharing your gorgeous words on here. You string together a sentence like you’re weaving a daisy chain and it’s beautiful to read. I learn so much from reading your pieces. I hope you’ve had a wonderful time celebrating, here’s to another trip around the sun! ✨🥂
Happy Birthday, Michelle! You look really happy and I'm so glad for all the amazing things that have happened to you in the past few years. I've been following you for such a long time and no matter whether it's a blog post, Substack, Instagram, or Threads post, you're still my favorite blogger and enjoy reading your posts no matter what. Happy 34th! Cheers to even more abundance!
Honestly, my thirties have been SO great ❤️ I feel so grateful for this little life I get to build and live, it's more than little me could've dreamed! And thanks for your kind words – what an honour!
Happy Birthday! I hope you had the loveliest time, took it all in, and here’s to 34 ❤️
If I remember right, Me at 33 was the first piece of yours I read. I didn’t leave a comment—I had just opened my Substack account but hadn’t published anything yet. I simply read it, took it in, and nodded along to every word (I had recently turned 35 when I read it last October). And once again, I truly recognise myself in your 34th version. I’m not where I imagined I’d be as a little girl, at 18, or even five years ago—but I like this version of me. Also, I love the “I levelled up” bit - it makes me think of Mario or Pokémon! xx
Thanks Amandine! I think lots of people arrived here from that post too. I used to love my birthday because it meant I could add something to my bow, but these days I love my birthday because it offers the perfect space for reflection 😂
Happy belated birthday! I wish I could give this a zillion likes, each sentence just got better and better. I'm so glad you're at this point in your life - you deserve an eternity of happiness (even if that comes with the odd wobble) xxx
Turning 40 last December— gosh I nodded to so much of this! Life isn’t plannable— in so many ways you do have a lot dealt to you but so much of that is exactly how you spin it? Both the good and the bad. The biggest most important *thing* I have learnt and learnt and learnt and *still* have to take a minute and catch myself and remember is, that letting go and recognising what doesn’t serve me is just as important and including the things that do.
Happy belated birthday lovely you! And thank you for sharing this xxx
Thanks Sally, and thanks for your wonderfully wise words!
I'm learning more about myself each year, and that feels like a treasure in itself. I wish life were a little more plannable, but it's sort of nice to see what is new and surprising around each corner.
Happy Birthday, Michelle! ❤️Hope you're having a lovely day. Glad to hear you're feeling content in your current life stage. It was my birthday yesterday (41) and it feels kind of weird that I've now been in my 40s for a year!
One of my birthday presents was actually Moat Hill Hill, the book you reviewed! I thought it sounded like something I'd like. I saw in another post that you're planning to read Welcome to The Hyunam-dong Bookshop. I hope you enjoy it; when I read it, I thought it would be your kind of thing. :) Beyond Black by Hilary Mantel sounds like a good book as well.
I really feel so content at the moment. 30 brought clarity, and so I wasn't expecting the following years to be a little rocky. Now I feel peaceful, purposeful and excited for the next surprise along the way.
Ah that's so lovely to hear! I really enjoyed that book, and I hope you do too. Hoping to read Welcome to The Hyunam-dong Bookshop and Beyond Black later this year (always over-ambitious with my reading plans...)!
Happy Birthday from a fellow pisces! Such a great idea to take a snapshot of what life looks like right now ✨ I can’t wait to see what this year has in store for you 😊
Loved this. And happy birthday. I really felt my 30s were such a time of learning about myself. By 34 I was starting to feel like I knew who I was becoming and that I could trust myself.
Now, at 40, that feeling continues to grow. I love spending time with myself and I’m far more confident and comfortable in my own skin than ever before.
Some of what I thought would happen did, but not a lot! It’s largely been a wonderful surprise but now it makes so much sense.
Thanks Rosalyn!
I definitely feel trusting of myself, and just a little more excited to learn more about who I am. It's great to be reflective around birthdays, everything slowly makes a little more sense.
Happy Belated Birthday Michelle!! I loved this so much. I hope you have the best year yet 💕
happy 34, Michelle! thank you for giving US a gift on your birthday - all your gem-like thoughts on being "happily in {your} 30s." as an eldest daughter with many wobbles herself, birthdays have progressively felt more gloomy to me, but your perspective is infectious. i'm definitely taking rich inspo from you on being more courageous with my happiness, and taking everything in stride. thank you, thank you!!
I’m a 23 year old eldest daughter and this gave me so much peace to read—to know that I can actually take a deep breath and it will be okay :) (even if the world isn’t making it look it will be right now)
You've got this Becky ❤️ And, from one eldest daughter to another, nip the people-pleasing in the bud sooner rather than later. Thanks for reading!
This is an excellent point. Tis in the works at the moment!
yay happy belated birthday Michelle!! i loved reading your perspective of being 34. as most were, i was afraid of growing up in my teens, but now at 24 (this year) i’m really looking forward to experiencing my 30s :-) maybe i’ll be in my prime then
Aw thanks Vanette!
I remember being so excited to turn 18, then 21, then 25, and then the excitement slowed down. Thankfully, my thirties have been completely amazing! In hindsight, I loved the chaos of my twenties, but I've really found myself in my thirties. Thanks for reading ❤️
Oh Michelle happy birthday!! I look forward to another year of you sharing your gorgeous words on here. You string together a sentence like you’re weaving a daisy chain and it’s beautiful to read. I learn so much from reading your pieces. I hope you’ve had a wonderful time celebrating, here’s to another trip around the sun! ✨🥂
Thanks Ella! Another year 'round the sun and I'm so grateful.
Ahh thanks you, that means the world. Just writing my silly little words to offload from my busy brain ❤️
Love this so much. Happy birthday, Michelle! ☺️
Thanks Riza!! Always grateful for your support and kind words ❤️
I loved this so much and happy belated! We truly grow into ourselves after 30 and I wish society appreciated that more.
Thanks so much Rachel!
Happy Birthday, Michelle! You look really happy and I'm so glad for all the amazing things that have happened to you in the past few years. I've been following you for such a long time and no matter whether it's a blog post, Substack, Instagram, or Threads post, you're still my favorite blogger and enjoy reading your posts no matter what. Happy 34th! Cheers to even more abundance!
Thanks Michelle!!
Honestly, my thirties have been SO great ❤️ I feel so grateful for this little life I get to build and live, it's more than little me could've dreamed! And thanks for your kind words – what an honour!
Happy Birthday! I hope you had the loveliest time, took it all in, and here’s to 34 ❤️
If I remember right, Me at 33 was the first piece of yours I read. I didn’t leave a comment—I had just opened my Substack account but hadn’t published anything yet. I simply read it, took it in, and nodded along to every word (I had recently turned 35 when I read it last October). And once again, I truly recognise myself in your 34th version. I’m not where I imagined I’d be as a little girl, at 18, or even five years ago—but I like this version of me. Also, I love the “I levelled up” bit - it makes me think of Mario or Pokémon! xx
Thanks Amandine! I think lots of people arrived here from that post too. I used to love my birthday because it meant I could add something to my bow, but these days I love my birthday because it offers the perfect space for reflection 😂
Happy belated birthday! I wish I could give this a zillion likes, each sentence just got better and better. I'm so glad you're at this point in your life - you deserve an eternity of happiness (even if that comes with the odd wobble) xxx
Thanks Soph! Couldn't let a birthday pass by without getting at least a little bit deep and meaningful ;)
Turning 40 last December— gosh I nodded to so much of this! Life isn’t plannable— in so many ways you do have a lot dealt to you but so much of that is exactly how you spin it? Both the good and the bad. The biggest most important *thing* I have learnt and learnt and learnt and *still* have to take a minute and catch myself and remember is, that letting go and recognising what doesn’t serve me is just as important and including the things that do.
Happy belated birthday lovely you! And thank you for sharing this xxx
Thanks Sally, and thanks for your wonderfully wise words!
I'm learning more about myself each year, and that feels like a treasure in itself. I wish life were a little more plannable, but it's sort of nice to see what is new and surprising around each corner.
happy birthday! I am turning 30 this year and you make me look forward to my next decade :)
Thanks Tea!! Oh you're going to LOVE 30, trust me ❤️
happy belated birthday! It felt so good reading this and realizing I'm in a similar space! ♥
Thanks Flor!! Magical thirties indeed ❤️
Happy Birthday, Michelle! ❤️Hope you're having a lovely day. Glad to hear you're feeling content in your current life stage. It was my birthday yesterday (41) and it feels kind of weird that I've now been in my 40s for a year!
One of my birthday presents was actually Moat Hill Hill, the book you reviewed! I thought it sounded like something I'd like. I saw in another post that you're planning to read Welcome to The Hyunam-dong Bookshop. I hope you enjoy it; when I read it, I thought it would be your kind of thing. :) Beyond Black by Hilary Mantel sounds like a good book as well.
Wishing you a wonderful year ahead! 😊
Zania
Happiest of birthdays, Zania!!
I really feel so content at the moment. 30 brought clarity, and so I wasn't expecting the following years to be a little rocky. Now I feel peaceful, purposeful and excited for the next surprise along the way.
Ah that's so lovely to hear! I really enjoyed that book, and I hope you do too. Hoping to read Welcome to The Hyunam-dong Bookshop and Beyond Black later this year (always over-ambitious with my reading plans...)!
Thank you, Michelle! 😊
It's great that you're feeling in a such a good space.
Thank you. Look forward to hearing what you think of both of those books in future posts (if you choose to share)! :)
Happy Birthday from a fellow pisces! Such a great idea to take a snapshot of what life looks like right now ✨ I can’t wait to see what this year has in store for you 😊
Happy Pisces season Marlena!! ❤️