09/25/2026
I turned 32 today, and I’m not afraid to admit that:
1. My 30s have been the best chapter of my life so far. Life doesn’t go downhill after your 20s.
My early 20s were kind of a mess of being lost, trying to fit in, and figuring out my identity based on other people’s expectations. After getting divorced at 25 and the initial chaos that followed, any fear of entering my 30s became insignificant. I became obsessively focused on self-improvement, defining who I am, and letting myself be the most genuine version of myself regardless of other people’s impressions of me. I won’t say my 30s have been completely obstacle-free so far, but all of the growth and working through the mess of life that I did in my 20s has made the positive moments of my 30s so much more enjoyable, and the challenging moments so much easier to get through. That alone has brought a richness to the first few years of my 30s that I’ve never experienced before.
2. I can be really independent. Sometimes too independent.
I had to grow up too fast and learned to be independent very early, and because of this, I’ve always struggled to ask for help, since it was easier to carry everything on my own. The past year, before taking some time off work and adjusting my schedule, was a prime example of this. I spent almost all of my time doing everything on my own, either working or being a dad, or both at the same time. I’m now working hard to unlearn this and to lean on others a bit more.
3. It sometimes feels like I’m living a double life: part-time single parent, part-time single adult.
I consider myself fortunate to spend 50% (sometimes more) of my time with my son, but the shift from time with him to time without him has always made me feel a bit like I’ve got two different identities. Especially since I decided to stop sharing much of what we do together online a few years ago. It can feel disingenuous not to share “all of myself” with my audience, even if though I don’t “need” to and that it was definitely the right choice. I’ve come to embrace both sides of my life as fully as I can, but I think the on-and-off nature of it always feels a bit weird.
Continued in pinned comments 👇🏻
