Today is my 35th birthday – I think that means I’m now solidly and officially in the mid-30s. I don’t know that I ever really thought to imagine what my life would be like at this point, but if I had, it probably would’ve looked different than the reality of it. In general, I feel great being in my 30s – more settled, more content, and more confident than I ever did in my 20s.

But this past year has tested me, in some ways. It’s funny – I chose “adapt” as my word for 2023, and it has been an extremely accurate and fitting word for my year. It was right around the time of my birthday last year that I realized I had accidentally lost some weight, and it had a pretty big and immediate impact on my life and my health. I really did have to adapt and learn how to slow down and take care of my health – make changes in the way I was going about my day-to-day life. There have been a few other things over the last year, too, that have really just reenforced my need to really embrace adapting.

It hasn’t always been the easiest, to be perfectly honest. I like a general routine, and I like things the way I like them. This year has stretched that, and forced me to be flexible – to be okay with saying no to things I’d like to say yes to, with plans changing at the last minute. But I do think it’s been important for me. Knowing I can survive and even thrive even when things aren’t necessarily going the way I expected is really powerful.

And in between the chaos, there were really amazing moments too! Big ones, like seeing one of my best friends get married, and smaller ones, like coffee and a book on my backyard patio that didn’t even exist three years ago. Sometimes I think that the more chaotic life gets, the more you really do learn to appreciate the smallest of things. And I love that.

So here’s hoping that I don’t lose my ability to adapt this year… but also that there are a few less times I need to do so!