Instant Validation

Turning 30 did one GREAT thing for my professional life - it provided instant validation of my expertise.

I know it sounds strange but in my 20s I was often looked to as the new kid on the team even when I had more experience at work than many of my coworkers. Customers took one look at me and decided that I couldn't possibly be old enough to handle their claim much less climb on their roof.

I can give them a bit of a break by admitting that I don't look my age. Many members of my family have the distinction of looking several (5 to 10) years young than we really are. My grandfather has look like he was in his 50s for most of his 60s and into his 70s. So genetically I'm predisposed to being carded well into my 30s. However, at work it really stinks to be considered incapable of handling my job just because I looked young. This got real irritating when I approached my 10 year anniversary in the business.

So back to turning 30. Once I turned 30 I had no problem letting people know I was in my 30s. This gave me instant validation as a working professional. When I tell people I'm 30 they are relieved and just comment on my age not matching my looks. Once 30 came and went I found the occasions when I had to explain and validate my own experience have become fewer and farther in between.

Dirty 30

Have you considered having a Dirty 30 party?





Instead of a normal birthday party at a restaurant or friend's house, some women are getting their freak on with a Dirty 30 party. This party is a ribald celebration at a local strip club or a tour of the wildest bars and clubs in town. Gather your friends of both sexes, dress in your sluttiest gear and head out for a night of total release. Get dirty and wild while ushering in the greatest decade of life. Head to Spencers for party decorations, sexy themed attire and even cake decorations that fit the Dirty 30 theme.

Go ahead, you know you want to. Get dirty and celebrate turning 30!

A Celeb with a POSITIVE 30 attitude

Take a look at this video I found of Kate Hudson talking to Rachel Ray about turning 30. As an added bonus they also talk about having moms with strong personalities. Give it a look, its a great pick me up! (Ms. B if you're in the mood for a smile after our downer lunch conversation then Kate might just perk you up!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eA4MGDtSRI

Great Gifts of Being Human

Room service

Climate control (heat on a cold night and AC on a hot day)

Utensils

Shoes in a shapes, sizes and styles

Conceptualizing language, time and space

By the way, can I go back to room service?

When mom lives 1200 miles away and let's face it, your 30 now so you probably shouldn't call mom to whine when your tummy aches or your head hurts (because face it, she has a life) - WHAT CAN YOU DO when you don't feel well?

If you happen to be staying in a great hotel with room service then you have all the benefits of a fussy mom. Think about it - ice cream in bed, delivered.
If your tummy aches then ask for chicken soup and a pot of tea.

One of the great gifts of being human is probably having a mom. And when she's far away or otherwise occupied, try room service as an indulgent substitute. (Just don't tell my mom that room service might replace her. She wouldn't appreciate the thought.)

This week I treated a migraine headache with a squishy hotel mattress, 4 Tylenol and room service. I feel like new again.

What great gifts have you been sharing?

Can you do what you love?

It's been a while since I've had time to blog. I'd love to say that I've been hobnobbing and partying but the truth is - I've been working.

The great thing, however, is that I love what I'm doing. I jump out of bed in the morning ready to head to the office. Today after I unburied my car from the foot of snow that built up overnight I braved treacherous roads to get to the office and still had a smile on my face while doing it.

So in this time of economic upheaval and chaos I got to thinking - is it really possible to do what you love without having to dread unemployment is just around the corner. I have a few friends out of work at the moment and a few more who are dreading that the jobs they love might not be there in another few months. It might be tempting to look for the safe job to get you through the next few years.

As I though further I started thinking there might not be such a thing as a safe job any more. So then where are we left?

For now I'm thinking that thinking ahead to more positive times might provide just enough motivation to get us through the tough times. If you are looking for motivation to pursue your dream job, take a look at this book by Po Bronson. Pay attention to the tools he provides so that when the time is right you'll be able to go after that dream job.

UNTIL THEN, I've found that 10 years of learning and labor were necessary to get me to the job that now keeps me thinking and planning creatively. So enjoy the hard work of your 20s and 30s and we can all be one step closer to that job we dream of.

Who is your Role Model

I should start by warning you that I am in a pissy mood this morning. I have no idea why I’m in a mood – it’s Friday and life’s going great. I even lost a half pound since Monday. I should be having a great day BUT I’m not. So instead of a rah rah blog today I’ve decided to share with you something that happened to me last week.

I was listening to the audio book I talked about a few days ago People are Idiots and one of the tasks Larry assigns is that you write the answer to the questions he asks. One of the questions became problematic for me. The question was to make a list of your role models in each of the areas of life where you set goals and/or have concerns.

I set out to make my list – not only to name the role models but to describe what I can (or have) learned from them. So I realized I have a role model for dieting, one for exercise, a couple for my day job work, two for relationships and two for money management. Then I realized that for one subject, what may be the most important part of my future and goals – writing – I do not have a role model.

I sat down at considered all the writers whose work I admire and all the writers I know personally who are either writing for passion or writing to make a living. And after taking a look I realized that they don’t inspire me in a mentor sort of way. The professional writers I admire who have published tens or hundreds of books seem too out of reach or too lucky to be reasonable role models for me and the writers who aren’t big names, don’t seem to strive high enough to be a mentor or role model.

Understand my critique is not that a viable role model doesn’t exist. Instead my concern is that with all the viable options that do exist, none of them inspire me. The flaw and lack of motivation is in me, not the role model. Yet I’m still seeking a passionate writer who I can admire and model my behavior habits after.

What about you? Who are your role models?What can you learn from them?

Read Often and Read Well

If you’ve read much of this blog you might have realized that I love to read. I’m not a book snob because I read everything. I have read my share of fine and formal literature but I am just as likely to read the newest self help book or Nora Roberts romance. In fact in most instances I’d rather curl up with a Nora Roberts, Janet Evanovich or Christine Feehan novel than American Idol or Gray’s Anatomy.

I’ve read the South Beach book, the Zone book, 7 Habits and any other self improvement type book. I’m even a bigger fan of audio books in the self help realm. Last week I listened to

People are Idiots and I Can Prove It

by Larry Winget. I listened while working on a project at work and laughed my way through the book. Even though Larry is a funny guy with a sharp sense of humor, I appreciate his books because he offers honest and brutal advice just when I need it.

While you might not care about what I like to read, I'm hoping that you have books you prefer. One of the joys of being in our 30s is that we get to explore life and anything that interests us. Books are a great option for self discovery so I say read well, read often and read for fun.