I turned forty this week. A big monumental occasion in my life.

I am not usually one to make a fuss of birthdays but this year I decided to make it special as it was a significant one. We went away, I had dinners, lunches, cake and coffees and received plenty of messages. It was just the way I wanted.

The last ten years of my life has been abit of rolling with the punches. It’s been a bit of a ride; relationship-wise, career-wise and learning to love myself. A lot of beginnings and a lot of endings. I have begun to get used to just going with the flow, getting on with it and not letting anything get in my way of what I dream of achieving.

I tried out leadership roles in my school and became an Assistant Principal then a Literacy/Numeracy Leader working with twenty-plus schools. I battled Chronic Fatigue for five of the years. I say battled because I was something I tried to fight but had to give in, in the end, to be able to heal. I got engaged. I moved to Morocco. I started my own business, selling Moroccan goods. I decided to leave my fiance and move back to Australia. I tried out being a Governess in the Outback. This didn’t go to plan so I moved on to Adelaide. Spent five months just looking after myself. I resigned from Oakville Public School and retired from teaching. I moved to Riverstone into my own place. I returned to teaching and taught trauma-affected children for two years at Noumea. When I could no longer put up with the suffering, I enjoyed another year of travelling the world in between moving in with my boyfriend. I finally fulfilled a long dream and started blogging about all my life’s adventures. During the decade I have taken at least four years off from working to find the meaning of life and to proper my body for working and living and to be healthy again. I ended my thirties with travelling to a total eighty two countries and incredible memories of amazing places that are not everyone would consider for a holiday destination such as Mongolia, Iran, Oman, and India.

There were some harsh lessons along the way, yet it was a time I really faced my anxiety and fears. I have finally worked out that;

• I deserve the best. There is no need to suffer or sacrifice, I don’t have time in life for that anymore

• I am clumsy. When I stopped taking myself so seriously I found I was really clumsy and could laugh at myself

• I am good at my job. Experience helps

• to stop overthinking and just do. To stop over planning and just do

• I can write and enjoy writing

• it doesn’t matter what others think. Just do what makes you happy

• to stop saying yes. I was constantly being taken advantage of because I was a good friend, teacher, tutor, daughter who everyone knew I would drop everything to help others. I drained myself dry because I was constantly giving to others. I learnt how to have healthy boundaries

• there is more to life than being a good teacher

• mediation, gratitude diaries and praying works

• manipulation is one of the lowest, cruellest acts that anyone can hold over someone

My thirties were a time of deep learning, self-reflection, self-realisation and perseverance. I spoke my truth and worked out my true self.

As the year progresses, I am sure I will continue to reflect on my thirties and what I have learned through my life journey these past years. I have learnt a lot yet know I still have a lot more to learn.

How has the last ten years been for you? Do you made time to reflect and realise? We would love it if you joined the conversation and left a comment below.