The reality of turning 30 this month hasn’t really sunk in for me. For many, the big 30 is an important checkpoint in life. It is the time by which persons hope to have ticked off their lists things like having a stable marriage/relationship, a family, a career or at least a clear view of their career path and home ownership.
Passing these necessary checkpoints, I suppose, means their lives are going in the right direction. In addition, women are constantly reminded that their biological clocks are ticking, and they should consider whether or not they want to have children before their time really runs out.
Nowhere on those lists or at those checkpoints does the question of whether you are really happy arise. Ticking boxes and meeting milestones are not guarantors of happiness, even if you run around checking them off without ever really questioning whether they are the things you truly want or just what society has imposed on you.