33 Thoughts About Turning 33

Posted byDr Damon AshworthPosted inCountdownsTags:, , , , , , , , ,

This will be an unfiltered post. No thinking things through. No edits. Just reflections on life, age, and anything else that pops into my head. Here goes nothing:

  1. Turning 33 feels weird.
  2. I feel old at times, especially in my body.
  3. I still feel like a child at other times, and I wonder whether I will ever feel like a proper adult.
  4. I can’t believe I have so much grey hair now.
  5. It’s strange to wonder where the time has gone.
  6. Yet when I think about it, I really have done a lot and had many amazing experiences in my time on this planet.
  7. I’m happier now than I have ever been before.
  8. We never really know how our life will turn out.
  9. I couldn’t have planned for what has occurred in my life, yet, amazingly, things have turned out the way they have.
  10. I’m excited about the future.
  11. I used to get scared about the idea of getting older, but I don’t anymore.
  12. I’ve stopped searching for the right answers these days and instead focus on asking and living the right questions.
  13. I don’t regret much from my past, even though some of it really sucked at the time.
  14. I still don’t fully understand people, even after I have studied psychology for 8 years, seen patients since 2010 and read over 200 psychology books.
  15. I will never fully understand myself or someone else, which is okay as long as I keep trying to learn and grow.
  16. 33 is a palindrome.
  17. When I was younger, I would have seen 33 years old as “really old” and “over the hill.”
  18. I thought that I would have been a parent by now.
  19. I am glad that I haven’t just tried to follow the crowd and live a traditional life.
  20. I used to think it was better to receive gifts from others, and now I can see how it is better to give.
  21. I worried and stressed way more than I needed to as a child.
  22. I focused on my body image and appearance way too much as a teenager.
  23. I’ve never really looked after myself that well regarding what I put into my body. This will eventually catch up to me if it hasn’t already.
  24. I’ve let go of being perfect, which feels great.
  25. Not everything happens for a reason, but we can learn something from everything that we go through.
  26. Everyone suffers in life to some degree.
  27. Everyone has baggage.
  28. Life isn’t about getting the best job, house, partner, but the best one for you and your lifestyle and values.
  29. No one truly knows what the future holds, and that is both exciting and scary.
  30. It’s much better to only focus on trying to change what is in my control.
  31. Having unconditional positive regard and compassion for others is tough to do but really rewarding if you can.
  32. Living an honest and ethical life is so much less tiring in the long run than being dishonest, self-centred and egotistical.
  33. There are many kind people out there, and being kind to others is the best way to see it.

Thanks for reading these last three years, and happy holidays to you all!

Dr Damon Ashworth

Clinical Psychologist

Published by Dr Damon Ashworth

I am a Clinical Psychologist. I completed a Doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology at Monash University and a Bachelor of Behavioural Sciences and a Bachelor of Psychological Sciences with Honours at La Trobe University. I am passionate about the field of Psychology, and apply the latest empirical findings to best help individuals meet their psychological and emotional needs.

32 thoughts on “33 Thoughts About Turning 33”

  4. Damon…..Five days from now I will turn 68 almost all of the items on your list I could also list regarding my life now. Waking up one day and year at a time. What an amazing ride it is no matter what your age. Happy Birthday

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  7. Your 33 thoughts will be relevant when you turn 44, 55, 66, 77, 88 and 99 too. Except perhaps for number 10! Best wishes for your year….happy birthday.

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  11. Happy Birthday great fun and truthful article. I really enjoyed it thank you for sharing your inner thoughts. Being in my fifties I have to say that list won’t change much. All you can do is embrace each day were given. Besides who really wants to feel like an adult I’d much rather always have some portion of life to be child like!

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  18. Happy belated birthday to you! Even though I haven’t yet reached 33, I already identify with these more than I’d care to admit. Cute post 🙂

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  19. Number 25 is particularly relevant, I think, it terms of helping us see our life experiences more objectively. Happy birthday, Damon and thanks for reading my blog 🙂

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  25. Very great lessons to learn, i can tell you’re good people from reading the list. I know you’ll only become more amnd more of a warm person.

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  27. I just turned 33 and this list is pretty much exactly where I’m at. There is no way I could have imagined I’d have ended up where I’m at but I’m so glad to be here. LOL at all of the things we worry about when we’re young!

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