33 Thoughts About Turning 33

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

Comments

32 responses to “33 Thoughts About Turning 33”

  1. HoldYourComposure Avatar
    HoldYourComposure

    AHHHH this is my favorite post of the day.

    Happy Birthday! 🎈🎂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Kimmy Avatar

      It’s great to know that I am not the only weird one. LOL

      Liked by 1 person

  2. virgobeauty Avatar

    Happy Blessed 33 to you. Great post and a lot of wisdom. Wishing you many more that keep increasing and inspiring growth.

    Liked by 1 person

  3. Michael Ogazie Avatar

    Nice one!
    Please, I would like you to follow my blog as well… Thanks!

    Like

  4. westcoastwoman Avatar

    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

    Liked by 3 people

  5. Pelin Avatar

    I’ve just turned 30 and I feel the same!

    Liked by 1 person

  6. Kate Hufstetler Avatar

    Great list. Life gets better each decade. I’ll be 50 soon and I still feel like I’m 26 and not yet old like an adult.

    Liked by 3 people

  7. Elizabeth Avatar
    Elizabeth

    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.

    Liked by 1 person

  8. gaillovesgod Avatar

    Happy Birthday, Damon! I enjoyed reading your list.
    May your day and your year be all God hopes for you. He loves you!

    Liked by 1 person

  9. Vanessa Avatar

    Happy belated birthday Damon and Happy Holidays! 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  10. Puzzles of the Soul Avatar

    Happy Birthday, age is not relevant it is a number. You have done a great self-analysis and you are learning more about yourself, inner growth is important. Blessings for your birthday and the Holiday Season.

    Liked by 1 person

  11. Travel Love Kai Avatar
    Travel Love Kai

    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!

    Liked by 1 person

  12. Alex Avatar

    Happy birthday Damon !!!

    Liked by 1 person

  13. Nika Avatar

    Damon, I nominated you! Your name and link is on this post… YAY!

    https://monikajeneva.wordpress.com/2018/12/19/yay-versatile-blogger-award/

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Dr Damon Ashworth Avatar

      Thank you so much 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Nika Avatar

        You deserve it! Your writings are solid and well-thought out. 😊

        Liked by 1 person

  14. alxndraklein Avatar
    alxndraklein

    Happy 33rd birthday. Reflections are beautiful, was wonderful reading yours. I wish you a happy journey on Earth❤️🌺✨

    Liked by 1 person

  15. Josephine Avatar

    Happy birthday. Thank you, too.

    Liked by 1 person

  16. Jean Matthew Hall Avatar

    Interesting and insightful. Thanks for following my blog.

    Liked by 1 person

  17. Kalliope Avatar

    Happy belated birthday, doctor.

    Liked by 1 person

  18. nellsinaeternum Avatar
    nellsinaeternum

    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 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  19. Melanie Avatar
    Melanie

    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 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  20. A. Nonymous Avatar

    Reblogged this on Explorations of Inventories and commented:
    An interesting inventory about aging. It begs questions. My favorite is this : should we only list “resolutions” on New Years? Or should we have more frequent reckonings at other points during the year?

    Liked by 1 person

  21. julielelder Avatar

    I especially love this one:
    I’ve stopped searching for the right answers these days, and instead focus on asking and living the right questions

    Wisdom!

    Liked by 1 person

  22. Gemz Avatar

    This 👌 I’m 30 this year and I felt a bit of a panic before about it but feeling okay about it now.

    Liked by 1 person

  23. Dra. Gloria Ornelas Hall Avatar

    Wonderful….I so loved being 33, that I repeated!!!

    Liked by 1 person

  24. roxanabarsanblog Avatar

    “There are a lot of kind people out there, and being kind to others is the best way to see it.”
    I like the conclusion. A lot of wisdom.

    Liked by 1 person

  25. Lily Williams Avatar
    Lily Williams

    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.

    Liked by 1 person

  26. Linda Latt Avatar
    Linda Latt

    Love this post. Just wait, there is so much more ahead.Enjoy it!

    Liked by 1 person

  27. Monique Avatar

    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!

    Like

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