I grew up hearing the phrase, “By thirty, a person should have established themselves.”

In my mind, if you haven’t stood up, built a career, or started a family by the age of 30, then life is deemed a failure.

Recently, I received a letter from a friend to herself that deeply resonated with me. She wrote:

“I turned 30 this year, and recently went through a divorce. After six years as a homemaker, I have no career of my own. Compared to girls in their twenties, I have lost my looks… For me now, both career and love seem bleak, but I believe my life is just beginning.”

Receiving this letter struck a chord with me. Looking back at the past, I realized we overemphasized the significance of achieving stability by thirty.

30, what a wonderful age! Isn’t life just beginning?

Using Your Mature Wisdom to Reflect on How Life Should Begin

In our youth, we were naive, but by thirty, we should be mature.

At 30, we understand what we want and don’t want. It’s a beautiful phase.

Society expects us to have a house, a car, and a family by 30.

So, we tirelessly chase these material possessions, trying to fit the mold of others’ expectations, forgetting what we truly desire.

When we reach our thirties without achievements, we feel depressed, thinking we can’t measure up to others or have a fulfilling life.

But we fail to realize that now is the real beginning.

It’s Never Too Late, Everything Is Just Right

I recently saw a video on an app about a 92-year-old lady who, after making a mistake in her youth, spent 40 years in prison.

Upon release, she found her daughter missing, divorced, and lacking a means to make a living, so she cleaned toilets to get by.

At 72, she started a business, facing initial difficulties but eventually succeeding.

In an interview, she said, “At 72, I felt like my life was just starting. I never gave up, which is why things are getting better.”

Imagine, at 72, feeling like life is just beginning. So, for a 30-year-old, there are endless possibilities ahead.

The World Out There is Exciting, You Need to Experience It

I have a cousin who wasn’t conventionally pretty. Her best friend, a campus beauty, got married on the same day as her.

When I saw them last year, I was surprised. My cousin, not as attractive before, now looked better than the campus beauty.

As we dined together, I learned why.

The campus beauty, after marriage, centered her life around the family, feeling her life had peaked. But my cousin, at 30 after having a child, believed her life was just beginning. So, she chose to strive, build her career, and in that pursuit, she grew, naturally enhancing her charm.

After marriage, many women devote all their energy to the family, drifting away from society.

Some feel that after having kids and hitting 30, they should prioritize family affairs over personal growth.

But with such thinking, you’re already falling behind. While peers are evolving, you’re stagnant.

So, even in your thirties after having kids, don’t confine yourself to home. The world outside is fascinating, and you haven’t truly experienced it yet.

Whether man or woman, don’t give up on personal growth due to age. At any point, you have untapped potential.

30, like the scorching sun overhead, march forward boldly. It’s never too late for anything.