Well, here I am, another year older, and possibly another year wiser (I’d like to think). My birthday falls right on Christmas Day so it’s always been a little different. I often joke that I’m the only one who has to give everyone else presents on my birthday! But I suppose there are some advantages: I’ve never had to work on my birthday, I get double the presents, and everyone is always so joyful all day (and we eat cake for Christmas dessert). But if I had the choice, I would definitely choose for my birthday to fall on any other day of the year (preferably not in December!).

But enough about that… this year marks a milestone birthday for me. A birthday I’ve dreaded for the past 10 years. I never tell people my age, and will just let them think I’m the age they guess, which is usually early 30s. My fear of telling my age became worse once I started blogging. It’s a world of 20-somethings and a handful of 30-somethings, and maybe a few older than 40. All my blogging friends are younger than me, although I’ve never been made to feel like I don’t fit in. So I shouldn’t worry about it, right? It’s just a number? Yeah, yeah, I keep hearing that but it’s still hard for me to admit my age. I went back and forth about whether or not to disclose my real age in this blog post because I didn’t want to “age out” of the blogger world, but finally decided that I still feel 29, I take excellent care of my skin and it’s paid off, and I can still be relevant because I can still put together an outfit, regardless of my numerical age! So here it goes…. I was born on December 25, 1978, which makes me 40. Big Sigh! I never thought I would be 40 years old- that seemed so old when I was a kid. But now I know that 40 is NOT old! And I want to share just a few tidbits of advice/things I’ve learned/words of encouragement with you all in honor of entering another decade.

1. Start taking care of your skin as early as possible! I cannot harp on it enough- having a consistent skincare routine will do wonders as you age. Using an eye cream and moisturizer both day and night should be your minimum routine. Adding in a serum and/or facial oil is even better (I like this serum in the morning and this oil mixed with my night cream). And don’t forget to use your skincare on your neck and chest! I’ve definitely noticed the changes in my neck over the last year and now pay extra attention to adding more moisturizer and treatments all the way down my decolletage. Trust me on this one!

2. Don’t wait for a special occasion to wear something nice. I feel 100% better when I know I look good, and wearing something special always does the trick. Putting a little effort into your daily looks can do wonders for your self confidence. Adding a little (or a lot) of mascara helps too!

3. Know that you are exactly where you are meant to be right now. There is no right time to go back to school, get married, have kids, quit your job, etc. When I was younger, and well into my 20s, I believed I would be married before I turned 30. Well that didn’t happen. I dated a lot of guys, had a lot of heartbreaks, but also learned a whole lot about what makes me happy and what I really want. And now I’m 40 years old, never been married and have no children. And I am 100% okay with that! I would never have said that 5 years ago. I am in a long-term relationship now and we talk about getting married, possibly having a child, but I know that if we don’t, it will be ok! And if this resonates with you, I hope you really hear this message: you are exactly where you should be! Be patient, and know that your life’s timing is perfect.

4. I’m the first to admit that I’m terrible at staying in touch with people once we move to different cities. But I’m trying hard to get better at this because true friends are so much harder to meet once you’re out of school. I didn’t keep in touch with anyone I went to grad school with, and really only maintain Facebook friendships with people from my first job in Ft. Lauderdale. And that makes me sad! I’m so grateful for my friend, Tammy, who I met about 9 years ago through work. She moved out of state due to her husband’s military assignment several years ago and she has been really good at staying in touch and met me in Vegas for my recent birthday trip. That’s the kind of friend I strive to be! I cannot stress how important having good girlfriends is the older you get. And having girl’s night’s out are also essential! Even once you are married and have kids, don’t forget your girlfriends! I always feel so refreshed and happy after spending a night out with my girls!

5. And a few of my favorite quotes/sayings:

Don’t sweat the small stuff (and it’s all small stuff).

Pick your battles. Do you really want to start a fight over something small? (See above quote!)

Be kinder than necessary. It is always necessary.

You could learn to love anyone if you knew their story.

Everyone is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind always.

Everything is all right in the end. If it’s not all right, then it’s not the end.

Other people’s opinions about you is none of your business.

And lastly, I just want to thank all of you for supporting me, messaging me, liking my photos on Instagram, and following along with my journey. It means more to me than you’ll know, and I hope I can continue to bring you what you need! I love and appreciate each and every one of you!!