I turned 30 this past June. And in both celebration and exploration of said birthday, I wanted to find out if the age-old sterotypical fears still exist; in both myself and the women around me. In addition to finding out the thoughts of people my age, I wanted to also get a beautiful, and unretouched, portrait of each woman I met that represented how they saw themselves at this pivotal moment.
"It's just the beginning."
"I forget how old I really am."
"I'm a chick from the South, so I have some vintage ideas of life, friendships, womanhood, and relationships... but I'm young enough to let go and live it up without a second thought."
"I just feel like you can have your shit together and still struggle or not be satisfied.
We all struggle and I know a lot of people are crying inside as well."
We all struggle and I know a lot of people are crying inside as well."
"I still party like a 21 year old but I also want to have a family and be a mother. It's an internal conflict!"
"I was really excited to turn 30. I was like 'Guys I'm 30! I'm an adult now!'"
"All my friends said 30 is when your life starts to change for the positive, and it has."
"By now, I thought I'd be wildly successful, own a nicely decorated house, well traveled and financially stable. Instead, I have a shit ton of student loans and credit card debt."
"I feel as though I am on a good path for my career and am finally starting to reap the benefits of working hard in my 20s."
"I'm a person who is always looking to do more, be more. I will always be happy with what I have, but I will never feel that I don't have more to accomplish."
"There are all these ideas for what 30 is suposed to mean. But I look around and I don't see anyone else there.
It's someone else's deadline, and I'm not going to meet it."
It's someone else's deadline, and I'm not going to meet it."
"Oh how we all dream big when young!"
"I laugh at it now, but I always thought I'd be on a bunch of those 30 under 30 lists.
Well, that didn't happen and I'm ok with that."
Well, that didn't happen and I'm ok with that."
"Part of me has stopped thinking about the things I want by age X and just started living in the moment."
"Grandmothers and great aunts are definitely putting the pressure on my ovaries."
"...Barbie and Ken with the beach house and two kids... OMG- I'm a failure. Where did I go wrong? Or was it Mattel's fault?"
"I've had to kiss many a frog to find my prince, but it was definitely worth the wait."
"I'll find love when it happens. Maybe it'll be later than I anticipate, but that's fine."
"I knew once I turned 30 I could'nt so easily be forgiven nor forgive myself for my mistakes."
"The morning of my birthday I woke up and decided that my mantra for this year is GO."
"I have my good days and my bad days."
"I have a great husband who is my best friend."
"I feel like as a person I am beautiful, as a full package, not just my physical looks."
