As you get older, what surprises you about yourself?

Worknprogress

Worknprogress

Cathlete
For me, I have acquired a love of cooking and baking! I have always made basic meals for my family but for a little while now I've been branching out. Making a couple of pasta dishes from scratch without using a recipe to baking a chocolate raspberry cheesecake instead of brownies to cooking a prime rib roast with garlic mashed potatoes instead of a chuck roast and regular mashed, etc. And I am enjoying every minute.

I had a ladies night a couple of weeks ago and scoured the internet for new dishes and spent most of the day in the kitchen and loved every minute of it!

And it feels very therapeutic to me. My next step would be to take a cooking class for fun but there aren't many in my area right now.

On the other hand though, I absolutely hate going to the grocery store to get the food!!!

What hobby or interest do you have that you didn't foresee you would have 10 - 20 years ago?
 
I never thought I would become a "crazy dog lady". :p

If you'd ever told me 10-20 years ago that I'd get into power lifting and consuming huge amounts of food to try to get my lift numbers up, I'da called you nuts! :eek:
 
Knitting! Crocheting too, but once I learned to knit I stopped crocheting. I have only been knitting for about a year but I love it! I've made several sweaters already, one that I wear at least once a week.

I also never thought that I would enjoy being so active. I love hiking, biking, tennis, walking, jogging - all kinds of things I never wanted to do when I was younger.
 
Ooh, very good question. I think I'm surprised most that DH and I are having a baby at all (not to keep discussing the pregnancy thing, cuz' I know that gets annoying). We were SO anti-having kids forever. When we heard about our high school/college friends having kids, our first reaction was "Oh, sorry to hear that!" (not that we would have said that!). LOL! But here we are, just a few years later and we're in full baby mode - putting together a nursery, buying little dresses, teething rings, you name it. Pretty amazing how people can change their minds about something. It took us 10 years to get to this point so it's been a big change of attitude.
 
I am not quite sure how this sounds because it does have to do with vanity, but I'll just say it. When I was younger, I used to be afraid of getting wrinkles, gray hair, sagging skin, etc. but as these things are happening to me, I actually find that I love and accept myself more. I love that when I smile my eyes crinkle, because that means I have smiled often - I NEVER thought crow's feet would be something I'd accept let alone see it as something that makes me feel beautiful!

I am also surprised (but should I be?) to hear myself saying the exact same things to my daughter that my mom said to me - you know, the ones that made you think to yourself "when I have kids I'll never do that!"

Melissa
 
I think what surprises me the most is, as I get older (I will be 31 this month), I am willing to stand up for myself more often. Having been a true pushover for the first 30 years of my life, I am not willing to let it happen as often! My mother always told me that as I age, I will learn to take less crap! Well, she was correct - it has finally happened to me! Yay! ;)
 
I will be turning 30 this year and what surprises me is how much one "Grows up" between 20 and 30. I was much more "just do" at 20, and now I "think before I do". I was afraid of turning 30 at one time, and now I welcome it because I feel so much more grounded ;)
 
I'm really interested in learning more about the brain. I'm reading a really good book right now "Making a Good Brain Great" by Daniel Amen. Very interesting.

Joanne
 
Hands down, my self-confidence!! There is something incredibly liberating about being a woman in her forties. I don't take crap from anybody, stand up for what I believe in, protect my son like a mama bear and just love who I have become! I've also discovered a greater degree of compassion for those who many see as unlovable.

On a fun note. I never thought I'd be sooo into cooking! Never would have imagined 10 or 20 years ago that I'd absolutely LOVE weight-lifting. Thank you Cathe for instilling that passion!! I'm sure there's more but that's what I for now!

Great thread!

Pam
 
I am shocked that I had three boys. I was such a girly girl growing up... took ballet for many years, played with dolls/Barbie dolls, NEVER did sports... Now I have three boys and make mud pies, love Harry Potter and laugh at farts. (And I love EVERY minute of it!!)

I also never thought I'd ever be into weight lifting or so health conscious. I grew up a chubby kid who ate lots of Chef Boyardee and didn't try salad until I was in my 20s. Who'd have thunk it?
 
noraw said:
I will be turning 30 this year and what surprises me is how much one "Grows up" between 20 and 30. I was much more "just do" at 20, and now I "think before I do". I was afraid of turning 30 at one time, and now I welcome it because I feel so much more grounded ;)
Click to expand...

30s ROCK!! You'll so love this new decade!
 
I'm really enjoying the responses. As women we "grow" through the years and learn to appreciate ourselves more, stand up for what we believe yet for the most part do it with more graciousness and maturity because of what we have learned about relationships along the way. Does that make sense?

There also seems to be a movement among women now to appreciate our age and the years that have passed because of how it has shaped our lives and personalities, and for most of us for the better.

I wonder, do men change, grow, whatever, like women do?
 
Thru my early 20s, I NEVER thought I'd have kids, let alone give up my career for them but now I can't imagine life without my DD & DS.

As I get older, I'm more tolerant of individual quirks, but less tolerant of intolerance (if that makes sense!)
 
Great thread!

When I was younger I thought that working in Hollyweird was all I would ever want to do, I got there, did it for two years and got over it. :eek: I did not think that at my age now I would be once again looking at a career change. I didn't think I would ever come home either and here I am with my parents and even if I got a fabulously paying job tomorrow I like being here to take care of them. My folks are older and I have a slightly disabled sibling who requires a little bit of care and it would be so inconvenient to live somewhere else.

I loved reading all of the posts in this thread. I am much more at peace with who I am. I have gone through the emotional upheaval of my childhood catching up with me and I'm ok. I didn't know I would become so enthusiastic about yoga, cooking, watercolor painting, still photography, and enjoy little simple things like folding laundry and listening to podcasts. Its supposed to be a chore right? (don't tell anyone, they'll think I'm nutso)

Also, when I was in my twenties I was always so embarrassed about the fact that no body ever asked me out, I never dated or did any of that stuff. But, as I get older, I'm just not embarrassed to be me anymore. "Yeah, I'm different, so?" is the thought in my head now.
 
I totally agree that these posts are just incredible!! :D It's so awesome and empowering to hear how as women grow, we give up insecurities, vanity and self-depricating talk. We learn to love ourselves for who and what we are, what we were and what we will become!! To hell with those who are stupid enough to judge us- just a sign of their own insecurities if you ask me. :eek: We grow by leaps and bounds in patience, perserverance and our self-love increase and love and tolerance towards others.

This group rocks!! You are all amazing, beautiful women and I'm glad to get to know you better each day! :D:D:D

Have a fabulous week and go hit those weights!!

Your cyber-sister,
Pam
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Our Newsletter

Get awesome content delivered straight to your inbox.

Top