The Five Year Shift

Passages of time can be marked in so many ways: the celebration of a birthday, a daily commute to work, or a special memory that is never forgotten. Each occupies a different space in our minds, but are still markers of time. I think the passing of time is objective and subjective at the same time. While time passes for everyone -- of that there is no doubt -- how we perceive of our time is personal. 

Ever since I turned 30, I've noticed a marked change in myself every five years. What do I mean by that? Well, I mean that I feel like I've grown and changed a lot every half-decade since I've turned 30. I noticed a change at 30, but I was really struck by how much had changed since then when I turned 35. Thirty-five was a big life-changer: I was now a mom of two children, I was embarking into school once again, and I started to be acutely aware of my own mortality. By the time I turned 40, I went through another big change (one that I've documented here countless times). 

I turned 45 towards the end of last year, and I've noticed another five-year shift. I don't feel the same sense of urgency that I did when I turned 40. Instead, I feel confident, sure of myself, and find myself to be a true goal-setter. Every five years in your life marks changes in the progression of your life, and a fairly significant one at that. I'm excited for what the next five years holds, and I look forward to another decade birthday...maybe not right at this moment, but I will be. After all, it will be another five-year shift, and I'll be ready.