Jemma Sbeg

And we feel like it's quite a unique bond and experience to be going through a lot of these emotions and this process of aging together. The other thing I really like to reflect on and that I think might be useful is is I reflect on all the people I know who are five, 10 years older than me. I think it's really important to have friends who are at different stages of their life than you.

So I have friends who are 50, I have friends who are 35, I have friends who are 19, and it's really valuable to kind of get the lived experience and the opinions from them. And around the time of my birthday, I always think about a few of my friends who are exactly a decade older than me.

So I have friends who are 50, I have friends who are 35, I have friends who are 19, and it's really valuable to kind of get the lived experience and the opinions from them. And around the time of my birthday, I always think about a few of my friends who are exactly a decade older than me.

So I have friends who are 50, I have friends who are 35, I have friends who are 19, and it's really valuable to kind of get the lived experience and the opinions from them. And around the time of my birthday, I always think about a few of my friends who are exactly a decade older than me.

Specifically, my friend Alicia and my friend Lindsay, they, at 35, are the most successful, hottest, poised, richest versions of themselves that I've ever seen. And they are also the happiest. And I remember as they were turning 30, I did talk to Alicia about this. I was 20. She was 30. I think I asked some naive question around like, how do you feel about turning 30?

Specifically, my friend Alicia and my friend Lindsay, they, at 35, are the most successful, hottest, poised, richest versions of themselves that I've ever seen. And they are also the happiest. And I remember as they were turning 30, I did talk to Alicia about this. I was 20. She was 30. I think I asked some naive question around like, how do you feel about turning 30?

Specifically, my friend Alicia and my friend Lindsay, they, at 35, are the most successful, hottest, poised, richest versions of themselves that I've ever seen. And they are also the happiest. And I remember as they were turning 30, I did talk to Alicia about this. I was 20. She was 30. I think I asked some naive question around like, how do you feel about turning 30?

And she was like, I'm terrified. I'm absolutely terrified. Five years later, she's like, this is the age I want to be forever. I thought that 25 was amazing. I thought the 21 was amazing. 35 is the best. Like it's You feel so confident. You feel so much like yourself. And she also said to me, you know, my birthday is not as important as the experiences that I'm having.

And she was like, I'm terrified. I'm absolutely terrified. Five years later, she's like, this is the age I want to be forever. I thought that 25 was amazing. I thought the 21 was amazing. 35 is the best. Like it's You feel so confident. You feel so much like yourself. And she also said to me, you know, my birthday is not as important as the experiences that I'm having.

And she was like, I'm terrified. I'm absolutely terrified. Five years later, she's like, this is the age I want to be forever. I thought that 25 was amazing. I thought the 21 was amazing. 35 is the best. Like it's You feel so confident. You feel so much like yourself. And she also said to me, you know, my birthday is not as important as the experiences that I'm having.

Like this is less mentally straining and less mentally exhausting. And there's a lot less pressure on it the older I get. And I'm just able to have fun with it. I'm just able to prioritize what I want to do. And it shows. Like she just...

Like this is less mentally straining and less mentally exhausting. And there's a lot less pressure on it the older I get. And I'm just able to have fun with it. I'm just able to prioritize what I want to do. And it shows. Like she just...

Like this is less mentally straining and less mentally exhausting. And there's a lot less pressure on it the older I get. And I'm just able to have fun with it. I'm just able to prioritize what I want to do. And it shows. Like she just...

looks amazing and she has this like shine coming out of her soul that just says I'm present I know who I am and I'm really deeply satisfied and happy whenever I feel scared about entering a new chapter in a new phase of my life I look to people like her and I say if they've done it I can do it and look at how amazing it's turning out for them and it brings me a great sense of peace

looks amazing and she has this like shine coming out of her soul that just says I'm present I know who I am and I'm really deeply satisfied and happy whenever I feel scared about entering a new chapter in a new phase of my life I look to people like her and I say if they've done it I can do it and look at how amazing it's turning out for them and it brings me a great sense of peace

looks amazing and she has this like shine coming out of her soul that just says I'm present I know who I am and I'm really deeply satisfied and happy whenever I feel scared about entering a new chapter in a new phase of my life I look to people like her and I say if they've done it I can do it and look at how amazing it's turning out for them and it brings me a great sense of peace

My two final, perhaps a little bit alternative tips for dealing with birthday anxiety is to actually celebrate your birthday a week afterwards so that you get over the emotional hangover of your birthday and you feel like there's less expectations. It's just a more general celebration.

My two final, perhaps a little bit alternative tips for dealing with birthday anxiety is to actually celebrate your birthday a week afterwards so that you get over the emotional hangover of your birthday and you feel like there's less expectations. It's just a more general celebration.

My two final, perhaps a little bit alternative tips for dealing with birthday anxiety is to actually celebrate your birthday a week afterwards so that you get over the emotional hangover of your birthday and you feel like there's less expectations. It's just a more general celebration.

And I also really hope that you engage in this mindset shift that I've been taking part in the last few months, few years. Which is to see my life as seasons rather than as just a bunch of years. And I've spoken about this on the podcast before.