Finally Thirty!

It was the final stretch... the last few days of my twenties, which I spent back home. And sometime during that week, I realized I couldn't wait to finally be thirty.

But first I had to finish off my thirty challenges... To start off the week, there was my father's. He asked for thirty kisses for the thirty years he's been my dad --he's always in need of an extra dose of daughterly affection. Once upon a time I was little girl who wanted to marry her daddy, and the safest place on earth was on his lap and wrapped inside his abaya. I think most days he looks at me and wishes I was still that little girl.

The rest of the week perfect vacation mode challenges... I "threw myself a big birthday party"(#29) and basically celebrated for three days (it was like an ongoing birthday festival... and I loved it!). I watched "La Meglio Gioventu" by Marco Giordana (#23) one of three directors my friend M. wanted me to discover before 30... I spent 3 days working on a "self portrait"(#24) drawing from a picture and then painting, the kind of activity that turns my brain off for hours. I also did "random acts of kindness"(#25) all week long, and it made me wonder why I don't do random acts of kindness every day... it's so easy to do someone a favor, to carry an elderly person's groceries or pay someone a compliment... A good thing to keep in mind, which I wrote as part of another challenge "write a life lesson learnt every day"(#27).

There was also a very important, powerful and difficult challenge: "finish the first draft of your book"(#28). And I tried... I put in the hours; as many as I could over the last few weeks. But writing a book is a complicated thing that doesn't always happen on demand, though the pressure of a deadline did make me work a lot harder and make a lot of progress. The challenge did help me get over that hump and push through, so now, at least I can see the end.

My favorite challenge of all is the one I dreaded doing most. Three people told me to "wakeboard or waterski"(#26) and their goal was not only to get me to try a water sport, but to connect with something my late mother used to do (she was a champion waterskier.) I however am not friends with the sea: I don't like boats, I get really bad sea-sickness and I was really being a baby about the whole thing... kept trying to find excuses not to do it. When the teacher told me to throw myself in the water, I did it very reluctantly. I was convinced I was going to be one of those people who never gets out of the water. I followed the instructions and waited for the boat to pull me up so I could fall on my face, say I tried, and that would be the end of it. But when the boat moved, I actually got up. And out. And all of sudden I saw myself wake-boarding. And there is nothing like seeing yourself do something you never thought you could do.

This little game I created for myself... maybe it was just me doing a bunch of silly things for distraction,  but it honestly shifted my perspective entirely. I was dreading turning 30 because I kept thinking that I'm not where I thought I would be. Or should be. But then I played this game. And I pushed myself, even on the days I didn't want to. And I realized there are still so many things I want to do and try and I'm just happy and excited to explore a new decade. Also, getting asked for my ID at a club a week ago may have helped boost my ego...

As for the last challenge (#30) it's one I give myself: Everyone keeps telling the thirties are better because in your twenties you're still looking for yourself and in your thirties, you know who you are... so my challenge is to write down what I know about myself, and to keep it for comparison for when I turn 40...

The Almost Thirty Project --Week 3

With eight days to go and twenty-one challenges down, I have to say that this whole project has been one of my better ideas: I've done more things in 3 weeks than I have in the last 5 months, and it feels amazing to be reminded that there are always new things to try and to do. I've honestly wanted to quit it more than once, just because planning and making sure I do one thing every day is really challenging... but then I remember something my mother always told me "don't start something you can't finish" --and so that's how I got my ass up yesterday morning at 7 (if there is one thing I hate in this life it's waking up before my body tells me to) and dragged myself to the beach to "meditate before work"(#19). Once I sat down on the sand crossed-legged, closed my eyes and started breathing, I felt at peace. It is such a beautiful way to start the day, it completely trumps my need for an extra one hour of sleep.

And apart from this more spiritual moment, most of the challenges this week seemed to focus around my body and feeling sexy... There was the "buy very sexy lingerie" (#14) and the half hour I spent in the Victoria's Secret dressing room trying on all sorts of random underwear was a huge ego boost --it's all about the lighting and they have it down perfectly because you just look gorgeous in everything. There was the "no underwear day" (#15) which weirdly enough was given to me by not one but two people... and was the most uncomfortable day ever, which is all I'll say about it! Then there was the "skinny dipping" (#16)  which was absolutely amazing and which I will definitely, for sure do again and again! It was midnight and I was with a couple of friends --we swam into the sea a little far from shore and when we were sure no one could see, I duly removed my bathing suit. Giggles ensued... but then the most wonderful feeling of liberation. And finally to finish off the list of sexy "to-dos," I went to a "pole dancing class"(#20)... which is a LOT harder than it looks. I mean, the teacher looks absolutely fantastic and climbs that pole like it's the easiest thing in the world... But it's not. I couldn't even do one of the moves... and I'm pretty sure I'm going to see bruises appear all over my body. 

I also got to experience one of Dubai's famous "Ladies Night" (#18) where they basically give you free drinks (seriously like 3 free drinks each...!) and you'd think the place would be filled with, well, ladies... but it's mostly filled with guys who each come up to you with different cheesy lines. One I particularly liked was "You see all these guys? They're my friends and I don't feel like talking to them anymore" and my friend A. beautifully responded "Maybe you should get new friends." The look on his face was priceless. 

As for the most difficult challenge yet "Apply for your dream job" (#17) It was really difficult for me to decide what that job would be... because my real dream is to be a full time writer, writing novels on my own time and that's not a job I can apply to. So I applied for the next best thing --something I always thought was fascinating: working as a journalist for National Geographic. Travelling and telling stories from the four corners of the world. That's a good dream.

The Almost 30 project - Week 2

As I'm finishing off week 2 of my "Almost 30" project, I'm sharing a summary of my daily challenges here on the blog...

• Day 7 - "Take an acting class in Dubai": Far from being my first acting class, it was my first in a very long time. But it brought me back to a world in which I always felt happy in --a world where I can pretend to be anyone but myself. When I was younger, all I wanted was to be an actress. I filled my head with dreams and fantasies of one day conquering Hollywood and winning an Oscar. I hadn't acted in more than 3 years before that class, and being in an environment where I could just play felt fantastic.

• Day 8 - "Write the 10 biggest achievements of you twenties": I wrote those in details in a previous post... But I will say one thing about this challenge... putting these achievements down on paper really surprised me.  It's easy to forget how many things you should be proud of, and reminding myself was a huge boost. Now I'm looking forward to see what I'll do in my thirties...

• Day 9 - "Wear blue mascara": a challenge of beauty and make-up for someone who doesn't often wear any... It was fun to get out of my comfort box of black eye-liner and bronzer and try something a little more daring. Maybe it'll make me spice things up in the makeup department...

• Day 10 - "Do something that makes you feel like a child": Colors, brushes, paints... being surrounded by 6 and 7 year olds. Spending hours coloring on a ceramic mug on a saturday afternoon... just the type of thing I loved to do, back in the day when weekends were all about gathering around something creative. My mom always had an idea to keep us occupied: making chandeliers out of coca cola bottles, playing with salt dough clay, creating dolls out of buttons... it feels good to know we can still play like children as we grow into adulthood.

• Day 11 - "Wear high-heels at the office": This may seem like a curious one... considering that most people don't wear anything but heels at the office... but I had never done it in my entire professional life. I don't even wear heels when I go out at night, only very rarely. I have to admit though, there is something about spending a day in high-heels: It made me feel like I was in an episode of The Good Wife -like a sexy powerful professional woman... Not a bad thing to feel... And I think I may where more heels in my thirties!

• Day 12 - "Witness a moment of pure happiness": when I got this "to-do", I had no idea how or when I could get it done... it's not like you can predict a moment like that. And then my best friend got engaged... On Monday night, we went to celebrate, and I have never seen her that happy in fifteen years of friendship. It's a blessing to see someone you love so happy. And in that moment, I let go of all the fears and insecurities of my own life, and felt happy too. Not just "happy for her," but happy because she was happy. It's feels nice to tell the difference. 

• Day 13 - "Go to an audition": I've been acting since I was 12 years old and I've done dozens of plays, a few short films and even a TV series but I had never gone to a real audition before. I was a little nervous but I decided to give it my all --my big chance to see if I can really nail an audition or not. I learnt the text by heart in the 3 minutes I got to prepare, and went in to impress... let's see what happens! Maybe the career I dreamt of as a child will finally come to me in my thirties!

Today, as I write this, I still have no idea which "to-do" I'm going to do... it's getting harder and harder as the list gets shorter! And there are some scary things coming up on that list, including skinny dipping (I might get kicked out of Dubai for that one), apply for your dream job (which I still haven't figured out) and go for a 5k run (very, very optimistic...). Tune in next week for the next episode of "Almost 30"!