Thirty-One and Thriving

So I’m 31 today. Not gonna lie, 30 hit different than I expected. It was supposed to be this big milestone year, but honestly? It was mostly about surviving. The house, the kids, Marcus and I figuring out how to be married people instead of just people who happened to live together.

Thirty-One and Thriving

There were months where I felt like I was disappearing into all the roles - mom, wife, nurse - and forgetting there was still an Elena underneath it all.

But somewhere around month 10 of being 30, I started running. Not just jogging around the neighborhood to fit into my jeans (though that was part of it), but actually running. Like, with goals and times and everything.

Birthday morning coffee and reflection time

And something clicked. I remembered that I’m allowed to want things for myself. I’m allowed to take up space. I’m allowed to be the main character of my own life, even with two kids and a mortgage.

30 was about surviving all the changes. 31 is about thriving in spite of them. Watch me.