My birthday is on Friday and as of July 25th, I will have approached the tail end of my twenties.

My initial reaction was to feel sad. Older cousins, friends, and co-workers have always told me, Your 20’s are the best decade of your life. Enjoy it! Don’t do what I did and get married. Get your education now before you acquire more responsibilities. And I have taken these words of wisdom to heart and have fully embraced every aspect of my 20’s: the high points, the low points, the confusion, the heartbreak, the freedom, the fun times, the excitement, the happy moments and overwhelming moments.

But like the saying goes, All good things must come to an end, and this second decade of my life has truly been one of those good things.

I look forward to the 3rd decade of life. I believe a woman’s 30’s are really the best decade of her life. At 30, a woman knows who she is. She does not try to please anyone. She is more focused on her life goals and if she is lucky, she will find her life partner and start a family. She may purchase a home. She is more at ease with her appearance and more daring in her fashion sense. She embraces life, for she understands that she should only value the important things and people in her life. Several of my cousins are in their 30’s and they are simply fabulous – confident, beautiful and most of all, unapologetic about who they are what they have decided to do with their life. I cannot wait to be fabulous!

In the meantime, a transitional phase is upon me. I am enduring a host of changes! My career path is changing. My close friends are changing. My outlook to life is changing. My priorities are changing. My spending habits are changing. The way I spend my free time is changing. For the first time in my life, I fully understand that the decisions I make today impact my life tomorrow. And with that in mind, I make my decisions carefully, exploring the pros and the cons. Gone are the days where I make decisions  based solely on emotions and on what everyone else was doing. Nowadays, I make decisions based on what is right for me.

I am optimistic that my best and brightest days are still ahead of me. But change is always a scary stage. Am I making the right career decision? Am I making the right financial decisions? What is really important to me? Is this person a true friend? If I pursue another career, will I still be able to fulfill my long-term goals?

The answers to these questions are unknown. But each day, I am living out the possibilities. I am conscious of each decision I make. I do not beat myself up for making mistakes. I learn from past hardships and failures. And I take quiet time out of each day, to hear that still calm voice inside of me. And you know what? Each and every day, I am becoming a better version of myself and I love it.

So, when Friday, July 25th greets me (by God’s grace), I will smile. I will be happy. I will be bold. I will not allow anyone or anything hold me back from my highest potential. I am ready for the next stage of my life. I embrace each and every possibility that comes with each new day. I cannot wait to see what life has in store for me. In the words of Waka Flocka, Oh Let’s Do It!