Today, I turned 30. Like most birthdays, it was just a typical day for me. I got up, checked my email, showered, got dressed, went to work, etc. But for once, I have this First Day of the Rest of Your Life feeling. It feels pretty damn good, actually.
I know that when you turn 30, you're supposed to freak out. You're supposed to get depressed, and think about where your life went wrong, and what the hell you are doing. It's 30. You're an adult with 12 years of experience, and what have you accomplished? How many of those years did you waste? How many ships have sailed for you, and are you gonna get stuck now?
Well that's all horseshit to me.
I get the impulse, believe me, but this isn't some new revelation. There isn't a day that goes by when I don't have the thought, at least once, "What are you doing with your life?"
But I've learned to fight this now, and the way I do that these days is to add the word "today" at the end. It totally changes the way you look at the question.
What are you doing with your life today?
Americans take goals a little to seriously. We think that when make it from point A to point B in life, that we'll finally arrive at happiness. But it never quite works out that way, does it?
I've gotten to some pretty badass Point B's already. I've lived on my own in three states. I've made a film that was seen in a packed theater of 1,200 people. I met a guy that got over a million people to vote for him to be president. I'm running the show at the 7-11 I work at, and I now have fans who read my stuff online that I've never met in my life.
And I've made a handful of friends along the way who are still willing to put up with my crap after so many years. That might be the best Point B of all. Making a true friend. It's really hard.
Finding someone that gives you the time of day, and actually believes in you. I've spent so much emotional energy over the years on people who just didn't give two shits about me, and spent so much time trying to be all things to all people, but never being true to who I was.
I may say things now and do things that others don't like, but now I'm ok with that. As long as I say what's in my heart and on my mind, and I actively listen and engage with others, and I have a willingness to be wrong, I will continue to find these friends in the most unlikely of places. That is why my friends are so wonderfully diverse.
And I love you all. Those of you who actually follow me and the crazy things I write about, you mean the world to me. I'm doing it because I'm passionate, but you are the reason I believe that the things I write can actually matter to others.
I'm writing this because today is a milestone. It's a very non-special day, but the first thing I'm doing after the sun sets tonight is having a drink. I'm going to drink to the best years of my life, which are yet to come.
