Friday, September 02, 2011

The Happily Ever After Project

What happens after 30?

The day after my I officially hit 30, I slept for 14 hours straight. When I finally woke up, I was stunned that it was even possible for someone for sleep that long without being anesthesized. Such is the delicious exhaustion that comes with knocking off a list of 30 incredible things in the span of 14 months.

After writing my last post, I took a long hiatus from blogging and writing, and went about enjoying summer in the city and everything it had to offer. Through the madness and incessant hubbub of activity that is summer in New York, I realized that underneath it all I am a woman at peace. That desperate feeling of life having passed me by that dogged me in my late 20s was gone. Any feelings of inadequacy and insecurity had dissipated too; I know my place in the world and I'm secure in the knowledge of what I'm capable of. Best of all, I know that I am always surrounded and bolstered by friends and family who will love me and see me through anything. I am, for all intents and purposes, a happy, happy woman.

The strange thing, though, was realizing that while I'm perfectly happy to be where I am at the age of 30, to some people I seem to be, to put it as nicely as possible, a good wine that must be consumed right now lest I go off or need to be marked down. People constantly ask me whether I plan on getting married soon or whether I'm panicking that I'm not yet settled down. Well, on my own I feel absolutely no sense of panic, but mass hysteria catches on real quickly, you know ...

Which brings me to how I came up with my new blog: 

Part diary, part manifesto, it's my attempt to challenge myself and hopefully others to redefine what it means to live happily ever after. Since childhood, girls have been conditioned to think that happily ever after only begins once Prince Charming comes along to rescue us from our dreary lives. I like fairytale endings as much as the next person—but I'd like to believe finding Prince Charming isn't a prerequisite to happiness. This blog is my way of celebrating the happily ever after in the here and now, and I hope that you, my dear readers, will follow and join the conversation in this new project as you did with 30 Before 30.

If this has piqued your curiosity at all, I would be thrilled if you would visit The Happily Ever After Project at http://www.thehappilyeverafterproject.com.

Thank you all for your invaluable support and insights during 30 Before 30. Hopefully this isn't goodbye—just a segue into a new conversation!

22 comments:

  1. Hello Celine, I just found your blog now and was a little bummed out that I didn't get to "watch" this as it unfolds. :)

    Anyway, my birthday is May 21 too and will be turning 30 in 2013. Weird, but by sharing birthdates I feel connected to you somehow. :) Good luck on your "projects", I'm sure people are inspired by your journey. As I am. :)

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  2. Wow a fellow Taurus-Gemini cusp kid! We are definitely connected; our kind is a complicated bunch & we need to stick together! Though the project is technically done, I hope you'll still find some inspiration here and in my future little projects. Thank you for stopping by and I hope you poke around for a good read!

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  3. Congratulations on finishing your list. I was blog-surfing for bucket lists and the like and found your blog. I just thought you should be aware that you should recheck the links on your Listomania. A few of them are definitely spam (like termpaper and Russian brides) and some of the blogs on there don't exist anymore. Cheers on your new journey!
    ~Kristen

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  4. Thanks for the head's up Kristen! I definitely haven't been doing a good job of checking up on that list. Hope you enjoyed your visit here!

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  5. you did inspire me to write and crush my own list.

    if you are interested check it out!

    http://my-roaring-twenties.tumblr.com/

    just posted it friday and i am so excited to start my adventure. thank you for the push in the right direction!

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  6. Thanks for stopping my blog, Danielle, and best of luck with the list! It's gonna be an amazing journey to your dirty thirty!

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  7. Love the new idea! I look forward to reading about the new project - enjoyed 30 before 30 enough to start my own! http://project30in2012.wordpress.com/

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  8. Thanks Courtney! I've been slow in updating lately but I hope to catch up over the holidays during my time off. Hope you'll enjoy the new blog and best of luck on your project!

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  9. Hi Celine,

    Thanks for sharing your 30 before 30 list. Good to know that there are so many girls out there sharing the same to-do checklist. Feel free to check out mine here: http://www.funnewzealandtravel.com/life/im-taking-the-30-before-30-challenge. Happy 30 years old! After all, 30 is the new 20, with more wisdom, time, energy and money~!

    Cheers,
    Doris

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  10. Thanks for dropping by, Doris, and hope you're enjoying the journey! Cheers!

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  13. This is a wonderfully inspiring new project. I think making happiness a priority is something that is extremely important.

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    1. Thanks for the kind words, Samuel. I definitely agree!

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  14. Thanks for the inspiration! Can't wait to read all of your posts as we try to complete our list!!

    ms30b30.blogspot.com

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    1. You're very welcome! I see you guys have been chugging along on your lists. M's Tough Mudder run and B's Train through 3 states sound really exciting. Good luck!!!

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  15. Thank you for the inspiration, we LOVED your list! Now we're following in your footsteps and checking off our own 30 before 30 :)
    www.thirtydarkthirty.wordpress.com

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    1. You are so welcome ladies! I must say, your blog tagline just KICKS ASS. So stoked for you!!!

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  16. I am definitely enjoying my 30s more than my 20s, although I am sort of wondering if 30s is the peak and everything else is down hill. Hope not!

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    1. Two years into my 30s and I definitely agree, Jeff. I'm loving it! I do hope you're wrong about it being the peak. Otherwise, there'll have to be a 40 Before 40 to fix that!

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  17. I totally loved this list and was motivated and inspired to complete and fulfill all my heartfelt ideas, thoughts and purpose. Thanks for sharing. Very touching!

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    1. Thank you, comments like yours make it all worthwhile. Go for it! We only live once :-)

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