I turned 35 a few weeks ago, which made me realised that I am officially in my mid-30s. When I was in my 20s, I’ve always wondered what life at 35 would be like. Well, now that I am already living the life, I wouldn’t say that it is “like I’ve always imagine” (I had a wild imagination back then) – but I’d say that I’ve gone through some life-changing moments.

Guess that’s what being a mum does to you!

At the same time, the mid-30s is also like a rude reminder that time is ticking away and that my little girl is growing up just a little too fast for my liking. But the optimistic me made the choice not to dwell on the negatives, and instead focus on the things that I have been blessed with in the past 35 amazing years.

There’s simply too many to list down, but here’s my compilation of 35 things that I am thankful for, as I turn 35 this year:

  1. My better half – for always being there for me and putting up with my quirks and demands 🙂
  2. My parents – for always believing in me, even when I’ve lost hope (or interest) in the things that I’ve set forth to do
  3. My group of close friends from school – although we don’t really keep in touch so often anymore due to the demands of being a mum and wife, we will always stand by each other during happy and tough times!
  4. The travel opportunities – first with my parents as a child, and then with the hubby from the moment we started dating right up to today. Glad that I have found someone who loves exploring new places as much as I do.
  5. Writing – not only is this therapeutic, it has led me to a career that I enjoy waking up to each day.
  6. The TV shows – from 90210 and One Tree Hill to Grey’s anatomy, these painted a picture of how other people around the world lived their lives – and they were the perfect way to destress on weekends.
  7. Australia – where I got to study and live for a couple of years, and met the love of my life and some great friends there!
  8. The Internet – this has changed the way people work, live and study!
  9. Blogging – not only for being a convenient outlet to express my thoughts, but also for being a great medium to showcase the things that I feel strongly about
  10. Education – from high school to college and university, I am grateful to be able to complete my study goals – and I have my wonderful parents to thank for pushing me!
  11. The jobs that I’ve held in the past years – for challenging me to think further and helping me grow into the person I am today
  12. The colleagues I met along the way – for being my pillars of support at work and for the friendships that were formed along the way
  13. Connections and networks I’ve formed – this has led me to some very interesting people and helped me break my reluctance towards attending social events
  14. Little things that remind me to cherish all the people in my life
  15. Subtle reminders from friends not to give up hope
  16. My book collection – which has been collecting dust for years, as I struggle to find time to just read and enjoy a book…uninterrupted (I know this will probably not happen anytime soon)
  17. My photo collection – in both print and digital forms, for these serve as reminders of life’s sweetest moments!
  18. Realising that nothing in this world is ever perfect – and that I should stop trying so hard to aim for perfection all the time
  19. Breastfeeding – for being able to nourish and bond with my little one in a remarkable sort of way
  20. Breast Pumps – for teaching me about the true meaning of perseverance and sacrifice, and putting my “creativity” to the test when it comes to spacing my pump breaks and hustling to find a place to pump!
  21. Pregnancy – to be able to go through the joys of having a little one grow inside of you. I hope to be able to go through the experience again soon! *fingers crossed*
  22. Being a mum – it’s a learning curve every day, but a really satisfying journey that is filled with joy, tears and a lifetime of lessons
  23. My little girl – for teaching me about patience (still working on that!) and reminding me to “stop and smell the roses” in life
  24. Quiet moments spent with my little girl – and the kisses and hugs she gives so generously
  25. Paints, crayons and coloured pencils – these are the starting points of my little girl’s adorable artworks she so proudly displays on the fridge
  26. Stickers in all shapes and sizes – and then finding little traces of these stuck on every corner of the house (at time of writing, I have them on the floor, washing machine, dryer and kitchen counter)
  27. My little girl’s drawings – these tell me a lot about her favourite things and what is going through her mind at that point in time
  28. Help from both our parents – especially during the first years as parents.
  29. Household appliances – especially those that make cooking, cleaning and washing a breeze
  30. Phones and devices – for which, I think most of us find it challenging to live without
  31. Short trips back home – it makes me treasure the time get to spend with my family
  32. Pop-up books – not only for the cute illustrations, but I love how they make the little one laugh and giggle endlessly!
  33. Hugs and kisses from the little girl – these remind me that I am the most important person in her life, right now
  34. That sweet baby smell – I’m convinced that my almost-4-year-old still has that baby scent!
  35. For the love that surrounds me each day – again, a reminder not to take things for granted.