I am sure you know the feeling… the days where your body is heavy… your mind is foggy… and your heart… well, don’t even go there! What a year it has been! But damn, am I grateful for every day. Just this morning when I wanted to give into weakness and sleep in, I received a message saying, “Do not press that snooze button- there is someone thinking about you - pushing you on.” And hell, did I jump up and out of bed. And even if no one noticed, I gave the day everything I had.
I refuse to let a tough day outweigh any of the blessings I have in life. I have had some amazing people lend me their support, words of wisdom, or simply be good company to help keep me motivated in pursuing a more fulfilling life, especially when I have been feeling low. I have also had people that have celebrated my triumphs with me as well – now those are moments to cherish! My world is good and I am grateful for that. I dare not complain, especially as things could always be much worse - there is no shortage of struggle and hardship out there.
Being part of the co-author project I’m 30, Now What?! has been an incredible gift. Not only have I met some amazing women through their personal stories, but each and every single one of them has shared something that I resonated with. All these women are incredibly strong yet sensitive, kind and humble, and have been such great inspiration. Writing has also allowed me to really identify how I feel. Putting pen to paper has been an incredibly liberating experience. By sharing stories with these women, I have gained the confidence to say things out loud. Perhaps, I would have been too ashamed or embarrassed to do so before. Or I simply would not have dedicated any focused time to really delve into my emotions. I will be forever grateful for this gift.
Everyone said, “Your thirties will be the best years of your life,” and in one way, I believe them. I have the confidence to strive towards goals without any hesitation; the courage to try things I never thought I would or could; And the financial stability, to enjoy the world, something that my teenage years and young twenties never allowed. Yet, this uncomfortable feeling lurking in my gut just doesn’t go away. I still receive comments from people wondering why I haven’t settled down and left my so-called nomadic career as a seafarer and swapped it for 2 kids, one dog, and a white picket fence. And then self-doubt settles in and my inner voice starts prompting me with thoughts such as, Well… maybe you should, or Perhaps you are too old, or Am I doing life all wrong?
STOP. I fight the urge to put myself down, to judge myself, and to take away all that is good and great from my journey - a journey which I have treasured every step of the way. Perhaps I don’t have it all figured out. Okay. Okay. I rephrase that: I absolutely do not have it all figured out! But I am happy. There are things I want to improve in my life, and of course, I envision an ideal future I’d like to at least direct my path towards. But I am learning to cherish the present; the here and now. This is definitely easier said than done. I am a future thinker and the concept of “living in the now” is not so simple.
STOP. I fight the urge to worry. A future thinker constantly tries to plan, plot, and plant seeds to ensure everything works out in the future. And even though this is a great tactic at work and in general practice, there is no need to let constant worrying consume you. It always works out… somehow it does. I envy those who can go through life without a care or concern. I know I will never be that person. But I have also realized that constantly worrying about something isn't going to make a difference. Instead, it will only gnaw at me internally and most likely not change any outcome whatsoever!
So today, I kicked some butt, enjoyed the day as fully and wholeheartedly as I could, was kind to those around me, tried to learn something new, listened to a friend, and didn’t worry about what the world expected of me for tomorrow. And today, that is enough for me. Today, was great.
Now, go kick some butt!
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With an incessant optimism and enthusiasm, Andrea Lampe, approaches her journey with a passion and a zest for life. As a young girl, she grew up in the bushes of Namibia, and even then had dreams of traveling the world. After a whirlwind of adventures, everything between studying Spanish in Madrid as a teenager, to exploring Antarctica, and 4x4ing in Mozambique, she stills calls Cape Town, South Africa, her home, and sanctuary.
Whilst studying interior design, she realized she had an aspiration to build boats and made a bold move to dive into this new industry.
Her unrelenting drive never waivers and her ambition to learn and grow is equaled with her desire to promote and care for those around her. A lover of cultures and languages, an innate compassion, and a ridiculous sense of curiosity, has allowed her to succeed in a field so diverse and ambiguous. Andrea is passionate about creating opportunities for those around her, and endeavors to mentor and encourage them through their journey.
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