Entering a New Decade, and Ten More Things I’ve Learned
Today’s my birthday, and it’s a very significant birthday indeed! Multiply the candles on the cake times ten, and that’s the decade I’m entering. I know, I can’t believe it either!
I can’t believe it’s been ten years since I wrote a light-hearted little post about Sixty Things I’ve Learned in Sixty Years! But time keeps marching on doesn’t it, and today I’m having another milestone birthday. So far it’s really been pretty great because my 39 nieces and nephews and 75+ great nieces and nephews have been sending me birthday cards for days, with lots of sweet messages that have really touched my heart. And today I’m going out for a very carb-indulgent birthday lunch with all my siblings who live close enough to come to Salt Lake. And for sure having amazing parents who created a wonderful family is one of the things I’ve always been grateful for during the entire 70 years I’ve been alive.
However, it did take some processing time for me to get used to the idea of announcing to the internet that I’m turning 70! How did that possibly happen? But as any older person can confirm, celebrating your age is really the only alternative that makes sense, no matter how old or young you are.
And the one thing many people seem to be asking me when they find out I’m going to be 70 is, “Are you going to stop blogging?” The answer to that is an emphatic NO, although I can’t promise I won’t slow down a bit and take more time to travel and enjoy life. But when I think about not working on Kalyn’s Kitchen I honestly wonder what I’d do all day if I didn’t have this blog. And hopefully the constant changes in blogging are keeping me mentally younger, even if they annoy me and I’m not quite keeping up with them all!
And even though I’m now undeniably in my senior citizen years I’m not going to stop watching my carbs, exercising with my trainers, and speaking my mind either! I hope I’m at least somewhat of an example to younger women that you can take care of yourself and still be active and involved no matter how old you are. I’ve been continuing to learn life lessons over the last ten years since I wrote that first list, so as the milestone birthday was approaching, I’ve been making a mental list of Ten More Things I’ve Learned. Hope you enjoy reading it!
- Don’t be too quick to decide what you want, because when you’re young you have absolutely no idea how your life will turn out! I say that with total and complete gratitude in my heart for some of the things the last ten years have brought me, things I could have never imagined when I was younger.
- It’s never too late to realize and admit you made a mistake! I’ve made (and admitted to) plenty of mistakes in my personal life. But after spending more than a year dealing with the editing and updating involved in switching Kalyn’s Kitchen to WordPress, I’m definitely admitting I should have made that change about 10 years earlier! But I’m happy to have done it now, even if the editing of older posts is still going to be happening for quite a few more months.
- One of the most crucial parts of good self care is learning to set limits on what you can do! I’ve gone through some mental wrangling the last few years as younger and more tech-savvy bloggers have passed me up in blog features and social media participation. And a few years ago I decided to be okay with just doing it my way. There are some things I’ll never add to my blog or do on social media, and that’s fine. And there are some features I’d like to add to this blog eventually but can’t do until I’m through editing the WordPress changes I talked about above. (And that includes calculating nutritional information for the more than 2,000 recipes that are on this blog. I know people want it, but I just can’t do it right now!)
- For almost all the little decisions you could stress over every day, however you do it is probably fine! For me this lesson is related to setting limits on what I try to do, but also about realizing that so many of the little choices I worried about when I was younger didn’t really matter at all. And these days I’m trying to be more relaxed about the details (something that isn’t easy for a controlling personality type like mine.)
- The older you get, the more fun and important it is to spend time with young kids. Kids see the world in a pure and simple way that’s easy to forget when you’re older and possibly a bit jaded about some things (like maybe politics, you think?) I feel lucky to have spent 30 years working with kids, and now that I’m not doing that any more I’m grateful to my nieces and nephews and younger friends who let me spend time with their kids so I can enjoy the young energy that kids bring.
- If you want to stay healthy and relatively thin as you age, exercise is definitely as important as eating well. I’m a carb-conscious recipe blogger and not an exercise blogger, and that will never change! But a few years ago I started working out several times a week with a personal trainer, and it’s been positively life-changing. I love that my trainers help me keep all my muscles equally strong and working together (in a way I never managed to achieve when I worked out on my own.) But any kind of exercise is always better than no exercise at all!
- Nothing is more satisfying than spending time with like-minded friends! And I would add to that and say that people who aren’t compatible with your values or way of seeing the world will never be worth spending much time with. I feel so lucky to have great like-minded friends to hang out with, both on the web and in real life.
- The older you get, the less it matters what you look like. I know there are hundreds of older women in public life who wouldn’t agree with this statement. But for me, there was a time during the aging process when I realized, “This is as good as I’m ever going to look.” And thankfully that felt okay. And to all the young women worrying about their looks, let me just say I wish I could get back some of the time I wasted in my younger days worrying about how I looked!
- No matter what age you are, following your inner voice is the only way to be comfortable with yourself. This was something that got reinforced for me after I started blogging, and making early decisions about things I wouldn’t want to do for the blog has saved me a lot of mental aggravation through the years.
- Not everything about getting older is enjoyable, but it beats the heck out of the alternative! This was actually #27 on my list of Sixty Things I’ve Learned in Sixty Years, but it’s well worth repeating. And I’m grateful and feel lucky to be enjoying my later years so much.
And if you’ve read my list clear to the end, thanks for making it all the way through this post that doesn’t even have a recipe! I’m grateful to everyone who visits here and I appreciate all the good thoughts readers send my way on a regular basis. And here’s looking forward to many, many more years of cooking, recipes, and healthy food coming up!
121 Comments on “Entering a New Decade, and Ten More Things I’ve Learned”
Happy Birthday Kalyn. I’ve been following your blog for a very long time and love your recipes and your outlook on life and family. Enjoy your day but stay safe!
I realized this morning that every time I access your site, I mentally stop because I have to have a little argument with myself about how to pronounce your name 😉 I’m hoping that you will set me straight and that I’ll stop such a ridiculous internal debate. Is it Kay lin (as in long a like cake) or Kal lin (as in short a like calorie). Or something else?
Thanks for the nice wishes! So glad you are enjoying the name. My name is pronounced with a long a, as it would be if it was two words: Kay Lynn.
My mother made up the name when she was waiting for me to be born, but since I’ve had this blog I’ve heard from about 20 people who knew someone with the same name! And people have mispronounced it all my life, which doesn’t really bother me.
You stay safe too! I will be staying home for the birthday with hopes of celebrating with a big trip or something when things get back to normal.
Today is my birthday. Now I’m 47. I can’t believe it.
Looking at birthday’s candles’ photos on the Internet ended up reading your “Ten more things” that you’ve learned.
I’m thinking about taking some difficult decisions in my life by next month:
I’m single and I’m quitting my permanent job as a lecturer in the university (that I work for 19 years) and starting a new PhD program in another country to immigrate there and pursuing a new life and new career may after 3 or 4 years. I feel I’m walking through dark woods but I’m not hopeless. I can do it. I’ll find a little light.
When I’m looking back on my life, I can see how different was my life. These people and I have lived on the same planet, but we are living in different worlds. Most parts of my childhood passed with fear when we were victims of a long-term war. I don’t know why I’m writing this irrelevant stuff here.
Maybe because nobody knows me here and I can think aloud.
Anyway, I think I’m not a great cook like my mother and sisters, but sometimes I like to cook and I enjoy it.
Thanks, Kalyn
Hi Sara, happy birthday! I am wishing you the best as you think about what’s ahead for you. But you sound like you are figuring it out! And I admire your courage in going for it.
I love your blog , and recipes ,hope you hang out for a while longer. Thank You and Happy Anniversary.
Thanks Barbara, definitely I will!
Happy Birthday Kalyn! You are a true inspiration!!
Thanks Martha!
Kalyn, I have been enjoying your blogs for about a year now. In my minds eye I could see you as a very young woman, that’s the way you sound to me anyway. I am trying to follow a low carb diet and you recipes are so good and fun. Thank you for all the work you do . Happy New Year!
Ah thank you Elda. I guess I am young at heart. At least I try to be! Happy New Year to you too!
Belated congrats on your birthday. I turned 60 a few months ago and I think it’s a great milestone!
I think your blog is great as is so please be proud of it and never worry about what others are doing.
Best wishes and Happy New Year!
Thanks for the kind thoughts Vicki! So glad you are enjoying the blog!
Happy Birthday! I have reading your blog and cooking your recipes for a long time now! It’s still my go-to site when meal planning every week. Thanks for this incredible resource!
Thanks Michelle, so glad you have been enjoying the blog!
Have a wonderful birthday. I’m recently in the same decade as you are and yes, exercise is key. We need to keep moving. Love your recipes and blog. I use your recipes all the time.
Yes, exercise is such a great habit to get into. So glad you are enjoying the recipes Shelley!
Happy Birthday Kalyn! I so enjoy your blog and always turn to it for recipe ideas. Here’s to lots more great cooking!
Wendy
Thanks Wendy! So glad you are enjoying it.
Happiest of birthdays to you! I l love your recipes. How great is it that you started your blog when you were 60! Many wishes for many, many happy years in the future!
Thanks Sharon, so glad you’re enjoying the recipes. I actually started the blog when I was 56, 14 years blogging in April 2019.
Happy 70th Birthday! I’m fairly new to your site and never would have guessed your age by the energy you portray. I’m 66 and enjoyed your “learning ” comments Keep up the good work!
God Bless you in all that you do.
Thanks Bonnie! Welcome and glad you’re enjoying the site.
Thank you for an excellent website with delicious recipes and inspiring commentary! Keep on blogging! 🙂
And happy happy birthday to you!
Thanks Sarah! So glad you’re enjoying the blog!
🎶Happy Birthday – belated – Kalyn🎶 Sorry to have missed it. 70 is just at the doorstep of getting older! We are seasoned and ready to keep going! You are, and alwayshave been, an inspiration to me! Liked you from the moment I met you in my first faculty meeting! ! Keep living and loving your life and it will love you back! Love you kiddo 💃🏼
Thanks Linda! Same to you!
Happy, happy birthday! I enjoy your blog and recipes so much.
So happy to hear that, thank you!
Congratulations! I’m right behind you! Happy Birthday to you and many more!
I enjoy your blog and am very happy you aren’t going to stop!
Thanks Tracey! I guess I will stop someday but right now I absolutely can’t imagine not doing it!
happy birthday a day late. it is still your birthday month. Love your low carb recipes!
Thanks Mary, not late at all! So glad you’re enjoying the recipes.
Happy Birthday Kalyn, Thank you for your post above, inspirational.
Love your blog keep up the great work, Once again thank you, all the way from Down Under…..Australia
Thanks Wanda! So glad you’re enjoying the blog and so fun hearing from someone so far away!
Happy Birthday! I appreciate your blog! Here’s to many more years!
Thanks Kim! So glad you’re enjoying the blog!
Happy bithday, Kayln. When I started my blogging, I found your blog is one of my favourites that always inpires me in many ways. I’ve bookmarked this post. These 10 things will be good reminders for me to get better blogging and better living. Enjoy what you have and everday is a blessing.
Thanks Christine; glad you have enjoyed the blog. I do remember talking with you online a few times years ago! Good to hear from you!
Thanks for that message. One thing you said was “The older you get, the less it matters what you look like.” A corollary to that is that “wrinkles arent painful.”
As I prepare to enter decade 8.5 in March I still do (most of) the cooking in our house. Other times we eat out. Your recipes have helped immeasurably in what I do, and I try to review them frequently to stay our of a rut. Keep up the good work and don’t worry about aging. It’s natural!
Thanks Jim; glad you are enjoying the recipes! So glad they’ve been helpful.