I’m Turning 30

I’m turning 30 tomorrow and I can’t believe I’m saying that out loud.

If I’m honest, it does feel a little scary but instead of pretending it’s not happening, I’ve decided to lean into it and embrace this new decade rather than hide from it.

Growing up, I was surrounded by older people who never shared their real age. They would always shave off a few years, claiming a younger number to strangers. I never understood it and I even found it funny when I knew their real age. Back then, I thought I would never care about mine and for a long time, I didn’t. Until now.

Thirty feels intimidating not because of the number itself but because of where I thought I’d be by this point in my life. Somewhere along the way, I built a mental checklist of what “30” was supposed to look like and standing here now, I don’t fully match that picture.

But when I zoom out and look at the past decade, I realize something important: I truly lived it.

I spent most of my twenties pouring my heart into my first passion, football (soccer). I created unforgettable memories with my teammates, won multiple trophies and had the honor of representing the Lebanese National Team. Football shaped my identity and engraved a love for the game that will stay with me forever.

This was also the time when many people expected me to quit but instead, I doubled down. And even though I didn’t make it professionally the way I once dreamed, I’m incredibly proud of that journey. I followed my passion fully without guarantees and that alone means a lot to me.

This decade was also when I discovered my love for travel and adventure but also embraced it. I lost count of how many places I visited, how many times I found myself hiking through nature and feeling deeply alive.

I also made one of the hardest decisions of my life: moving over 11,000 miles (17,700 km) away from home. Leaving Lebanon for the U.S. meant more than just a new country. It meant leaving behind routines, communities and a life I had built. Football trainings multiple times a week, working from a coworking space filled with people who became lifelong friends and being surrounded by family.

Even though I’m lucky to have my siblings here, the transition wasn’t easy. It took time to adapt and it wasn’t until I found a Lebanese community—my home away from home—that I started to settle.

As I got closer to turning 30, a new worry crept in. When I moved to the U.S., I slowly let go of my football dreams. I was playing less, moving less and feeling less connected to the athlete version of myself. All of that affected my motivation.

At some point, I started believing my best physical years were behind me until I decided to challenge that belief.

And what better way to do that than signing up for my first-ever marathon right around the time I turn 30.

For me, a marathon represents so much more than running 26.2 miles (~42 km). It represents self-belief. Reconnecting with the athlete mindset that shaped my life and most importantly, proving to myself that I can still become stronger, not weaker, with age.

My body surprised me in ways I didn’t expect. Just yesterday, I ran 17 miles (~27 km) as part of my training. Something I never imagined myself doing a few years ago. And with that run, a lot of doubt disappeared. I’m now just over a month away from attempting my first marathon and instead of fear, I feel excitement.

So here I am, not afraid of tomorrow, not afraid of my 30s.

I’m choosing to celebrate it by throwing myself my first-ever birthday party.

I know aging scares a lot of people and for valid reasons. But when I stop treating age like a deadline and start seeing it as just a number, everything shifts. Especially when I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been.

If we change how we perceive age, if we stop believing that getting older automatically means getting weaker then we can change the script entirely.

Here’s to embracing every year.

Here’s to getting stronger with time.

And here’s to entering my 30s not with fear but with celebration. 🎉