The Age of Awareness
As the milestone of 29 approaches, a heightened awareness of numbers and perceived societal expectations often surfaces. This can manifest as a subtle
dread of entering a new, 'adult' phase, fueled by digital timelines and familial whispers about accomplishments. While there's a natural inclination towards nostalgia and cherishing youthful moments, a growing curiosity about what lies ahead, particularly the thirties, also emerges. The prospect of increased stability, wisdom, and a better understanding of personal limits holds a certain appeal, suggesting a potential shift from youthful exuberance to a more grounded phase of life.
Industry Pressures and Timelines
The relentless pursuit of relevance and staying current, especially within industries that thrive on novelty, mirrors the pressure individuals face as they age. Every year and milestone can feel like a quantifiable resource to be managed and analyzed. This article explores the common experience of negotiating one's relationship with age, ambition, and the elusive myth of having everything perfectly figured out. By turning to professionals who have built successful careers in sectors notorious for their demand for the 'next big thing,' the piece aims to uncover how to manage these inherent pressures.
Shweta Kapur's Perspective
Shweta Kapur, founder and creative director of 431-88, describes her late twenties as a period of 'organised chaos,' filled with running shows and designing collections, where sleep felt like a luxury. Initially, she believed that by 30, everything should be perfectly aligned, but found that reaching that milestone brought a sense of freedom and diminished pressure. The significant shift wasn't a complete overhaul but rather a move towards working more intelligently, symbolized by better coffee replacing the all-nighters. Kapur also reflects on her younger self's assumption of early retirement in her thirties, a notion that now seems like the commencement of an exciting new chapter rather than an ending.
Isha Bhansali's Wisdom
Celebrity stylist Isha Bhansali emphasizes the importance of healthy faith, noting that transforming that faith into rigid deadlines was her past mistake. She observes that the current 'hustle culture' is exceptionally intense, leading many to feel like they are falling behind. Bhansali argues that it's not the work itself that's exhausting, but rather the timelines people associate with their self-worth. She highlights the inherent power within millennials, suggesting they are merely hitting their stride. Bhansali candidly admits her own youthful expectation of being married with children by 30, only to find herself leading teams and growing professionally instead. Her core message is to avoid self-recrimination if one's life path deviates from the norm, urging women to consciously rewrite the internal scripts that dictate career, marriage, and family timelines.
Rid Burman's Journey
Photographer and director Rid Burman expresses feeling more energized and curious in his current stage of life than he did in his twenties, challenging the notion that ambition wanes with age. While in his late twenties, his definition of success was more materialistic, he admits his deeper desire was artistic respect. This perspective shifted significantly after a transformative two-year sabbatical filled with travel and self-reflection, an experience he found more enlightening than any professional role. Burman's path ultimately became less about reinvention and more about rediscovering his authentic self. The transition into a new decade, particularly turning 29, can indeed feel daunting, carrying an intrinsic weight that self-help alone cannot alleviate. Perhaps the essence of approaching 29 isn't about possessing all the answers, but rather about releasing the need to have them, encouraging an embrace of the unfolding years and decades ahead.
