38 Comments

Reading your work and the all the people in the comment section makes this 19yr old so safe and secure about so many things in which I actually needed advises. Thank you Madeline <3 And A delightful Happy birthday!

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this comment means so much to me!! all i ever hope is that my writing can help someone who needs it 🩷

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Jul 24Liked by Madeline Paige

YES to all of this! Feel like I could've written so many of these points myself!

What a journey your twenties are learning these lessons...

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author

Very much a journey 😅😅

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Oh man, I resonated with a lot of these things. Looks like we're all kinda experiencing the same thing in life, but in our own unique way. Belated happy birthday, Maddie!

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author

Thank you Millie!!

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Jul 18Liked by Madeline Paige

It was really affirming ready this. I’m 21 and am struggling with burnout and learning to take care of myself alone. It’s lovely to know I’m not the only one! And that things do get better with time. Thank you for sharing!

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I was a disaster at 21!!! Truly. And even if someone isn’t a disaster they definitely don’t have it together as they appear, I can very much promise you that. You are definitely not the only one struggling 💓

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Jul 17Liked by Madeline Paige

At 24 I will be taking allll this advice on board - I can already see myself in so many of them! I hope you have a wonderful birthday Madeline! Yet another great post 🎂

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Jul 17Liked by Madeline Paige

Happy birthday!! I turned 32 last week, and definitely resonate with this (especially the telling your younger self "you have a drinking problem" part).

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author

Happy belated birthday!!! And oof that one is a doozy 😅😅

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Jul 17Liked by Madeline Paige

Happy Birthday! I turn 26 in a few weeks and definitely needed to hear all of this <3

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author

Happy almost birthday!! 🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼

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Thank you!! x

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would love to read more about getting out of and staying out of credit card debt!!

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author

I would love to but I honestly don't think I am the best person to be giving advice on staying out of it! I do not have good financial habits and rely on my husband more than I care to admit to help manage our finances. However, money management is an area I am actively working on improving in... I'll consider potentially sharing more about my journey in realtime!

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Jul 17Liked by Madeline Paige

Spot on in every way. Love this. Thank you. About to turn 60. Sitting on a train with my 15 year old reading over my shoulder. 💜

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author

Oh my gosh I love this!!! Thank you so much for commenting :)

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Jul 17Liked by Madeline Paige

Loving Substack Land. Such a positive space. Supportive. I’m dipping my toe into writing this year with a blog of our year in Italy. I already know I want to continue writing beyond this year.

I look forward to reading more of your work. 🌼

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author

I'm loving it here too!! It's been such a great platform and community thus far!!

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Jul 17Liked by Madeline Paige

Happy birthday!

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author

thank you!!!

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Oh god the things I learned to try to impress boys. 🙄 Great post and happy birthday! 30s are truly so much better than your 20s if only because we finally know what we’re worth and how to stand up for ourselves!

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author

Thank you!!! And yes, knowing our self-worth, how to speak up for ourselves, etc. is life changing!!

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Jul 17Liked by Madeline Paige

the nagging voice knew what she was talking about haha 😂

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author

ugh she sure did 😅😂

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and happy birthday! I'm a July cancer too!! 7/1 :) We're a special breed aren't we hahaha

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thankfully the cigar thing was verrrrrry short lived lol!! but seriously the things we do/did 🤦🏼‍♀️

and happy belated birthday!! a special breed is the perfect way to put it 🙃

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Omg so many of these hit home: nose job, going out tops, zero alone time, influencer branded self care, I could go on. I can't stop laughing about picking up 'cigars' as a hobby. Oh, the things we do in our 20's. Well done.

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amen to all that! i confess i'm still not okay with aging, but oh my god, it's so much better being 28 and feeling secure and confident than being 22, anxious, insecure about myself and trying to impress boys all the time!

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Most of my girlfriends (and me!) started feeling more comfortable with aging once we actually hit 30 and realized we didn’t turn into spinsters overnight like the media would like us to believe 😂

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oh, i’m not worried about turning 30! but i worry all the time about getting wrinkles and my hair turning grey 🫣

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author

Ohhh lol! Ugh same though, if you ever figure out how to accept those things, lmk!

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Jul 17Liked by Madeline Paige

tretinoin + a good hairdresser

sincerely, a 29 yr old already covering her grays who is exclusively hit on my 25 year olds😂

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author

tretinoin is truly life changing

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i got my first grey hair a month ago and i totally freaked out 🥲 hahah thanks for the tips!

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author

Thank you so much Ella!!

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