Growing up, I was always a ‘just say no’ type of person when it came to drugs. It was never something that was part of my friendship group so I often didn’t come across the opportunity anyway. Plus I’m a scaredy cat when it comes to putting something unknown in my body. Up until my thirties, I had never touched drugs.
We are told that our teens and twenties are for experimenting, making mistakes and living life. And our thirties is the time when we make ‘sensible’ choices and settle down to start our ‘forever life’. Trying drugs in your thirties is deemed immature and a phase you should have already grown out of. So what made me decide that my thirties was the perfect time to try drugs?
"Knowing Yourself Is The Beginning Of All Wisdom."
Even though I have always said ‘no’ to narcotics, it doesn’t mean I wasn’t still curious. But a benefit to trying drugs in my thirties is that I know myself so much better now than when I was in my twenties. I am more in tune with my instincts and understand my mind and body. If I was dabbling in drugs during my twenties when I was much more carefree and reckless, I would have put myself at a much greater risk of harm. Having a lot more life experience and a better understanding of myself gives me confidence in my choices around drugs.
I have spent the past 30+ years happy and content in life. I know how to have a good time with or without alcohol and certainly without drugs, therefore my decision to start experimenting with drugs in my thirties was not influenced by my feelings or used as a distraction.
"It Is A Narrow Mind Which Cannot Look At A Subject From Various Points Of View."
“All drugs are bad.” Is the statement my parents ingrained in me and if you’ve read my post, How To Deal With Parents That Don’t Want You To Travel, you’ll know it’s because they are very protective. But the reality is, not all drugs are bad. There are now a lot of scientific studies on the benefits of medicinal mushrooms and medicinal Cannabis for example. Hence the continuation to legalise these drugs in many US states and countries.
If you haven’t already, I would recommend you watch Fantastic Fungi, a documentary which demonstrates the benefits of all mushrooms not just for humans but for the planet also.
On the flip side, I am also not saying all drugs are good and of course everything you take comes with it’s own risk, but drugs don’t always have to lead down a bad path. Before choosing to try drugs, I did my research and asked a lot of questions to people that had already done them so I could make my decision based on as much knowledge as possible.
"Still Round The Corner, There May Wait, A New Road Or A Secret Gate."
It sounds cliche but travelling has a lot to do with my decision. I have been a digital nomad for over a year now and when you travel, you find yourself in new places, experiencing new things and meeting new people. Your mind is more open because it has to be in order to accept the unknown of what comes with long term travel, and an open mind often leads to experimenting.
"Everyone You Meet Knows Something You Don't Know. Be Willing To Learn From Them."
Since travelling I have met a lot of people who use drugs conventionally and really do stick to that. My boyfriend is a great example; as someone who is a big advocate of Magic Mushrooms and has experienced them many times, yet since we have been together he has done them twice. For him the setting and surroundings have to be right, he’s not just taking them because he’s bored on a Friday night.
I also met people that took part in an Ayahuasca retreat and said it was the most profound experience of their life. They had never done it before and said they wouldn’t do it again, not because it was bad but because it was a once in a life time experience for them.
The downside to being in your thirties and trying drugs for the first time is that you are a lot more fearful. When I decided to try Magic Mushrooms I was scared and incredibly nervous, my heart was beating super fast, my hands were shaky and sweaty, because I didn’t know what to expect.
But I also have a lot more control over my mind and thoughts at my age, so I went in to the experience with an open mind and ‘let’s see what this has to offer‘ attitude. What I experienced was extremely profound and has given me what I can only describe as mindful growth.
Your thirties should continue to be a learning process, you should still experience personal growth and continue to be curious with an open mind, like we did back in our twenties. And you are allowed to do this in whatever form feels right for you. If now is the right time for you to experience drugs then go with what your body is telling you.
I would love to hear if you’ve had a similar change of mindset to me since being in your thirties so please comment about it below!
Amber x
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