Can yo do tha thing where you tell me I'm really young and have lots of good things ahead of me?

[Trills]

I'm 30.

We've been together 7 years. Living together 5 years.

No kids (I don't think I want any).

Amicable split, as far as we don't dislike each other and we're not fighting and we're going to be polite and civilised about it, but I don't actually want to split up.

Can you please tell me all the positive stories?

I did this - we had just grown apart. I wasn't sure if I wanted to split up, but thinking logically, I didn't want to stay in a dead relationship either. It was fear of the unknown that made me want to stay. I met someone else almost immediately, we got engaged after a few months, married after a year and have now been married over 20 years, and have 2 DC (I didn't want children either...).

I stayed friends with my ex, and our friendship weathered his loony girlfriend who made him stop paying half of our mortgage when we were selling our flat (she subsequently left him for another woman) and him moving to another country.

My 30's were sooooo much better than my 20s. Really and truly.

And you know what? My 40s are shaping up to be even better. At 44 I am the fittest and healthiest and in the best shape I've ever been. And inside my head? it's all good.

All these things can happen independently of any relationship you may or may not have.

Oh, and I started having my kids at 36. I have 3 of them.

You don't need to tell me that there's plenty of time for kids :)
1 - I know that
2 - I don't want them

(yes I know this is mumsnet but it's also the only sensible accumulation of adult women on the internet!)

No ones told you that, both of the above posters just told you what happened to them as per your request and for them that included having children.

Personally my 30's were shit, I was in a shit marriage and i'm 40 now and just come out of a shit relationship. You are doomed, that better for ya?

Sorry to hear this Trills.

You are very young, and also rather gorgeous if I may say so . You always seem very calm, wise and self-contained.

I split with someone after 6 years when I was 25, not very amicably, I had to be adamant which felt unkind. I did miss being with someone so went out with other people very quickly as distraction.

All through my 20s I was certain I would never want children and gave friends who did a hard time for burdening the planet

I got a job abroad and subsequently travelled a lot and, mostly, had a ball.
The best part was living on my own and loving that.
Doing something completely different on your own may be a lot better than continuing the same life, but without him.

When I met DH I was 32, still very against increasing the population!
Within a year we decided to get married, then his mother died suddenly and one morning I just felt wrong taking the Pill. He said fine, stop. We went on to have three DC!

Will be celebrating 30 years next year.

Aw, to be single and 30 is a truly wonderful thing- I can't think of anything else to say but...sigh...those were good years!

I was really quite looking forward to my 30s - had plans of fun holidays and things like that.

None of that has to stop, it will just be different because he won't be there.
You may even find it's better

I am in a similar position, 28 years old and been with bf for 7 years. Except you're braver than me as I can't find the courage to leave. How do you know when it is time to walk away?

I agree with Bewitched, there's no reasons why you cant still have your fun holidays - even holidays alone can be more fun than holidays with someone who doesn't want to be there

You're heading into the unknown, that's why you feel doubtful.

But its great, full of possibilities, full of doing what you want, going where you want, having to answer to no one.

There will be other men.

Please enjoy yourself so that when you are properly old you can look back and smile and say, "yeah...that was good..."

Life will be sooooo much better on your own. You will be fine. Take heart, be brave and make that leap of faith.

[hugs]

You'll do fine. You'll worry that you'll never find the right man. You'll also have times when you enjoy being single and can't imagine being hampered by a relationship. You'll have sleepless nights about things that, six months later, you can't even remember. And as time goes by, you'll increasingly live in the knowledge that This Too Shall Pass - the good, and the bad. I repeat, you'll do fine.

My best friend was dumped (practically at the altar) when we were early 30s. She was naturally devastated.

She sorted herself out, packed herself off travelling and 18mo later met her now dh. She is much much happier than I think she would ever have been with the other guy (in hindsight although I was v fond of him)

You will be alright OP. My dsis has done some fab hols as a single 30 something.

I'm not being brave and walking away - he is.

Thank you - this is the kind of thing that I need to hear.

Get on Travelsupermarket and book some things to look forward to.

Where/what do you fancy?

I've got a weekend away with some friends booked next weekend anyway, so that's something at least :)

I loved my 30s. It was my favourite decade so far
I'd come out of a long-term relationship and it did feel like a transitional period. I spent lots of time travelling, socialising with friends, dating, trying new classes and generally had a ball. It was lovely to have the freedom to pursue my interests without having to consider someone else (whether my interests meant attending a lecture, campaigning or sitting in sunny gardens drinking G&Ts with my friends). My passport from that time is filled with stamps for exotic places and my address book is full of new friends I made in that time.

Excellent, where are you going?

I split up from my partner at 30. I was gutted at the time as I didn't relish being on my own and starting again.

I then surprised myself by having a thoroughly riotous social life including travelling and lots of boyfriends and dates.

I look at the first couple of years of my thirties as amongst my happiest. I was old enough to have a bit of money and sense and definitely young enough to enjoy it.

Sorry OP I thought you meant you had walked away. Either way the feeling is the same, the world is your oyster and all that jazz!

Sorry, just being a it mopey.

Last December I had the guy I thought I was going to marry walk away from me whilst I was nearly dying after losing his baby.

I was floored and I thought it was the end, I couldn't ever imagine being happy again.

So I started a me project, I made a list and I stuck to it. I've had awesome holidays, a 15k payrise after a promotion, I've just done what I wanted when I wanted. It's been amazing. Men were the last thing on my mind.

Then a guy id known from around for about 5 years asked me out for a drink. And we have been together ever since. He's a keeper and I have never been so happy

Wow MMM that's quite something to come back from

(((Trills))) you will recover, and life will be better than ever.