Gabrielle Union delivers powerful PSA to women in their 30s: ‘Time isn’t running out’
Gabrielle Union is sharing an encouraging message to women in their 30s — namely, that they’re not “running out of time.” Not even close.
“To my girlies in their 30s: Time isn’t running out. It’s not. Feels like it is. If you look at social media — oh my God, you’re running out of time!” Union, who turns 52 on Oct. 29, joked in a selfie video she posted Oct. 16 on TikTok.
“Other people will make you feel like you’re running out of time because they want everyone to do what they’re doing so they feel better about their choices,” she continued. “There’s no race. There’s, like, no checkered flag at the end of life where they’re like, ‘She did it all!’ Extra stars for when you’re dead?”
Union then shared a short checklist of a few possible goals for women in their 30s. “Travel,” she suggested. “Tell people how you really feel. Don’t lie to your therapist. And be OK to not be OK. And be OK with missing out because staying in is more fun.”
The “She’s All That” star captioned her video, “PSA: you’re not running out of time.” She added several hashtags, including #lifelessons and #adviceforgirls.
Union’s video struck a chord with her followers, many of whom expressed their gratitude in the comments.
“36 and single. Just quit my job and moved to NYC on a whim because I always wanted to and was sick of forcing myself to live a certain way. Thank you,” wrote one.
“35 going on 36 and learning that life isn’t a race but a journey to be enjoyed has been life changing,” shared another. “Thank you for the reminder Gabrielle.”
“I’m 27 but needed this,” added someone else.
Union met her husband, former NBA star Dwyane Wade, when she was in her 30s and he was nearly a decade younger. The couple welcomed their daughter, Kaavia James, via surrogate in November 2018 when Union was 46.
Union is also stepmother to Wade’s three children from previous relationships.
The “Being Mary Jane” alum shared an Instagram video in October 2023 that found her responding to the question of whether it was “worth it” to welcome a child later in life.
“There’s a lot that goes into that answer, but in a nutshell, hell yes it’s been worth it,” said Union.
Though Union sometimes wished she could have become a mom when she was younger — if only to have more time with Kaavia — motherhood happened at the “right time” for her, she said.
“I became a mom at the right time because I was healed and I had committed to healing eternally so I didn’t pass all that generational trauma on to Kaav,” she explained.
“Had I been a day younger, even certainly 10, 15, 20 years before, I would have passed along way too many traumatic things to my child,” she said.
“So for me, it’s absolutely worth it,” Union said of her daughter. “She is the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”
