The big 3-0 is quickly approaching. Might not sound very daunting to most people but it does to this 29 year old…maybe it’s that it’s such a milestone age? I don’t know, but I do still get ID’d wherever I go – bless you kind souls who think I’m significantly younger than I am – I’ll take it! And I will admit, I have found life hasn’t always worked out the way I may have anticipated when I was younger. When I was a little too naive to know what my future could really hold, and you know what? That’s ok, because I wouldn’t change a thing. I know that life really is all about timing. My 20s have been years to educate myself, to discover my true passions, to grow up and find my independence. I really consider this decade of my life to be a decade of learning and making mistakes that I would one day learn were crucial to shaping me into the person I am today – a person who continues to grow and make mistakes, but maybe also a person who understands and accepts them a little more so now than I did before.
I had my first dog, my first true heartbreak which wouldn’t be the last, I bought my very own car and apartment on my own, and I also found love – the kind of love that I didn’t think I’d ever find and am lucky enough to have. So many firsts, so many experiences which were so foreign to me at the time. I remember wondering if life could get any better at times. If only I could tell my younger self that it would and to hang in there; that I would one day understand why some things didn’t always work out, and the reasons for the struggles.
Soon I’ll be bidding adieu to my 20s. I might check the rear view a couple of times on my way out, but I know that I am ready for this next decade of my life because it’s bound to be even better than the last. So now without further ado, 30 lessons I’ve learned in (almost) 😉 30 years:
1. Do not under any circumstance change who you are to conform to society
2. Never lose yourself in another individual
3. Be true to yourself even if it means removing toxic people from your life
4. Always listen to your gut. It’s usually the keeper of your truest feelings
5. Dance in your kitchen every once in a while, it’s good for the soul. This is especially effective if you have the song Green Light by Lorde playing in the background
6. Sing it loud and sing it proud
7. People aren’t always meant to stay in your life, but they were there when they needed to be
8. Even if life gets hectic, make time for those you love
9. Be present
10. Be you and be a little wild sometimes if necessary
11. Taylor swift really can get you through many of life’s tough situations. Don’t let anyone tell you different!
12. Create a life you will love
13. Get a dog
14. Find your passion and don’t forget to make time for it
15. Decluttering your space will help declutter your mind
16. Don’t sweat the small stuff
17. Be yourself unapologetically
18. Remember you are human
19. It’s ok to admit you are wrong and have a little humility
20. Don’t take yourself too seriously
21. Make moves that will scare you, because they will enrich your life
22. Be fearless
23. Realize how beautiful life is and cherish it in whatever way you can
24. Keep your faith in humanity. Even when we disappoint ourselves and others, we can pull through for each other in tough times
25. Sometimes the best moments in life don’t involve technology – unplug yourself from it or you might miss them
26. Don’t leave anything unsaid, it’s better to say how you feel than live with regret
27. Cherish your family and friends and tell them you love them
28. If you feel alone, remember you aren’t. There are people who care about you even if you are so consumed in your thoughts that you don’t realize it at the time
29. Live and learn and understand that things will get better, your heart will heal, you will be ok
30. Don’t regret anything you do or say because in that moment you did the best you could for yourself
Have a great weekend all! 🙂
-Amy