Hello 30 here you are; nothing how I imagined but exactly what I needed. Ten years ago  if you would have asked me where I would be at 30 I would have told you married with two kids, a dog, and a house with a pool. Society puts such a strain on women to be at a certain place by 30 that we absolutely lose our minds over it and then by the time 30 is around the corner if we are not at that so called “place” we have failed as women and life as we know it is over.

 Two years ago when I turned 28 the thought of turning 30 terrified me. I was sad, I felt lost, and unaccomplished. I was just then going to be graduating with my degree, I was working in an office job that had no career or future for me and I still lived at home. However life quickly shifted my view and taught me that any day above ground is a great one.  Life isn’t over at 30 in reality it is just beginning. I think what I have learned the most this past decade is that time is truly unpredictable and we must take in each day and treasure it. 

Our 20s were a trial run to mess up, fall down, and lose absolutely everything. That boy that you loved so dearly you quickly learned he wasn’t the one but man how you loved him. Nothing compares like your first love or first heartbreak. It’s something about being young and in love that makes you fearless, relentless, nothing holds you back. You feel like you can take over the world as long as the person is in your corner. I reflect back and understand that  he was meant to come into my life not to be my forever but  to help shape me into the person I am today.  

Your 20s weren’t for you to establish yourself, they were meant for you to find yourself. So if you’re still in your 20s reading this do yourself a favor grab your passport, pack your suitcase and go see the world. There is plenty of time for job promotions and down payment on houses later on. Travel while you can. There is a whole other world out there that you can not fathom. Different cultures, exquisite foods, beautiful sights that you thought only existed in fairytales. 

Find your inner peace and allow yourself to heal and forgive any past hurt. By 30 you realize it’s more important to do what makes you happy then making others happy. You are your best company. Learning to be alone is value in itself because by being able to do so you’re not settling to be around just anyone. 

Being younger we are more prone to give chances and settle just to say we’re not lonely whether it’s bad friends or bad relationships. However, you get older and you realize if it does not benefit you mentally, emotionally or financially, pack it up with those boxes on the left. 

Self care and prioritizing your needs is a necessity! Go for a walk, pick up some of your favorite frozen yogurt, give yourself a day to do whatever your little heart desires because happiness is a look that never goes out of style. Choose yourself before anyone else every single day because in the end that’s who will be with you everyday for the rest of your life. 

 Where I’ll be in 10 years who knows? Will I have the house with the pool, will I be rich who cares? All I know is that today is my 30th birthday I am alive and I am healthy and I intend to make my 30s the best years of my life. For all my 93 babies turning 30 this is going to be our best year YET!

Cheers to 30!