30 Things You Should do Before 30… here goes nothing!
Reflect on your 20s. What happened in the past, what brought you to where you are, the good, the bad, the ugly. It all had to take place for you to become who you are today.
Travel to a foreign country. I’ve found so much value from being introduced to other cultures. It’s created not only an open mindedness to people and what makes them different, but it’s also helped me appreciate where I’m from.
Find a career that brings you happiness, money isn’t everything. Sure, it’s cliché, but I truly feel that once you find a job you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.
Speaking of money, pay off any outstanding debt. If that’s not feasible right now, put a spending plan in place that allows you to do so. There’s an air of freedom that comes from being debt free.
Along the same lines as money, start investing. Set up a 401K, put money aside for the stock market. You’ll be happy you did this later.
Develop a skincare routine. Sure, I love focusing on my skin and making it look healthier/glowy but having a daily skincare routine sets me on track for the day and helps me stick to a daily routine.
Find something you’re passionate about and set aside time to pursue that passion. For me it’s working out, and for my husband, it’s golf. Me time is so important as you get older, mostly because you get less and less of it with age. Set aside time for yourself, make it a priority.
Check off as many items on the bucket list as possible. I can truly say I spent the entire decade of my 20s focusing on my bucket list. Traveling to new places, crazy adventures, skydiving, I’ve done it all (almost). Your 20s are a time for you to take risks and be carefree, take advantage of this time.
Forgive yourself for your mistakes. They’re what have made you a better person. Be kind to yourself.
Pay it forward. At this point in your life, you’ve likely been passed along some words of wisdom along the way that have helped carve your path, perhaps you had a mentor that told you how to avoid all their mistakes. Return the favor to someone who desires the same from you.
Take a job in the service industry, even if this for a short amount of time. This is something I wish I had done. I think in doing so, you develop a much higher opinion of the service staff and can be more respectful of them in return. Oh, and if someone hasn’t told you yet, always tip people well! Twenty-percent, no less!
Attend the concert of your dreams! There’s nothing like a live music performance, it’s such a rush, and something everyone should do several times in their lifetime. Believe it or not, my concert would be Elton John or Billy Joel.
Live in a different city from home. I went away for college, but if I’m being honest, I wish I would have lived really far from home for a while, like the West Coast. There’s something special about living solo without having someone else to rely on that helps instill a sense of independence and self-reliance.
Learn a foreign language. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve felt ignorant traveling to other countries because I can only speak English, and maybe a hint of Spanish. People from other countries speak 3, 4 even 5 languages and I’m always so envious of them.
Learn more about your family history. This is important not only for your physical health, but also your mental health. If I’m being honest, I don’t know much about my extended family, and I have such a curiosity about it. Ask the questions now, while truthfully you still can.
Develop a fitness regimen. If you don’t start now, you never will, just being honest. I have a love/hate relationship with working out, and if it wasn’t for fitness being a part of my routine, I likely would have fallen out of my fitness routine a long time ago.
Learn to say ‘sorry.’ I posted an Instagram caption about the importance of apologizing, and I was blown away by the number of people who sent me messages saying that resonated with you. Either you have difficulty apologizing yourself or you know someone who struggles with this as well. FYI, saying ‘sorry’ is one of the biggest ways to tell someone you care.
Find out who your true friends are. Goodness, have I been through the trenches when it comes to friendship. I’ve been let down, I’ve been screwed over, and I’ve messed up a couple of friendships myself along the way. At the end of your life, you’ll be lucky if you have enough ‘true’ friends to count on one hand. The earlier you determine who these people are, the better. Don’t let them go once you do.
More. Present. And wow am I preaching to the choir on this one. In a world where social media dominates, it’s so hard to disconnect and be in the moment. I live this reality on a daily basis. The more intentional you are about disconnecting, the more you’ll value the present and avoid missing the moments that really matter.
Dedicate time for prayer and invest in a daily devotional. I wish I had been more intentional about this in my 20s as my relationship with God is likely what got me through the last decade, funny but also not funny. JI plan to make this a bigger focus in my 30s and thought it worthwhile to pass my wisdom along to those of you in your 20s.
Welcome someone new to the family. Whether this is a child or a pet, there’s a sense of responsibility that comes from having to take care of something else other than yourself. I’ve learned so much from Lola and Henry, and I know taking care of them is going to be a factor in what will make me a great mom one day.
Don’t settle and learn to be patient when it comes to relationships. I have several friends who are dissatisfied with their current love life because they haven’t yet found the ‘one’ yet. Believe it or not, I felt the same way after what felt like endless failed relationships. I was always so frustrated when people would tell say “you’ll know, when you know.” It seemed so cliché to me. Until I found that special person, and I got the ‘you’ll know’ feeling. If you haven’t gotten this feeling yet, sorry but, they’re probably not the ‘one.’ I promise you, you’ll have this spark feeling, where all the lights turn on, and “you’ll know, when you know.”
Take on a home project. I don’t know about you, but nothing makes me happier than a cozy house that feels like home. I feel SO accomplished when I take on a home project and it actually works out. Challenge yourself and you’ll be shocked at what you’re capable of.
Go on a girl’s trip! Napa, the beach, the mountains, whatever is your jam. There’s nothing better than crafting memories and having carefree girl-time with your friends.
Discover your love language, and your significant others love language, too. I can’t tell you how much better I was able to communicate and care for my husband once I learned what made him tick and feel loved. This goes for all relationships. Keep in mind though, sometimes how someone receives love isn’t how someone shows love. Discover both and you’ll be shocked how the levels of communication will open up.
Dedicate time to a cause/charity. I don’t think I need to explain the important of giving back. Just do it, it’s good for the soul.
Get past your FOMO (fear of missing out) and learn to say no more. I genuinely believe FOMO is a real disease. Lately, I’ve been practicing turning down opportunities and saying no more in order to care for myself. I found myself over committing and feeling regretful for saying yes to too much. The moment you realize something wasn’t meant to be, and feel okay with missing out, you’ll find a lot more peace in turning down opportunities.
Practice gratitude. Instead to focusing on what you don’t have, or wish you had, why not focus on the things you do. When I find myself in this state of mind, I always try to reset my perspective. I genuinely think happiness is a perspective, and if you approach each day with a grateful heart, there is no way you won’t find happiness.
Learn to be vulnerable. I struggle with this so much. I have a hard time opening up and letting people in. After all, it’s difficult putting your wall down if you’ve had a hard time trusting others in the past. But I’ve found that when I do, I open up an even deeper level of connection with that person, and I’m rewarded ten-fold from a stronger relationship with that person.
Figure out who you are and love yourself for it. For me, my 20s were a time for me to make mistakes, learn from it and figure out who I truly am. I definitely had a mid-life crisis trying to figure out what I wanted to do in my life, and I certainly dated way too many of the wrong guys. All of these experiences crafted who I am today, and I can honestly say that I’ve never been more confident in my own skin and known who I am more than I do today. I’ve developed a degree of self-love for myself that I’ve never known, and not in the conceited type of way. I’m kinder to myself for making mistakes. I understand why I’m experiencing certain emotions. And I’m aware of what I’m capable of without setting unreachable expectations for myself. All of this tells me that my 30s are going to be my best decade yet!
