This is Thirty

My golden birthday has arrived! 30 on the 30th. I remember celebrating my 25th birthday in Vegas with girlfriends (back when I didn’t get hangovers…) and thinking 30 was so far away. And holy cow now it’s here. It does feel like a really big milestone, perhaps more so for women. It seems there is more societal pressure for women to cross things off and accomplish things by a certain age. But I make an effort not to be affected by the things I “should” be doing and I’m really excited about this new decade. I’ve always loved the idea of a “fresh start”, which is probably why I enjoy birthdays and New Year’s so much. I’m especially excited to confidently dive head first into this new age, taking with me all the wisdom I’ve learned in my twenties. Here are a few key things I learned in my twenty-something years…

 

 
One // Don’t let comparison dictate your happiness.
I’ll be honest, this is something I’m still working on. I’ve actually been challenging myself to back off social media lately, because sometimes I’ll be scrolling through Instagram and hear a whining voice start in my head that sounds something like “Wait, why am I not on a yacht in Greece partying with all my friends?!” Oh, because that’s some model dating Leonardo DiCaprio and you’re way too practical to plan some expensive and lavish trip like that. I have a very very blessed life with wonderful family, an amazing boyfriend and the best girlfriends a girl could ask for. I have a lovely home and an adorable (neurotic) dog. Yes, sometimes I get the envy bug, but I then remind myself I’ve got a pretty great gig going already. So don’t let comparison to someone else’s highlight reel dictate your day to day happiness.

 

Two // Know how to change your smoke alarm battery.
I know what you’re thinking – “Wow, Jaclyn, this is really groundbreaking”, but seriously, after I purchased my home I can’t tell you how many times my smoke alarm beeped in the middle of the night (it’s always the middle of the night) and I didn’t know how the heck to change it. My parents weren’t there to fix it for me and in a very frustrated fashion I had to figure it out at 3am. So I guess I should title this section “Know how to change your smoke alarm battery and other boring adult things”. Learn to change your furnace filter every 3 months. Have a plan if your car breaks down. Always have some cash on you. Like I said, boring adult things that help life run smoothly.

 

Three // Be ok with the lulls in your life.
I tend to quickly get anxious when I’m not doing something or accomplishing the next task on my list. If life feels too mundane or routine, I tend to create things to do. (Yes, I’ve already started a 30’s list…) But sometimes life gets a little stagnant, and that’s ok. Sometimes you need those periods to recharge. There will always be times when it feels like the busiest you’ve ever been, so it’s ok to savor the quiet moments in life. And that’s something I’m always working on.

 

Four // Trust yourself and enjoy the journey.
I have often struggled with trying to figure out how the rest of my life is going to play out (this is quite a task) instead of enjoying the journey and letting the pieces of the puzzle fall into place. But I’ve learned that life really does have a way of falling into place and working out as they should. A lot of the things that I worry about never even end up happening, so it’s best to be in the moment and figure things out one day at a time.

 

This has been a weekend of love and celebrations and I’m so excited for the adventures my thirties will bring!