30 Things I Know Now That I'm 30

All of the emotions I have felt about the big 3-0!

This is it, you guys... I'm officially out of my 20's and into my 30's.  This is my scariest birthday ever!  Have I ever told you I cried when I turned 19 because I didn't want to stop being a teenager yet?  It's true.  I did.  I told you 30 days ago that I had some concerns about hitting this milestone.  And now I can say, as I type this from the corner of my bathroom floor weeping.... just kidding!!!  I'm not crying this time. I'm actually feeling good about this new decade and all the awesome advice you gave a month ago has definitely helped.So I thought I'd share with you some of the things I know.  In fact, this may be ALL that I know.  In life.  Period!  So brace yourselves for some SERIOUS wisdom. (HA!)

The 30 Things I Know Now That I'm 30

1. Being a nice person never goes out of fashion.  It's always cool and it's always your best option, so just be nice to everyone because no matter what your first impressions of people may be, there's a good chance your judgmental initial thoughts could be wrong, and that's been the case with me lots of times.  Lesson learned.
2. Crazy diets don't work.  What?  You're shocked, too?  I know... this is no big secret to anyone with an internet connection or a real friend in the world.  Remember: balance. 
3. Sleeping in your own bed is one of life's greatest pleasures.  Don't ever take it for granted!  Seriously, I thank God for my bed every single night.  I thank Him for the fact that I have one, for the fact that I can rest safely and peacefully and for the fact that my bed is just so darn comfortable!
4. Laundry, vacuuming and rush-hour traffic are all forms of torture.  Just another fact, folks.  Those three things should not exist in this world and the fact that they do is proof that humans are sick and twisted.  Being put in a situation in which I am in the middle of any of those three things causes a similar reaction to #6.
5. There is always a song playing in my head.  Probably in yours, too!  I can't be alone on this one.  At any given point in my day I can stop what I'm doing and...yep...song in my head.  Or I'll be in the middle of something and ...whoop there it is.  A song in my head.  HAHA now it's in yours too!
6. Being "hangry" (becoming angry while  hungry) is a real thing and I suffer from it.  No, but really, if you or anyone you know suffers from fits of rage at the grumble of a stomach, get help immediately!  The ONLY known cure is food.  Immediate intake of food!
7. Grammar and spelling MATTER!  It is important to know the difference between their, there and they're.  'Loose' and 'lose' are not the same thing, and yes, you should know the difference or you could potentially end up in an awkward conversation. 
8. Sleep is a great cure.  For what?  Like, everything.  Wild emotions, sadness, wanting to make rash decisions, wanting to say things you shouldn't say... if you just go to sleep, those things will go away and you'll wake up a better person for it.  
9. People change.  Their opinions change.  And that's ok.   I am always prepared to defend how I feel about something, but that doesn't mean I will feel that way forever, so I don't hold on too tightly to those opinions and you shouldn't either.
10. "Don't go to bed angry" is a BAD ADVICE!  Let's go back to #8 for a second..... Seriously.  Just sleep on it.
11. Be the first one to say "hello."  Because when you're in a room full of people, feeling self-conscious and shy, know that chances are almost everyone else is feeling the same way! 
12. Live right now.  My arch nemesis, Drake, likes to say 'YOLO' (and if you live under a rock with internet access that only allows you to read this blog, that stands for "you only live once"), but a friend of mine once said "You live every day.  You only die once."  PURE WISDOM!  So live every day, for that day.  Not for tomorrow, or for the next phase of your life.  Enjoy the process of getting there.
13. Always tip.  I get it, sometimes you don't want to, but believe it or not, the person serving or helping you is a real person with a real life, and sometimes that life may affect whether or not they smile enough while taking your order.  
14. Everyone I meet is trustworthy until proven otherwise.  In other words: don't let your crappy baggage go with you everywhere you go!  Everyone has bad relationships, everyone has friendships that are broken.  So?  Does that mean the next person you meet will be just like the last one?  No.  I have lived by this philosophy for a long time now, and it's very freeing.  Try it.
15. Don't hold on too tightly to your things and your money.  None of it is really yours anyway and it'll do your heart no good.
16. Who you work with/for affects you in a big way.  People say "do what you love" and it's beautiful, but also make sure you do that with people who build you up.  You spend more time with your co-workers than with your own family, so try to work for someone you can look up to.
17. Quit that job you don't like, even if it's scary!  I literally JUST did that, and it feels awesome and scary and sometimes I wanna cry about it and sometimes I want to laugh about it and basically I feel like a crazy person.  But I made the right decision.
18. Never do anything just to keep up with someone else.  I don't even need to expand on this one...
19. Don't always pray alone.  Yes, it's wonderful to have those quiet moments with God, but don't be afraid to ask someone to pray for you.  I've never felt the power of community and prayer quite as much as when I have asked people to pray with/for me.  It really helped with #17! 
20. Learn to read aloud well.  Honest to goodness... if you can do this, do it!  You might think it's silly, but it boosts your confidence and you can bring anything you read to life.  It's just a good skill to have!
21. Don't follow your heart, follow your conscience.  Call it your gut, our instinct, or whatever... The heart can be fickle, but God's voice speaking to you never is.  Follow that.
22. Get it, girl.  (or guy... sorry guys) You want it?  Go for it.  
23. Give more than you think you can.  I'm still learning this one.  It goes hand in hand with #15, but it also applies to time, effort and love.  
24. Marry someone who inspires you.  It's one of the best things I've chosen to do with my life.
25. Appreciate your health. Don't take your body for granted and learn how to care for it.  Apparently the aches and pains only gets worse with age, so enjoy right now!
26. Forgiveness is an extremely powerful thing.  Both giving and receiving.  It frees you, either way.
27. Success is not defined by what you do or how much you have.  Period.  
28. Having a pet teaches you about love, companionship and friendship.  It's true!  I mean, there are studies that prove these things, so who am I to argue with that, right?!?!  Plus, I am living proof that all of that is, in fact, truth.
29. Hug people as often as possible.  Personal space?  Pfft!  A hug can go a LONG way to communicate how much you care about someone, so I say go for it!
30. Wherever my mom and dad live is always home.  There's always food in the fridge and a hot meal.  There's always a warm blanket and even warmer hugs and kisses.  There's always love and a place to sleep.  It's ALWAYS home.

And that's ALL I know.

Please feel free to share your own wisdom with me.  I'm sure I could use more of it!