What I Realize As I'm Turning Thirty

Being on the brink of thirty is an exciting and nerve-wracking situation to be in all at once. Behind you are your carefree twenties where you accumulated numerous life lessons, but ahead of you is the seriousness of your thirties, a time when frequent trial and error is often frowned upon. People say age is just a number, but when you are entering a new decade of your life it is hard to just brush it off and not be affected by societal expectations. The exciting thing about turning thirty is that you know that you will only continue to get wiser as you age and that the life lessons you accumulated in your twenties will only continue through your thirties and beyond. Here's some realizations I have made throughout the last decade.

Obtaining mental clarity is just as important as physical fitness

There is a lot of emphasis on the importance of staying physically fit through your twenties to prevent age-related diseases later. It turns out that maintaining your mental health is just as important as physical health and that the two are deeply intertwined. Learning to meditate or going to classes for restorative yoga has not only helped me fix a bad mood, but regular practice will hopefully allow me a lifetime of mindfulness that will help combat any stressful situations that are bound to arise.

Try not to worry what others are thinking

Being self-conscious about every single thing was something that often plagued me in my twenties. If I did something that was slightly embarrassing, I would be mortified the rest of the day. The things is people often are caught up in their own worlds and do not remember that you said something slightly awkward or tripped down the stairs in front of your entire office. I realize that the sooner you are able to move on, the more time you will be able to focus on the present, instead of the past.

Comparing yourself to others is truly the thief of joy

It is hard not to get caught up comparing yourself to your peers. I would easily get down on myself by scrolling through Facebook and realizing that someone had just landed their dream job or had an enviable social life. It was easy to throw myself a pity party, but in reality it was just a giant waste of my time. Often things are not what they seem (especially on social media) and I have slowly learned that it is detrimental to compare myself to an illusion. It is important to not take your own life for granted and strive towards what truly brings you happiness. I also realized that despite societal expectations, everyone life moves at a different pace and this is the beauty of being human.

Being successful is a mindset

One of the most important things that I have learned in my twenties is that to be successful in any area of your life simply comes down to perseverance (along with being at the right place at the right time). I often searched for a shortcut to reach my goals, whether they were personal or professional, but I realized that this way does not exist. To achieve something takes a lot of time and most importantly a constant belief in your abilities. I have always dreamed of having a writing career, but it has only been recently after many detours throughout the last decade that I am slowly making this a reality and turning each setback into a lesson. It is also important to define what your personal idea of success is, since it is different for everyone.