Thirty, Flirty, and Thriving.

Welp. Here I am on the last day of my 20s. How did I get here so fast?

If you didn't know this already, my blog name "younganxiousandthriving" pays homage to one of my favorite movies growing up, 13 Going on 30. The main character, Jenna Rink, discovers so many life lessons when she transforms from a teenager into a young woman. Some of the lessons include not changing yourself to fit in with others, those who truly care about you will stick with you through thick and thin, take risks because it might be worth it in the end, and most importantly to not forget who you are.

I don't have magic fairy dust that can change me from my 13-year-old self like the movie, but I thought I'd share the life lessons that I've learned in my almost 30 years of life in no particular order. :)

1. Not everyone is going to like you and that's OK. It would be very difficult to live up to everyone's expectations now would it?

2. Your feelings are valid. I sometimes struggle when I am telling others my feelings because I hate confrontation. You heard it here first. If you're speaking to a friend and they get defensive, 1. They don't want to admit responsibility and put the blame back on you (you can't help that, which brings me to life lesson #3) and 2. They probably aren't that great of a friend, to begin with - drop them! (Which bring me to life lesson #4)

3. You can't control someone else's behavior. You can only control your reaction.

4. You don't need a huge group of friends to be happy. If you're like me, your friend group seems to be getting smaller and smaller as you get older and that's OK. I'll be honest and say that I've removed friends from my life that were just toxic. You want to surround yourself with people who are only going to lift you higher.

5. I am not old. When I was 10, I used to think 30 was 80 years old. I look and feel young!

6. Know your self-worth and don't base it on what others think of you. PREACH.

7. Communication is SO important. People are not mind readers. They don't know how you are feeling unless you tell them - so speak up!

8. You can say NO, don't feel like you have to say YES to everything. You don't feel like going out? Don't go out!

9. Health is so important. I am pursuing my Master's Degree in Public Health and now more than ever do I know how critical it is to take care of yourself. Most illnesses are attributed to lifestyle factors. It's simple. Eat healthy, exercise daily, and DON'T SMOKE!

10. Be confident in yourself. If you start to show it, the rest of the world will see it too.

11. Take care of your skin. Yes, being tan looks nice in the summer but when you're older and have a bunch of wrinkles and sunspots you that all won't matter anymore. You are putting yourself at risk for developing skin cancer, wear that SPF 30!

12. Drink water. You should be drinking between half an ounce and an ounce of water for each pound you weigh, per day. For example, if you weigh 160 pounds you should be drinking 131 ounces every day.

13. Trust your gut. If it seems wrong, 99.9% of the time it probably is.

14. Try to have a positive mindset. No need for any more negativity!

15. Be kinder to your body. It's been through a lot. I know it's difficult, but your body is remarkable, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

16. Travel as much as you can. There is so much to discover in the world! Please don't be pigeon hold into one geographic area your whole life.

17. Be original. The world is already full of copies. :)

18. Stop apologizing. I started doing this in both my personal and professional life. I used to apologize constantly for things that I necessarily didn't do. I stopped doing that and let me tell you, it is so empowering.

19. Seek therapy when you need it. We all have rough patches sometimes. Going to a therapist does not make you weak whats so ever. Do you know how smart you are to seek therapy? You are acknowledging that you have issues that need to be addressed so you are already ahead of game compared to those who DO have problems but won't go see a therapist. You are brave.

20. Slow your roll. This was something my college advisor once told me and it stayed with me through all these years. Don't feel guilty about relaxing, you don't need to constantly be doing someone. Give your mind a break.

21. Relationships are hard. Whether it be platonic or romantic, ALL relationships require work so make sure you put time into each one of them.

22. Please stop with these expectations of women. Cody and I were in a relationship for 6 years before we got engaged, all I heard was "so when are you getting engaged?". Once we got engaged the next question was "so when are you getting married?" and "when do you plan to have children?". I don't know Karen when I want to? I keep hearing about the need to have children before 35 years old. I want to travel and have an established career so children are not at the forefront of my mind. Yes, I would like children but not any time soon and that should be enough.

23. Time is not infinite. Although 30 years old is still young, I am understanding the value of time. Use it wisely!

24. Hangovers get worse as we age. This is why I have been drinking less, the headache the next day is just not worth it.

25. The older you get the wiser you become. I did not understand this saying until recently. I can honestly say that I have felt more like myself than I ever have in my life.

26. Be present. We can think about the past and future as much as we want but many times we end up getting disconnected from the present. Like Andy Bernard from The Office says "I wish there was a way to know you're in the good old days before you've actually left them."

27. Tell people you love them. As you get older that means that your loved ones are as well. You never know when it will be the last time you see them.

28. Have a relationship with God. As I've gotten older, I have developed a longing to be closer to him. Having and accepting God in your life changes everything.

29. Treat Yourself. Do it without the guilt! It's OK to indulge sometimes.

30. Be patient. Whatever will be will be. We want things right away and that may not always be the case. Trust the process.

31. BONUS* I want to make my younger self proud. I think I'm getting there.

Cheers to 30.

I can't wait to see what this next decade will bring :)