A younger me once thought it would be a really great idea to make a list every year for my birthday (see previous posts – https://alittlepieceofmynd.com/2019/09/10/29-things-that-make-this-life-so-sweet/ and https://alittlepieceofmynd.com/2017/09/11/27-thoughts-feelings-musings-and-questions-on-27-years/) and not the kind of list where people buy me lots of presents. However, if you are looking for one of those, I can definitely get you one of those. So as I approach being 30, flirty, and thriving, I’m thinking about 30 things I’ve learned in 30 years.

1. Never stop chasing after the things that set your soul on fire in the best way.
2. It is okay to walk away from things that no longer serve you.
3. Life has a tendency of putting you right where you are supposed to be if you are willing to put yourself in life’s way.
4. Never give up on convincing your parents to let you get a dog. It might take 30 years, but it could happen. (Yes I’m a grown and independent adult, but in order to provide the best life for my pup, I needed to convince my dad he wanted to be my daily daddy dog care while I am at work. It finally worked).
5. Perseverance pays off.
6. You need other people.
7. Other people need you.
8. You will be too much for some people. Those aren’t your people.
9. Sometimes your strengths are your weakness and your weaknesses are your strengths.
10. Book the trip. Buy the concert ticket.
11. It is important to find the beauty and the magnificent in the day to day. Don’t miss it waiting for the next big thing. The little things are the big things. You’ll forget this time and time again, but it’ll strike you when you are driving on a backroad and you look at the sky.
12. You will never regret being kind.
13. But on that note, be kind, but take no shit.
14. You can do hard things.
15. Just because you can doesn’t mean you should.
16. Speak up.
17. But also know that there is a lot of value in shutting up and listening.
18. Talk to strangers. I am convinced they are angels amongst us.
19. You might think you are doing something to help others. In the end, they might be helping you instead. That’s okay.
20. Some people are the worst. Do not let them ruin the best people for you.
21. It is not your job to fix other people. It never hurts to love them, though.
22. Trust your gut.
23. When you think of your younger self, don’t judge or criticize her. Instead, recognize that she did the best she could at that time and appreciate the beauty of her growth. You’ll someday look back at this version of your younger self and feel the same way.
24. You will have some people in your life that have been there for all or most of it. They are so special. Cherish those people.
25. You will meet people who you have known for a short amount of time, and yet your souls will know each other like the oldest of friends.
26. You’ll have in-between people, too. They also have an important purpose. Know that you’ll be an in-between person in the lives of others. That is okay. Serve your purpose well.
27. Sometimes you’ll wish you could have done things differently. You can’t. But you can take what you’ve learned and carry it forward.
28. A long walk, a chat with a friend, a kitchen dance party, a long drive with the windows down. They might not fix a problem, but they certainly won’t hurt.
29. It is okay to wear your heart on your sleeve. It might look bruised and battered, but it is strong and beating. Other bruised and battered hearts might see it and be reminded that they have a strong and beating heart too.
30. There are some things that you will have to learn time and time again before they stick. That’s okay. That’s life.

I plan on being a lifelong learner, so I hope that someday I have 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, heck even 100 things that I’ve learned in as many years. I am so thankful to have had another journey around the sun and I am looking forward to what the next one will bring.