Turning 30, Milestones, and Dreaming of the Future
January 17, 2025
Today is my birthday. I can hardly believe I am already 30 years old. I have never been someone who has had a list of things she wants to do before 30, but I am someone who has felt like she was falling behind many times in life. It is hard not to feel like you are falling behind, or not meeting the standard, when there are so many ways you can compare yourself to others these days. I saw a post recently that said something along the lines of how difficult it is to be alive right now due to all the ways you can compare yourself. Because of social media, there are hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of people we can compare ourselves to. Before social media, we just had family and friends to compare ourselves to, not everyone in the world. No wonder I am feeling like I am falling behind.
I want to take a moment to make note of all of the accomplishments of my 20s, because while I am happily leaving them behind, there was so much growth that happened in the last ten years. You know I love my lists.
I married the love of my life
I worked so many jobs, and so many jobs that I had dreamed about
in events
at a gallery
at a coffee shop
on a flower farm
in bridal
I found my soul puppy
I had really amazing friends, and mourned the loss of most of those friendships
I graduated college
I became an aunt
I fell in love with reading
I moved to Colorado
I traveled out of the county
I made a lot of things
paintings
bears
this blog
blankets
I went to a lot os soccer games
I spent a lot of time self reflecting
I lived with roommates and with my sister again
I sang on a worship team
I was a leader for a small group of
I became fairly certain that I have undiagnosed adhd
I have (kind of ) learned how to stand up for myself
I’ve tried new foods and seen new things
I’ve been in a lot of weddings
I painted a handful of murals
I ate a lot of popcorn
I had quite a few bad relationships
I moved a lot
I dyed my hair pink, and then a couple years later, red
I got three tattoos
I got my nose pierced
I did a lot of wedding, prom, and special event hair and make up
I also wanted to take a moment to note all the things I want to leave in my 20s:
insecurities
lately I have been having a really hard time not being insecure about the most basic things about myself, and it feels wild to me that I had made it all the way through my twenties with these nasty thoughts and they still linger in the back of my mind
acne
picking my skin
wearing uncomfortable clothes and shoes
comparing myself to others
And here is a list of things I would like to happen in the next year (because thinking about everything in the next ten years feels a little too overwhelming):
spend more time outside
become more active
go on lots of hikes
do lots of yoga
get back into running
eat seasonally
buy food from farmers markets
become more comfortable in the kitchen so Eli and I can cook together
crochet myself a sweater before winter
sew myself a sundress before summer
make ( at least ) one lasting, deep, friendship
read a lot and try out books I wouldn’t usually read ( because this past year I found out that it wasn’t the romance genre I didn’t like, it was just that I wasn’t finding the right romance books)
get a first draft of a book written
Thank you for coming along on this ride with me. Again, I cannot believe I am now in my thirties, but I am so excited to see what they bring! I am taking this weekend to celebrate with Eli, and I cannot wait to tell you all that we do. I have a feeling this is going to be the best year yet.
