Today marks thirty years of me being alive. That’s right – it’s one of those milestone birthdays for me this year. I don’t really have any strong opinions about being 30. I’m looking forward to becoming a mom and watching our family grow, so I guess you could say I’m looking forward to my thirties. I did think it was necessary to take a look back at my twenties and the things I’ve learned though.

Since it is my birthday, I’m going to keep this post relatively short and sweet with a list format. I’ll gladly elaborate on any of these lessons in a future post if you’d like me to! Just let me know which lesson!

1. Following the crowd doesn’t get you anywhere.

2. Personal growth is important.

3. You’re in complete control of your happiness.

4. Perspective is everything.

5. The past can haunt you if you don’t learn to let it go.

6. You shouldn’t rely on others for your overall happiness.

7. Life rarely goes the way you predict.

8. Plans are nice but flexibility is more valuable.

9. Life is unpredictable.

10. Be confident in what you believe.

11. Sometimes bad things happen to good people.

12. Embrace life and learn from it.

13. Sometimes the wrong path turns out to be the right one.

14. Take chances.

15. Trust your gut.

16. Stick to your values.

17. Allow yourself to change and grow.

18. Make friends but also be willing to let go of friends.

19. Life consists of seasons and sometimes you have to embrace the one you’re in.

20. You have to be happy and content with yourself before you can be happy with someone else.

I know some of these may seem cliché, but they really aren’t. These are the many things I learned while I was in my twenties and most of them can be directly connected to a story. Like I mentioned the beginning of the post, I’m happy to elaborate on any of them in the future! Until then, I’m off to enjoy turning 30!