THIRTY. The big 3-0! I won’t even pretend that I wasn’t terrified in the months leading up to this birthday. It doesn’t help that the majority of my friends are a few years younger and love to remind me of that…And Colten, he is the one who reminds me daily of my age and how “young” he still is!
About a month before my birthday, I decided to change my perspective and be excited about it. Turns out, being THIRTY isn’t so scary and I am actually kind of loving it! Now that I am a couple of months into it, here are a few thoughts on being 30, lessons I’ve learned along the way, and things I would tell my younger self.
1. I will never master the fitted sheet and that’s okay! (I NEVER put it on right the first time, no matter how hard I try!)
2. Learn to love coffee sooner! (HA!)
3. LOVE. Even when it’s hard or you feel they don’t deserve it. We don’t deserve God’s love, yet we still receive it.
4. Learn to say no. I am a people pleaser and want to make everyone happy. But I have had to learn to say no to certain things so I can say yes to all that God has for me!
5. Learn to say yes. It sounds like I am contradicting myself, but hear me out! It’s easy to say no to things when they are uncomfortable for us. But I have learned that when we step out of our comfort zone and say yes to whatever that is, God uses us greatly!
6. Put the phone down and be present where you are.
7. Watch more sunsets and less TV!
8. Invest in your friendships. They are a GIFT from the Lord and WOW! He has blessed me with some friends that are pure GOLD.
9. Find your identity in Christ, NOT in your job, relationships, money, or health status. This is SO important and one that I am constantly working on. Our roles in life will always change but our identity in Christ never does!
Side note: Our identity doesn’t change because He doesn’t change! He is the same yesterday, today, and forever!
10. Be grateful. I have started saying 3 things I am grateful for whenever I find myself complaining and it completely changes my attitude and thoughts!
11. Listen. Take time to listen and respond in your conversations. Show the person talking that you value what they are saying and that you care.
12. Learn to celebrate friends and their accomplishments without being jealous! Each of us have a God-given purpose and we should encourage our friends when God does something amazing in their lives!
13. LAUGH. It really is the best medicine!
14. Make prayer a priority. I still don’t have this mastered, but a prayer journal and time set aside each day really helps!
15. DO NOT neglect your time with God. Besides gaining wisdom and strength for each day and being made more like Christ, time with Jesus is just too sweet to pass up for any distractions that this world offers!
The list could go on, but let’s face it, matching the lessons I have learned with my birthday age is just too high these days!
Cheers to being 30 and all the lessons still to be learned!
That She May Know 