Lately I’ve seen a few of those ‘things to do before you’re 30’ lists floating around the internet.
Not that I’m officially a thirty-something, they make me shake my head, partly in annoyance (I’m not that old, thank you) and partly at the naïve assumption that turning 30 somehow means the end of your life and its early promise.
Turning 30 isn’t something you should waste your time worrying about. There are plenty of reasons that leaving your twenties behind doesn’t mean your life is over.
- Most people acknowledge that 30 is a special birthday, so if nothing else you’ve got an excuse to celebrate in style, whether that means a fancy holiday or a party.
- It also gives you the opportunity to ask for a slightly more extravagant present than usual…
- Being 30 isn’t a magical barrier to those must-experience things you were so eager to do at 29. I don’t believe there’s a clause in the bungee company’s insurance that states over-30s are too high risk…
- Turning 30 gives you a new perspective on life and the things you were worried about when you were younger. They won’t disappear entirely, but you have a few more years of wisdom to fall back on.
- You are starting to hit that point where you have several years of work experience under your belt. That means you can probably even get interviews for the kind of jobs that were out of your reach a couple of years ago.
- And you don’t have to worry about looking flaky on your CV. Research shows that people who changed jobs a few times in their twenties often go on to earn more in their thirties and forties.
- Chances are, you’ll have a few of the things you longed for in your twenties: more money, a better car, a bigger house.
- Try complaining to someone in their fifties or sixties about how old you are. They’ll soon put you straight.
- They’ll also point out that their thirties were much more fun than their twenties.
- If you’ve always wanted to go travelling, but never taken the plunge, it’s not too late. More and more people are taking career breaks to see the world. Having a job doesn’t have to hold you back.
- People are living longer but major milestones in life, such as marriage or buying a house, are also happening later.
- We have more opportunities than ever.
- You realise just how young you were for much of your twenties.
- That reassures you that at 40 you will probably look back and think the same about your thirties.
- You can be clearer about your goals and how to achieve them.
- But you realise that you don’t have to have everything sorted out. Plans can change and sometimes you don’t realise that you’re on the right path until you’ve reached your destination.
- You’re still young, but mature enough that people don’t treat you like a child.
- You can live life on your terms, whether that means a mortgage and a family, a high-powered career, or the freedom to travel.
- You know what suits you, so you can avoid some of the uglier fashion and beauty trends.
- Every time one of your friends turns 30, you get to enjoy your revenge for the times they tortured you about getting old.
- That also means there are lots of parties and cool things going on that you get to enjoy.
- There are plenty of people who have achieved fantastic things in their thirties. Women like Madonna or Angelina Jolie show that getting older doesn’t have to blunt your edginess or personality.
- If you’re worrying that your life hasn’t turned out how you thought it would, think of it this way: you still have so much to come.
- You’re still the same person, with the same desires and dreams. Age doesn’t change that.
- There’s no age limit for writing a novel. Or changing career. Or meeting someone amazing.
- Your future is in your hands: you can shape it however you want.
- You’re ultimately no different than you were at 29.
- You get to roll your eyes at people who think there’s no life after 30.
- You don’t get so caught up in what other people think.
- There’s still so much to look forward to.
Emma says
Thanks so much for posting this. Being just past 30 myself I couldn’t believe the amount of lists of articles insisting I do this and that before I hit my 30th. I definitely suit being in my 30s more than my 20s!
I’ve just nominated you for the versatile blogger award on my site. http://emiliahearts.co.uk/2015/07/15/the-versatile-blogger-award-nomination-yippee/
Amy Lord says
Yep, I guess it says a lot about what topics appeal to different age groups! Thanks for the nomination, Emma, that’s very sweet of you – I’ll have to have a read through some of the other blogs too 🙂