I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know a young lady this past year who is turning 30,  which got me thinking about my thirties. Oh my gosh, it seems like forever ago.

My twenties were a blur, fun comes to mind, and I was having a lot of it! I was just getting to know who I was and what I wanted out of life, or so I thought. Turning thirty definitely was a milestone, saying goodbye to my twenties (aka my exploratory years) and hello to a new decade, the discovery years? I was ready for thirty, no longer in the twenty zones of parties and clubs. This was the launch into adulthood, with a significant focus on career, family and home.

My life would be different, exciting with a pinch of seriousness. I was married at the time with no kids (yet), and that was ok, they would eventually come or not. Travel was a passion of mine, and I would savour every destination, promising myself to always make travel a priority. My career was coming along nicely, it was a challenging job, as it was financially rewarding, but for the most part, it wasn’t filling my cup or feeding my creative juices. Find something you’re passionate about…

“If you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life”

…Marc Anthony

Celebrate 30 and embrace it head-on. This is the time to celebrate YOU and all of your accomplishments. I like to think I was a doer, saying it out loud, and making it happen. That said, I spent much time doing what people expected of me. In turn, I would be in conflict with myself, do what’s important to you, and be authentic. You do you! There are no rules, and this is your life. It’s okay to dream big. Tell yourself it will happen! BE PATIENT, yep, I sucked at this, but it’s true. All those things you want in life will eventually happen. It’s just a matter of when it’s your turn…

“The sea does not reward those who are too anxious, too greedy, or too impatient. To dig for treasures shows not only impatience and greed, but lack of faith. Patience, patience, patience, is what the sea teaches. Patience and faith. One should lie empty, open, choiceless as a beach—waiting for a gift from the sea.”                                      

– Anne Morrow Lindbergh, Gift from the Sea

Life is not a dress rehearsal. It’s the final act. So many times, I wished I had said something or done something and didn’t. Why?! Take risks, don’t be afraid to step off the ledge, even if it scares you, and learn to trust in yourself. “Hell Yeah!” Say yes to new opportunities. You never know; it could be a fabulous experience, a friendship or more. “Guilty!” You’re allowed to say NO, say it, NO! It feels good, and you have permission to say it when your heart’s not into something, whatever that something is. We’re all trying to figure out life, get used to it. No one is perfect, including yourself (that was a hard lesson).

Friends come and go, “a reason, a season, a lifetime,”  make time and nurture those friendships. Don’t spend time with people who don’t treat you well. Your family will ALWAYS love you and be there for you. They know you best.

Look after yourself, live a healthy lifestyle, eat well, get lots of sleep (it’s better than wrinkle cream), exercise, exercise, and exercise. It’s hard work, but the benefits far outweigh the risks attached to poor health and not fitting into a great pair of jeans! Because you need to feel fabulous at any decade, right?!

Parenting is hard work, it’s not glamourous, and the pay sucks, but it is the most rewarding. Children ground you and make you real, trust me. They will call you out on your shit! Don’t rush the years. Take it all in. Even on those crappy sleepless nights, one smile from those lovelies will melt you.

Be a best friend to your partner, listen and communicate. Make time for each other and tell them,” I love you”; it can never be said too often.

Most of all, love yourself. This is your life, your journey, your decade. Enjoy the ride…

“Live life in the moment, don’t wait for the moment to live”…me