My Advice on Turning 30:
Get Ready for the Best Years of
Your Life
My advice on turning 30 comes to from someone who is two years past her 30th birthday. Yup smart goals for success for 20-something is written by someone who is not 20 years old anymore. This was not always the case. I started this website when I was freshly 28 years old in hopes to help others in my age group launch into life successfully. Now that I’ve lived through my 20s (and survived) I feel like I’m even more equipped to give advice.
Now that we’re being honest, let’s begin.
When I was in my late 20s I couldn’t wait to turn 30s. Why you ask? I felt that when I was finally 30 I would have my life together and people around me would start to take me seriously. I feel that people in their 20s aren’t taking seriously because they’re viewed as an extension of your teen years. Maybe rightfully so as more 20-somethings are living with their parents longer, not jumping into careers right away and delaying starting a family. Yes we didn’t have the same responsibilities as our parents in our 20s but we experienced different pressures.
There are basically two different types of reactions when someone is approaching their 30th birthday: “Yes I’ve finally made it and joined the adult group, let’s have a party” or “I’m really depressed I feel so old now.”
Why do people get depressed turning 30?
We’ve already touched upon the first reaction of a sense of accomplishment, viewing your 30th birthday as a depressing topic is not the way to go. In fact I’m willing to bet that those who got depressed about turning 30 will probably be depressed with each additional year moving forward.
From my observation it comes from disappointment. I think when we’re in high school or in our early 20s, we visualize how we think our lives are going to be at a certain age. We view 30s as a lifetime away and commonly picture ourselves possibly with a big house, killer career, and married with two children. Often times it’s not always the case and can be disappointing especially if you’re no where close to making this a reality. I was hoping by my 20s I would be fifthly rich and obviously that’s not the case but in the big picture I’m still happy.
Why Your 30s Are the Best Years of Your Life
Since many goal setters use milestones such as a 30th birthday to evaluate their lives, take a moment and reflect where you are and where you would like to go. You might be surprised how much you’ve changed in the last decade.
Did you attend post-secondary education in your 20s? Did you spend your time travelling? Do you have work experience? Did you build savings and demolish debt? Did you make new friends or get rid of people in your life that are negative? You are entering your 30s a lot smarter than your entered your 20s. Did you know that most people in their 30s report feeling more confident than they did in their 20s? If you made mistakes in your 20s it’s not too late to fix those changes in your 30s. You are still young after all.
Final thoughts on advice on turning 30 - remember: Life is a marathon, not a race. When you’re younger we tend to view things as black and white but life isn’t that simple. Don’t pressure yourself through life, let things happen naturally. I have to say some of the best outcomes in my life were not planned.
The best advice on turning 30 when met with resistance is to be proud of yourself for making it through your 20s alive.
Advice on turning 30? Get a personal development plan.
Back to SMART GOALS FOR SUCCESS homepage.
