I recently turned the big 3-0, and I figured, why not sum up 30 things I learned in my 20s? 30 things I am bringing into my 30s. 30 things that can hopefully help anyone nearing or in their 20s

1. There are three sides to every story– his, hers, and the truth.
2. Kindness goes a long way- always be kind, as you never know what someone else is going through.
3. Invest in yourself—whether it be sleeping more, consuming healthier foods, or being more kind to yourself—take care of yourself now. Your future self will thank you.
4. Never sacrifice yourself for work– remember that we do not live to work, we work to live. Most (but not all) jobs think of you as a number and will quickly replace you if you were to die or quit.
5. Never settle—whether it be in a relationship, friendship, house, or career, you deserve the best out there and trust me, the best is out there.
6. No one is perfect—simply put, everyone is perfectly imperfect. There is no such thing as perfection.
7. Learn to say no– Setting boundaries will help you prioritize other tasks and feel less stressed.
8. You are going to fail– A quote I love says, “Always a lesson, never a failure.” Take what you’ve learned and apply it to future situations. Everyone fails; no one is perfect. Remember it, and don’t let it get to you.
9. Find your tribe—a good set of girlfriends or friends is great for the soul.
10. You’re going to change– you’re going to learn what you really like and what you hate, and you’re going to find your path. It’s all okay.
11. Don’t focus on the future so much that you ignore what is in front of you– Future planning sure is fun, but with too much focus there, you’ll forget to enjoy that cup of coffee in the morning or that belly laugh you had with your friends. Take in the now as much as you can because nothing lasts forever.
12. The timing is different for everybody– I have friends who got married at 18, I have friends who got divorced at 30, I have friends who are 35 and not married, and I have friends who had kids before marriage. Friends that are 30 and don’t love their careers, friends that are 35 and just started loving their careers, friends who finished college, and friends who dropped out. Everyone is on a different path, and although it is hard not to compare yourself with others, remember that your path is different in life.
13. People don’t always have your best interests at heart—as much as this hurts to say, not everyone you know wants to see you succeed. Look out for yourself.
14. Life will not look like how you thought it would—when I was younger, I thought I’d move out of my family home after college, love my career, and marry my then-boyfriend. Flash forward to now, and none of that happened to me at the time I thought it would, and that is the best thing that has happened to me.
15. Start saving now—always, always add money to your savings account, your retirement, and your emergency fund. I like to save up for future trips too.
16. Value time with friends and family—the older we get, the less time we have with friends and family. Enjoy every single minute. You don’t realize it, but your parents and grandparents are aging right along with you.
17. Take risks in your career—I’m not saying quit your job right now if you hate it, please always have a backup plan! But if you hate your job, why not find something you’ll love? If you want to change careers, then do it.
18. Take chances in life- book the flight, say yes to that date, and apply for that job. You never know when that chance will change your life for the better.
19. It’s okay to splurge on yourself—you work hard and deserve it. Just be sure to be financially responsible.
20. Don’t get too comfortable—this is a hard one. We get comfortable with our routine because it’s familiar and we like familiarity. But what if I told you that you don’t always grow when you’re comfortable? You can get stuck? Sometimes when you get that feeling of “being stuck” is the best time to make a change.
21. Let go of things that don’t better you– if it doesn’t enhance your life but drags you down, why are you allowing it to be in your life? Only allow things in your life that better you, or bring happiness.
22. Spend time alone-you’ll be with yourself forever. Learn to love yourself, date yourself, and rely on yourself.
23. Take the trip—these are memories waiting to be made. Take advantage of that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
24. It’s okay to ask for help- everyone doesn’t know everything. It’s easier to ask for help than to try and figure it out on your own, stress yourself out, do it wrong, and then have to redo it.
25. Just because something is good or works for someone else does not mean it will be good or work for you—everything works differently for everyone. Find something that works for you.
26. Ask questions- you don’t know as much as you think you do. Learn as much as you can every day, and ask as many questions as you can.
27. Learn to manage stress- life is so stressful. Learn to manage that stress in a healthy way by working out, reading, and cooking. Whatever relaxes you.
28. Allow yourself downtime– Life is so busy; take some time to relax and unwind. Whether it’s playing video games, having a glass of wine, or watching your favorite show, Take time for yourself when you need
29. Give less f’s—basically– you do you, booboo. Pay less attention to what others say; if you’re happy and not harming anyone or anything, then keep on doing your thing. There will never be an instance where everyone will approve of everything you are doing, and that is okay. Caring less about that will give you peace throughout your days.
30. You are resilient– adjective (of a person or animal) able to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions. What you think will break you, actually won’t. And remember, it’s not over ’till it’s all okay.

What are some things that you learned in your early years that you wish you knew sooner? That you always remember? Or want pass onto the younger generation?