Do You: Making It to 30 and Beyond

Today, I've been thinking about how much I have grown as a person over the last few years. I am not yet 30, but I'm beginning to realize why 30 is such a comfortable age. Turning 30 is different for everyone, but the process of getting to 30 is the same. I still have a little time before I reach the mark, but I'm in preparation for the great years ahead.

The tumultuous 20s, as I call them, are the years where you have fun and find yourself. Having fun is the easy part, but finding yourself is where the hard work takes place. Each year that I get closer to 30, I have noticed a few changes in my attitude, perceptions of situations and life events, and goals. The best way to describe where I was in my different stages of the 20s is below.

Early 20s

1. Excited
2. Ready for change
3. Friendly
4. Free spirited
5. Compassionate (at all times)
6. Unrestrained
7. Hopeful
8. Broke all the time

Mid 20s

1. Depressed
2. Tearful
3. Doubtful
4. Insecure
5. Stressed
6. Confused
7. Broke most of the time
8. Regretful

Late 20s

1. Secure with myself
2. Happy about life
3. More self confidence
4. Less stressed
5. Financially conscious and broke occasionally (we're in a recession)
6. Patient
7. Selfish. I actually think about myself these days.
8. More health conscious with regards to preventative care
9. More responsible.
10. Less accepting of foolishness
11. Less regretful
12. Forgiving
13. I ignore people....A LOT.
14. I'm comfortable with saying "NO".

The development over time has surprised me. I feel like a lab rat that is thrown into adverse situations repeatedly to see how it will come out in the end. Life has definitely thrown me some hoops, but I would not change a thing. Through these past few years, I have definitely learned that stress is not worth the pain that it can cause to your mind, body, and soul. My advice to you all is to let go. Forgive. Don't be full of regrets. You cannot turn back the hands of time. The only reason you should look back is to learn from past mistakes.

One thing I have learned is to keep the excitement you had in your early 20s for the rest of your life. Life will go on whether you are dead or alive, so don't let stressful situations shorten your life. Look at it like this. If you go to work everyday and work hard (instead of smart) to meet your deadlines and numbers but you're not taking care of yourself, when you die from exhaustion and stress guess what will happen. Someone will be hired to fill your place.

Do you! At the end of the day, don't let people tell you who you should be. Do you. Live your life. Enjoy yourself. Enjoy who you are and who you've grown to be. Even enjoy what you've been through. Your life experiences are what make you who you are. Growing into a mature adult has taught me to spend more time pleasing myself rather than consuming myself with pleasing others. Yes, you can do nice things for people in your life and be considerate, but you also have to think about yourself sometimes.

When did you become so insignificant that you began to not matter? You are as important as you family, friends, husband, wife, kids, pets, boss. Just do you! No two people in this world are "exactly" alike, so be comfortable in your uniqueness. Don't worry about what people think of you. Who are they to judge? Do you!

Last but not least, ignore people and don't feel bad about it. To minimize confusion, stress, and irritation, I ignore people, friends, family, etc on a regular basis. You have to do that sometimes. When I say ignore, I mean literally tune out their conversations. I've found out over time that when you listen to all of everyone's words, stories, and issues it will overload your brain and take away from your own sanity. So, just ignore people...unless you're a therapist. It actually works quite well, unless someone asks you something about a previous conversation. In those cases, just nod your head and change the subject. In short, DO YOU!

LIVE SMART, LOVE LIFE, AND ENJOY EVERY MOMENT THAT IS GIVEN TO YOU!