13 Important Things To Let Go Of Before You Hit 30

1. Worrying about who is following you or not following you on social media (and any validation from social media in general).

Stop counting your likes, faves, RTs, whatever. Does it really matter if your latest selfie or pic of your daily latte didn’t get as many likes and comments as last week? Does it matter if you don’t have the same amount as followers as one of your colleagues? Not really. The less time you spend on social media and the less time you worry about adding up to other people the better you’ll feel about yourself and life in general, I promise.

2. Acting like it’s funny to still be a hot mess

Hey, no one is perfect and we’re all still figuring out this thing called life, but at this age even if you don’t have everything figured out you should still have some type of plan and idea on what you want to do with yourself. What does your future look like one year, three years, five years, ten years from now? Sit down and really think about these things. Having a drive to succeed and motivation in life is what attracts others, not being a disheveled, confused mess.

3. The idea you’re too old to do something.

It’s never too late for new beginnings – ever! If you want to go back to school or you want to pursue a career or hobby you’ve always been interested in but didn’t have the time, money, or opportunity you’re never too old to try or learn something new. Let go of the idea anything (especially age) can hold you back from achieving what you want to do in life. Whether it’s finally learning how to swim, taking an art class at the community college, or signing up for a recreational activity you’ve never done before, realize that it’s never too late to better yourself.

4. The on-again off-again almost relationship

You’ve never felt like you ever really had them. Your relationship, if you can call it that, has been inconsistent. It’s nothing you’ve ever been able to depend on. You keep convincing yourself they’ll come around when it’s the right time, when this or that happens, but you need to take a realistic look at this person and your connection with them, and decide if it’s worth sticking it out or letting them go.

5. Fast fashion.

It’s so tempting to buy cheap clothes from stores like Forever 21 but really, ya just gotta stop the impulse purchases and start thinking more about how you can invest in quality pieces. They’ll be more expensive but they will last so much longer.

6. Any and all resentments for past wrongs.

People fuck up, they make mistakes, they show their flaws and imperfections. It’s easy to cut people out and dismiss them because letting someone go is easier than working through the pain. Instead of holding on to grudges or resentments for something that happened in the past, accept the situation for what it is, understand there’s nothing you can do now to change it, and work towards moving forward. It’s your decision on if you want to keep this person in your life but if you decide they’re worthy of keeping then you have to stop punishing them for what they did wrong in the past and work towards figuring out how you two can understand each other better in the future.

7. Thinking you should ‘have it all’ by now.

How many times can we read articles with some inane headline like, “Can she really have it all?” What does that even mean? Having it all means what? Having the spouse, the kids, the career, the perfectly styled wardrobe? ‘Having it all’ means different things to different people and we all don’t hit the same milestones at the same time. Forget the idea turning 30 means hitting a wall and accept that whatever you want in life, you’ll get there, but like all things – it takes time.

8. Fad diets

Fad diets never work (for long). Stop believing hyped up health and exercise trends that come and go. It’s no secret that the key to maintaining your health is all about eating in moderation and regular exercise. Drink more water. Find exercise routines you actually enjoy. Research what various ingredients mean, pay attention to labels, and just become in tune with your body on when it feels the healthiest (and crappiest) and work towards keeping a healthy balance.

9. All the clothes you think you’ll wear one day (but won’t).

Go through your closet and grab anything you haven’t worn in 6 months (minus whatever you wear for special occasions). Stop telling yourself you’re going to wear that one shirt or dress you bought impulsively one day but haven’t ever found a reason to wear. Just get rid of the clutter and donate all your items to your local Goodwill or consignment shop. I mean, if anything, this just makes room for more clothes, right?

10. Anything you keep that used to belong to an ex.

Seriously, just toss it.

11. The people in your life that aren’t really there for you.

The friends you only see because you’re the one who always initiates the plans, the people that exist solely on social media these days, the old college friend that promises to get coffee but always flakes out. Some of these people can be hard to let go of because you like the idea of them. You romanticize the relationship and bond you two shared at one point without stopping to think about how little they’re in your life now. Let go of the idea these people still hold significant weight in your life and instead focus on the people and relationships that are actually relevant and present.

12. Your fear of failure

There’s never been a better time than right now to go for what you really want. Let go of the inner critic who wants to tell you why you can’t or shouldn’t do something, let go of the advice from naysayers who don’t believe you can do it. Have you ever noticed the people who are too afraid to follow their own dreams are usually the ones that will find a way to discourage you from following yours? Forget them. Stay realistic and stay focused but don’t pay too much attention to what they think- ‘they’ being your parents, your friends, anyone who doesn’t ‘get it.’ You will stumble, you will fall, and it will be heartbreaking but every moment will be a chance to grow and evolve.

13. Preoccupying yourself with screens and empty distractions.

Limit your screen time. Learn to turn your phone off. Realize every meal and every significant (and insignificant) moment doesn’t need to be documented on Instagram or some other app.When you live in the moment it’s amazing how much life gets better, more clearer, and you begin to feel more fulfilled with yourself and the people in it.