11 Life Lessons From An Almost 30-Something

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1. Start saving money as soon as you start making it. Stop reading this and open up a Roth IRA right now. Contribute whatever you can on a weekly basis. Or put a reminder in your phone to take some cash out of the ATM every Friday and keep it in your sock drawer. Do something. Save something.

2. Your parents won’t always know what’s best for you. And that’s okay. I call my Mom every single morning on my way to work and my Dad on the way home. At 29, I still run most of my big life choices by them, but I don’t always agree with their point of view. It’s okay to make decisions for yourself.

3. People change their minds about love. I’ve had two men tell me they’d love me forever, that I was “it” for them. In that moment, I believe they meant it. They weren’t lying, but later had a change of heart. Accepting there’s nothing you can do about that makes it easier to move on.

4. Don’t wear makeup every day. It’s okay to look like you. Let your skin breathe and be proud of those laugh lines.

5. Don’t buy designer bags. Buy plane tickets instead. One of my biggest regrets of the past ten years is not traveling. If you’re thinking about spending some major cash on clothing or accessories, research where you could travel to with that money first. You’ll probably change your mind about that bag.

6. Celebrate your accomplishments. Even the tiniest ones. You have to celebrate who you are as a person, and that means giving yourself a high-five when you do something awesome. Also, celebrate your friends’ accomplishments. Pick up the phone, send a text, or pop a card in the mail. Yes, sending actual mail, stamp and all, is still a thing.

7. Wait 24 hours before sending angry emails. Draft the e-mail and send it to yourself first. If you feel the same way tomorrow, send it on.

8. Workout 3x a week. Minimum. I’ve gained weight. I’ve lost weight. I’ve gained weight again. Once you stop working out it’s really hard to get back into a routine. If someone had told me how hard it would be to lose 10lbs in my late twenties, I would have dragged myself to the gym in college at least three days a week, hangover and all. Also, exercise makes you feel awesome!

9. Don’t stalk your exes on social media. It’s painful and a total waste of time. I’ve been clean for a year now. It makes a difference.

10. If it’s painful, stop doing it. See number 9.But this applies to everything in life.

11. You’ll find yourself doing something you once judged someone else for. It’s going to happen. And you’re going to feel like an asshole when it does. Laugh it off. We’ve all been there.

Bonus Lessons:

  1. Shattering your iPhone® into 1,000 tiny pieces because of a man is expensive and ineffective.
  2. Always get the AppleCare®.
  3. If you’re drunk at 2 a.m. and a man making you a chicken gyro asks you for your phone number, give him a fake one.
  4. Never sign an apartment lease after a drunken brunch.
  5. It should never be snowing INSIDE your apartment.

iPhone® and AppleCare® are registered trademarks of Apple Inc.