I hit my 4th decade back in mid-December, and I’ll be honest, I thought I’d feel differently about turning 30 than I do.
Everyone says it’s a milestone birthday, a turning corner to official adulthood. Women start buying wrinkle cream and hitting the gym feverishly, men start doubting their success and their career path, and everyone just wonders how the heck they flew through their 20s so fast.
But I felt none of that. I wasn’t dreading the day I turned 30. I wasn’t worried about looking older or feeling like I had wasted time.
And you know why? Because I had used my 20s to build a life I love. I had done the work, and I can’t tell you how happy I am with where I am now. Was the journey always fun? No. Is everything perfect now? No. But I truly feel like I found a great balance between fun and responsibility in my 20s, and now, it’s laid a good enough foundation for me to do the same in my 30s. But on a bigger and better scale.
I’ve listed below the top 20 things I did in my 20s set me up for success in my 30s. If you’re interested in feeling that same sense of satisfaction and passion that I did, think about crossing some of these off your list before you say adios to 29. Or better yet, check off all 20.
SEE ALSO: I could afford to pay down my mortgage faster — here's why I won't
1. Learn to say no
While we’d all love to volunteer every Monday & Wednesday, host your niece’s birthday party, and take on that extra project at work (that you SERIOUSLY don’t have time for), it’s sometimes not physically feasible. You will be pulled in 7,000 directions the older you get, and if you haven’t mastered the art of saying “No” by the time you graduated school, you best be learning it now.
2. Create a budget
I say it a lot because it’s important. A budget will help you spend within your means and allow you to hit those big financial goals like buying a house or traveling to Bali for two weeks. Without it, you have nothing to track your progress or hold you accountable, which is always a recipe for failure. If you’re in need of a budget template, you can find one here.
[RELATED: Budgeting for Beginners: A Step-by-Step Guide on How to Find More Money]
3. Find your priorities
I had to learn early on that I couldn’t do it all. I wanted to have the immaculate house, the perfectly-toned body, the amazing career, and the culinary skills of Gordon Ramsey. But once I started pouring more time into my blog, I realized something had to give.
So my house is a little messier and I sometimes eat chicken nuggets for dinner, but I’m ok with that. Spending time with my friends and family and focusing on my career and this blog are more important to me than a clean floor. And you need to find what is most important to you, too.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider