Thirty things I learned in my thirties

 Realizations are a fun thing as you age. Here are some I learned from 2004-2014, otherwise known as my thirties:

1. Travel while you can. Make that your excuse to visit friends in other states. Learn to love learning through travel. 
2. Staycations are also a cheap way to explore what's around you. I tried that during the summer of 2012 and am glad I did. 
3. Don't be ashamed when you utter the words, "I can't afford it." There is no shame in knowing your financial limits! Trust me. 
4. There is nothing shameful with having to live with your family for a bit to save up money. Nothing at all!
5. Prepare financially for your future. Start that 401K, which you can roll over into an IRA if you get laid off. (Trust me, I know these things...) Save up. 
6. Hobbies are awesome. Especially if you can try to make money off them also. Try is the key word here....
7. If you get depressed, therapists will also have you go back to those hobbies to help you get up from the depression. So keep your hobby stuff around, even if you're tempted to toss it some time. 
8. You need the Lord. Always. Forever. Don't ever think you don't. 
9. The Lord will bless you when you allow Him consistently in your life. Funny how that works.... 
10. Family is a funny thing. A really, really funny thing. They can be a blessing sometimes, pushing you to be your best but also not the healthiest people to have around you sometimes-unfortunately. 
11. Family can also suck on occasion with their ignorance. Family isn't all they're cracked up to be sometimes. 
12. Traditions are a wonderful thing to keep in your life- as long as they are positive. 
13. People die. Sad but true. Funerals happen-and will only keep getting worse as you age. 
14. Don't worry about when you get married. That realization only came to me in my late 30s. Granted, I'd like my eggs to not dry up before I get married, but I've also seen too many marriages of get married just to get married. Those people are now getting divorced. 
15. I'd also like to have children. From what I hear though, they're kind of expensive, so I'll work on getting married first and having some back up (financially and in other ways) before embarking down that road!
16. People can be toxic, so choose your friends carefully. I also only unfortunately learned this one in my late 30s. I think we pick friends for a reason though. Maybe we ourselves are going through a toxic season if we choose toxic friends? 
17. Life sometimes amazingly sucks. You can't fix it. It is what it is. You just have to get through it. 
18. Jump. Jump. Even if Daddy Mack don't make ya. Sometimes you have to do what you have to do. 
19. Don't be afraid to talk sometimes. I seriously believe my lack of a filter has been my saving grace from going insane. Of course, have discretion about who you tell stuff to...
20. Decent health insurance is worth its weight in gold....
21. I have an aunt who said once, "I will scrub floors before I get rid of my PPO insurance." Sometimes you don't have that option with a group policy, but I understood her sentiments and kind of felt the same way. I switched to an HMO last year and have been pretty happy with it though. Don't be so prideful and not open to change that you aren't willing to accept that it could be better than what you currently have. 
22. A budget is also worth its weight in gold... 
23. Don't be prideful about cutting costs. When I think back to before the economy tanking in 2007 and what I wasted my money on, it's amazing. 
24. It's good to live alone for a little while. 
25. It's also good to get advice from acquaintances about dating-including trying free sites. That way, you know what you want in a mate when you can finally afford to pay for the decent sites. :p 
26. It's also good to have decent friends. I can't stress that enough. Family sometimes isn't the be all to end all. 
27. Be open to listen to others. 
28. It's also good to be gainfully employed. Try to not lose sight of that one. 
29. It's okay to switch jobs and even careers, but please stay gainfully employed. 
30. Please enjoy your thirties-no matter what. You only get one turn around the sun and one chance at this decade in life.