Obviously, I am all about making our thirties the best we can, hence, dedicating an entire blog to them. And Heidi has the right idea, which is why she has put together a list 30 ways to make our 30s the best we can with tips for Mind, Body, and Spirit for this week’s Love for 30 project.
If you are interested in guest posting for the Love for 30 Project, please email me for all the information! Get some new eyes on your blog or social media! [email protected]
My 29th birthday last July launched me into a new world – one of reflection, anticipation and most of all pressure.
Surely you’ve noticed the many lists popping up all over the web: 30 things travelers should do before they turn 30, or 25 things to do under 25. It all felt a bit daunting as I had my family young (or, fill in the blank with your own experience) and didn’t have the opportunity to climb Mount Kilimanjaro yet. I didn’t even realize I should have been preparing to climb Mount Kilimanjaro until I read the lists actually.
Here I am now, 11 months later with a new perspective and a disdain for said lists. My main issue with all of the hype surrounding the “30 things to do by 30” lists is simply that they are perpetuating the toxic belief that turning thirty is the end of fun. The end of health, happiness, freedom – the end of the best era of our lives.
But how can that be? I know a lot of thirty-somethings and they seem pretty content. More free even? Less worried about the small stuff. Definitely more comfortable in their own skin.
Instead of fearing 30 I’m happily embracing it and I invite you to join me! Below are thirty helpful ideas on how we can make our thirties our best decade yet.
We can make it a decade of nourishment for our minds, bodies and spirits.
1. Question your Beliefs -Wayne Dyer said it best when he said, “A belief system is nothing more than a thought you’ve thought over and over again.” We become so attached to a certain way of thinking we close ourselves off to the wonders of open-mindedness. Start with your strongest beliefs, they may be the most rooted in fear.
2. Listen to Talk Radio – If you don’t already, spend a little time each day tuning in to NPR in the US or CBC Radio 1 in Canada. Empower yourself by learning about interesting people and important situations you may not otherwise hear of.
3. Start getting regular therapeutic massages – Most of us sit with computers on our laps or in front of us, and spend just as much time looking down at our phones. We need to do ourselves a favor and prevent damage to our bodies now – a good therapeutic massage can help with this. I swear by them.
4. Eat Clean – I don’t have to tell you about the terrible food system; I know you’re conscious of it. But – make a commitment – eat mostly clean if you can. Whole, fresh foods. This decade is the best time to prevent disease by creating a healthy lifestyle right off the bat for ourselves and our families.
5. Start or Join a book club – Ask your friends and family if they know of one, and if you can’t find one to join, start one yourself. (And think outside the box. I just joined one on Instagram using a specific hashtag that we all follow. Love the medium!)
6. Become a better Listener – With the amount of distractions we have today, there is little time spent truly listening to others. It has become a lost art but one that has a multitude of benefits. Listening rather than letting your mind wander can help others increase their self-esteem, and bring you into the present moment.
7. Say Goodbye to Envy – Envy is a completely useless and toxic emotion. It creates negativity within us and wreaks havoc in every aspect of our lives if we let it creep up. Shut it down and say goodbye to it when it enters your life.
8. Keep Judgments at Bay – There are many reasons why judging others not only hurts them, but hurts us as well. Read more here about how (and why) you should try to stop judging others.
9. Get to know the Ocean – Nature has healing properties yes, and I’ve never met a problem that the ocean couldn’t help solve. This vast mass of water has an energy field that cleanses and heals. Make an effort to visit it as often as you can (which may be once every few years, but I assure you this will sustain you for some time.)
10. Get your Hands Dirty – Dr. Christiane Northrup once shared that when we grow our own food, the food carries within it the exact nutrients our bodies are most needing. So get your hands dirty and start planting some food. (Kale is one of the most popular veggies these days and so easy to grow!)
11. Act without Motive – When you choose to do something for someone else, NEVER expect anything in return. The same goes for work. It may seem unnatural when it comes to the work side – of course you want that raise, but don’t expect it.
12. Take walks without music – I love listening to music while I walk, but take a couple of days a week to just listen to silence. It’s an easy way to train your mind to quiet down if you are struggling with meditation or just beginning.
13. Read these books – These books are game-changers, trust me on this: The Power of Now and A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle, The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success by Deepak Chopra, and Beyond Religion: Ethics for a New World by His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
14. Be the Change – Don’t let the passion you feel for a certain cause or social issue go to waste, turn it into action. Start by researching what is lacking and what is needed and go from there. You don’t have to be a billionaire to change the world.
15. Watch the sunrise once a week – this is a simple act that can help to ground you and serves to remind that we are a a drop in a vast ocean.
16. Eat dinner outdoors regularly – Mealtime has become something we “get through” during our otherwise busy lives. Eating outside slows things down and allows us to experience some presence in our day.
17. Take a solo trip – Have you taken a trip alone? If not, be sure to make some time to do so. You learn a lot about yourself when you do.
18. Make a vision board of your dreams – Turn your dreams into something concrete with a vision board. It can help you to become more clear on what you really want. Let your spirit take the lead on this one and you will be pleasantly surprised with how it turns out.
19. Question Your Definition of Success – Success is a word that is over-used and over-valued in our society. What does success mean to you? Do you define success by money? Status? Happiness? Give this some thought.
20. Learn to Meditate – Or unlearn to think. It all starts with a candle.
21. Close Your Eyes & Leap – Take a chance on a business, or relationship. Step out of your comfort zone. This is where the magic happens.
22. Merge Passion with Business – Make decisions in your career to get you to your dream – each move a step closer. The most successful businesses stem from passion. This simple choice will help you live a life of true happiness.
23. Let your Intuition Guide You – If you can become more familiar with the quiet side of life, you will also tap into your intuition. Decisions flow much more easily when they come from this space.
24. Embrace your uniqueness – No matter where you are in your life, use this decade to love yourself fully and embrace every aspect of your uniqueness. Don’t hold your gifts back from the world. We NEED them.
25. Put Grudges to Rest – Let the life-long (thus far) grudges fall silently to the wayside. High school, college, first jobs – they are far behind now. The ability to forgive is an important element to overall well-being. Start your thirties with a clean slate.
26. Let Go Of Broken Friendships – The ones that are hanging on by a thread. Just let it go. We are constantly evolving and sometimes those old friendships have served their purpose and are holding us back from our own growth. Silently wish them the best them and move forward.
27. Make Time For Quality Friendships – On the other end of the spectrum, we can get so caught up in our busy lives we often neglect our wonderful friendships. Our time together is precious, and we never know how long we have with this person, so make time.
28. Contemplate Life – If you haven’t already, spend some time reading the great philosophers of our day. Mix in some modern spiritual gurus.
29. Face your fears – I wrote about facing the fear of death at length with some tips on how to address it here. This goes for all fears.
30. Don’t strive for balance – Balance is an old buzz word that I would like to see out of our vocabulary in its traditional sense. Rather than striving for balance, focus on the present task and give it your all. Life is messy, embrace it.
Well, I’m thirty….(sqeaks) two. Yeah, 32 and I got a healthy dose of list-envy a few years back too. This one is by far one of the best. It’s now what you’ve accomplished, it’s who you want to become. Fabulous list, thank you!
Thank you Lauren! So glad you liked the list!! xo
Great tips! Thank you Heidi!