30 Things I’ve Learned In 30 Years

Nope, it is not my birthday, but I just realized that I am 30 years old now going on 31 LOL! One thing I do know is that I have grown so much since my early twenties. The start of my 30th year of life was life-changing. Change and growth are good so don’t ever let anyone tell you it’s not. Here is what I have learned about myself in 30 years.

1. I am not perfect. I am far from perfect. But, I realize that I have grown so much in just the last few years, and I am happy with the woman I am becoming.
2. You can make new friends as an adult. Friendships are seasonal, and that is ok. To be honest, I lost a few friends in my late twenties, and while I am sad that we could no longer continue our friendship, I am glad to see them doing well. I have made new friends in the last few years. I thought as an adult there was no way that I could make genuine friendships, but I was wrong.
3. Learn to prioritize your relationships. Everyone will not be there for you plain and simple. Some family members are simply “relatives.”
4. Follow your passion. Life is way too short to spend it doing something you hate. When you do what you love the possibilities are endless. Believe in Yourself!
5. Credit is important. I have always had good credit, but I realized even more how important it is to keep up your credit. Every major purchase requires good credit so get that in order!
6. Self-Care is imperative. Growing up I never learned about the importance of self-care, I have learned that it is essential for my mental health as well as my physical health. Take time for yourself there is only one you.
7. Never stop learning. You can learn something new every day, even if it’s just taking a simple coding class or learning to sew. Learn something new!
8. Invest in yourself. PERIOD. Invest in your dreams.
9. Networking is the major key! I have gotten so many opportunities just by simply networking with people. You never know who knows who and how you can potentially collaborate or work with someone.
10. Making mistakes is ok. At my last job, I beat myself up over making small mistakes. My boss made me feel stupid for making mistakes. I learned that I am human and I make mistakes. I have learned to grow from them.
11. Positive is better than negative. My life has totally changed since I changed my mindset. Being positive has had such a great impact on my life. Just opening up your mind to the endless potential of believing in yourself and just having faith that it will all work out no matter what struggles you may be facing.
12. Share your testimony. I learned that my testimony is not for me. I need to share my story to help someone else.
13. Networking is key! Your next opportunity could be waiting in the most random place.
14. Being a mom is amazing. I never knew that I could love someone as much as I love my daughter. She is truly a blessing.
15. Don’t waste your time on people who don’t matter. Some people just don’t care about you at all. Please don’t waste your time on them.
16. Don’t Compare. I know it’s super hard because of Instagram and other social media outlets, but it’s important to live your life. Stop worrying about what everyone else is doing.
17. Positive Energy over anything. I will not allow myself to be negative nor be around people with negative energy. Ever since I let the negativity go in my life, I have felt so much better.
18. Quality over quantity. I would rather have quality anything in my life over quantity.
19. Wine is good. There is nothing like a good glass of wine.
20. Everything won’t always go as planned. Plain and simple.
21. Set Goals. Write down your goals and make moves to reach them.
22. Share your story. I never thought that this blog would help so many people, just by sharing my story with others.
23. Pay It Forward. Giving back is so necessary, but it’s also the best form of gratitude.
24. Don’t Compete, Collaborate. There is no need to compete with women, collaborate with them. It’s super dope to collaborate.
25. Don’t Care about what others think of you. I stopped caring a long time ago. Say what you want, I am who I am. Why are you worried?
26. Be Nice. You never know what the next person is going through. Be nice to others.
27. Be Present. Put your phone away when you are having dinner with family and friends. Engage in conversation, ask questions, tell stories, and create memories be THERE. Your phone will always be there.
28. It is ok to say no. 
29. But say YES to a lot of things, things that scare you!
30. LIVE YOUR LIFE! You only have one!

Xo Michelle