12 Life Lessons You Learn In Your 30s

Getting older is a bittersweet process that comes with plenty of trial and error as you try to find your way in the adult world. It isn’t always easy, but through your ups and downs, you learn some pretty important lessons that will help you along the way.

1. When it comes to friends, it really is about quality over quantity. As a teenager, having a ton of friends was important to you, regardless of the value they added to your life. Now you’ve realized narrowing down your group of friends means having a handful of amazing people you can count on, and not just a bunch of acquaintances who only sometimes care.
2. Hangovers are too real. The older you get, the more you pay the price for your booze-fueled actions the night before. Headaches and a morning recovering in bed are a total reality now because you just can’t do alcohol the way you could at 19.
3. Life doesn’t owe you anything. If you want to get somewhere in life, no one else will do it for you, and you’re not entitled to any of it. The importance of hustling becomes really apparent and whether you like it or not, you have to put in the effort.
4. You can’t party two nights in a row. Staying up until the sun came out used to be a breeze, but now you can barely party past midnight. When you do manage to pull off a wild night out, the next night is dedicated Netflix, pajamas, and full blown recovery.
5. You may never have it all figured out. You’re officially a real adult, and yet you still don’t know what you want to do with your life in any grand sense. Not only do you realize that, but you also realize you’re not alone. Most other adults have no idea either, and we’re all seemingly in life’s maze together.
6. You can’t please everyone. No matter how hard you try, there will always be someone who isn’t impressed. When you realize that there are some people who just like to be negative and there’s nothing you can do to change it is a liberating moment.
7. Relationships aren’t all a bed of roses. Now that you’ve reached adulthood, you’ve probably had you’re heart broken once or twice. It’s made you realize that you need to be cautious because some guys really are losers. You’ve also probably met some good ones, as well, and realized that even though some are, they’re not all bad.
8. Loving yourself is key. You’ve spent enough time questioning who you are and dealing with insecurities. Now that you’re getting older, you’re also getting comfortable with the idea of loving yourself. It’s such an important part of growing up and will help you succeed in so many ways.
9. People come and go from your life, and that’s OK. Not everyone who enters your life is meant to stay there, and that’s fine. Some people are meant to teach you lessons, good and bad, and will only be around for a short period of time. Ultimately, anyone who’s meant to be in your life for the long haul will be.
10. You really had it good as a kid. Being an adult means going to work, doing laundry, paying bills, cleaning, feeding yourself, and being somewhat responsible. All those years you spent wishing you could be a grown up, and now that you’re here, you probably wish you could go back to the more simple days of childhood.
11. It really doesn’t matter what other people think. The younger version of you probably cared a whole lot more what other people thought. Now? Well, most likely you don’t give a damn because you’re comfortable doing you, and you know whoever doesn’t like it isn’t worth you’re time.
12. You have to cut yourself some slack sometimes. Accepting the mistakes you’ve made and realizing they don’t have to limit you in the future is crucial. Your 20s are a huge transition, and there isn’t a single person who goes through it without some bumps along the way. Be gentle with yourself because you’ve never done this adult thing before, and you’re probably doing better than you think.