10 Reasons Why Your 30s Are Better Than Your 20s

TODAY IS MY BIRTHDAY!! And despite being another year closer to my mid-thirties, I'm feeling rather good about my advancing age. In fact, I'm currently attaching such little significance to these digits that I even had to ask my husband to remind me what age I would be turning this year.

 
OK, I'm sure this is partly due to my brain cells rapidly depleting due to continual sleep deprivation, but I mainly put it down to being entirely content with who I am and what I stand for at this point in my life. There's no need to count towards any huge life milestones any more; I think I've finally reached them.

Yup, looking back on the last couple of years, I can happily say that so far my fourth decade of life has surpassed my third in every way possible. So, before I take a deep dive into a summer's worth of food and travel posts, here are 10 reasons why I think your 30s are soo much more fun, fulfilling and favourable than your 20s.

1. Remember those hours you used to spend in front of the mirror worrying about they way you look? What a waste of time that was! Nowadays, you're more confident about rocking YOU - wobbly bum, knobbly knees, warts and all - and you're more comfortable about giving the proverbial middle finger to anyone who has a problem with that too.

2. All FOMO has gone out the window. Yes, we see your twenty-something lifestyle involving frenetic holidays and Friday nights out on the lash. No, we don't have any desire to join you. Been there, done that. Our new, quilted pyjamas from M&S, Ugg slippers and a night in with tea and Ozark is looking far more appealing, thanks. YOLO.

3. All this inner confidence about how we look and how we're spending our time slowly begins to give us that unicorn feeling of self-worth that we've never, nope, not in our thirty years on earth, experienced before. It's not about trying to be someone you're not any more to create a life that fits in with some unquantifiable, unjustifiable, unrealistic standard. Life is now about embracing your uniqueness, and celebrating it.

4. Speaking of self-worth, any 'friends' that don't help to boost it can say goodbye at this point. It dawns on you that it's not the number of people you have in your life that counts, but the number of people that count.

5. You are ready to embrace family life, whether that is becoming a parent, or being a better daughter, son or sibling. Your parents annoy and embarrass you a little less, and instead you start to realise the amazing job they did and all of the sacrifices they made. Your children are the apple of your eye and you now know that there is nothing more fulfilling than bringing another human into the world. It isn't just about you any more.

6. You become a better partner too. Remember those stupid bickers you used to have back in the day because your other half was half an hour late home or forgot to buy milk at the supermarket or because you were feeling a little jealous about some stupid correspondence with another woman (OK, just me then!). All of that is a thing of the past. Empowered and happy people make strong and happy partnerships.

7. You have a group of friends that you feel completely comfortable with, can share anything with and would do anything for. After all, you've been through decades of shiz together, and you've learned to work out who has your back through it all (see point 4). With friends like these, you don't need to worry about whether they are judging you, and can relax into the fact that you're all a bunch of nutters, who love each other to the moon and back no matter what goes on in each of your respective crazy lives.

8. You know how to pour yourself just one glass of wine and then stop. OK, maybe two. But only two...No more than three.

9. You 'do life' a little better. Better quality clothes that last longer instead of ones which look good but fall apart after the first wash. Better holidays that are about quality food, sights and time spent with family, rather than just what will look good on your Insta feed (but bonus if it does that too, amiright?!). Better food, at better restaurants. A few extra $$ in the bank helps, but so does being selective and tasteful.

10. You've finally discovered what makes you 'you'. Some say that life's a continual journey of self-discovery, but I actually think that if you don't know who you are by the time you reach your mid-thirties, you never will. Instead of trying different things on for size, you should now know your likes and dislikes, your pet hates and your deepest desires. And this makes for a very happy life indeed.



There must be more...come on 30 somethings, what have I missed?!