I just turned 30, and what better way to mark the milestone than by running off to Bangkok with my two lifelong best friends? Five days, countless Pad Thais, and several questionable spa treatments later, I had what can only be described as a 30th-birthday epiphany. Between midnight tuk-tuk rides and laugh-until-you-cry conversations about how we’re officially out of the “young” category, I realized a few life lessons—some surprisingly deep, others hilariously shallow.
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Ah, turning 30. The age when you’ve been around long enough to start feeling like you should probably have your life together by now but also aren’t quite ready to actually have it together. I mean, I tried in my twenties, I really did. But now that I’m entering my third decade, I’m suddenly aware that I actually know absolutely nothing, but I’ve become okay with it. Here are some of my tried-and-tested life lessons:
1. Finally Feeling Comfortable in Your Own Skin
From all the life lessons, this one is very important. You spend all of your teens and twenties worrying about every inch of yourself. But now? My skin may have a mind of its own, but at least it’s a familiar one. I’ve got laugh lines, pigmentation and, yes, I still cringe when I think about how much of my youth I wasted comparing myself to Instagram filters. Thirty-year-old me says, “Screw it.” These laugh lines mean I’ve laughed a lot, and that’s something I’m weirdly proud of now. Embrace the skin you’re in, because surgery is expensive.
2. The Power of Saying ‘No’
When you’re 20, you think “no” will make you unpopular. By 30, you realize it’s the magic word that’ll save your sanity. “Want to go to Zuma for dinner on a Tuesday night?” No. “Want to go to a pilates class at 6:00 am on a weekend at Alserkal Avenue ?” Hard no. In fact, I’d love to say no to everyone and everything some days. Saying “no” is like a superpower that, when wielded correctly, frees you from obligations you never wanted to agree to in the first place. Try it. Liberate yourself.
3. Learning to Love Your Flaws
Let’s get one thing straight: the word “flaws” is problematic. By now, I’ve just learned that I am, in fact, a compilation of bizarre idiosyncrasies and highly specific food aversions, and I am rolling with it. I’ve got quirks, not flaws. Like, yeah, I can’t function without coffee, I lose my keys at least twice a day, and I have to wear SPF 50 in the shade. But hey, these things make me unique. Or at least that’s what I’m telling myself.
4. Learning Not to Take Yourself So Seriously
Ever had a mortifying moment that kept you up for days? By 30, you’ve realized nobody else remembers it, and if they do, you’re simply giving them free entertainment. I spent a lot of my twenties trying to “brand” myself or “build a personal legacy.” Now I’m just trying to make it through the day without embarrassing myself in front of my coworkers.
5. Taking Chances (Even if They’re Small and Kind of Terrifying)
Thirty has taught me that taking chances doesn’t mean cliff diving or quitting your job to backpack through Iceland (though go for it if you’re into that). Sometimes taking a chance means, like, talking to someone new at a party or trying an oat milk latte even though it sounds strange. I’m learning that taking risks doesn’t mean being reckless; it’s just being open to the weirdness life throws at you.
6. Picking Up Hobbies That Don’t Earn Money
Somewhere in your twenties, “hustle culture” convinces you that all your hobbies need to have a profit margin. So, knitting becomes “knitting with an Etsy side business,” and baking turns into “artisanal cupcake catering.” But at 30, I’ve finally given myself permission to be bad at things and not even care. Knitting, baking, poorly playing padel— all just for me. My hobbies aren’t monetizable, and that’s exactly what makes them mine.
7. Learning to Take Care of Your Health (Skin and Gut, Mainly)
There comes a time in every adult’s life when they realize pizza and ice cream at 2 a.m. are no longer “just food” but rather “the regrettable decision that will haunt you for the next three days.” Enter the world of probiotics, SPF, and collagen powder that makes you question all your life choices. Turns out, gut health isn’t just a fad—it’s a full-time job. And skin? Oh, now I’m spending more on serums than I ever did on concert tickets, and you know what? I don’t even care anymore. Skin-care routines have become the new version of partying till dawn, and I don’t hate it.
8. Valuing Friendships That Invest in You
My early twenties were spent in one long, unfulfilling friendship marathon, where I thought it was my duty to keep up with every person I’d ever shared a textbook with. At 30, I’m prioritizing friendships like a triage nurse. The friendships that grow with you, cheer for you, and don’t disappear when you’re having a bad day? Those are keepers. Anyone else? If we’re still ghosting each other in group chats, that’s a sign it’s time to move on.
9. Taking Yourself on Dates
Turns out, alone time isn’t a punishment. In fact, a coffee date with yourself (even if it includes reading restaurant reviews and eating alone) is something to look forward to. At 30, I’ve embraced the joy of flying solo. It’s taken me a while, but I can finally go out, sit by myself, and not worry that people are judging me. In fact, they probably envy my solo zen.
10. Learning That ‘Success’ Isn’t a Checklist
Ah, success—the looming, unattainable prize. Turns out, 30 taught me it’s not about the checklist of achievements society expects (career, house, car, family, etc.). It’s more like learning to exist happily without needing to “arrive” anywhere. Real success? Knowing you’re not perfect, not taking yourself too seriously, and still being okay with the whole thing. The days of obsessively comparing myself to every successful person on social media are (almost) over.
Being 30 means I’ve made peace with my quirks, learned to say “no,” and finally accepted that I don’t have all the answers. So, if you’re turning 30 soon (or if you’re already here), don’t stress and learn from these life lessons. Embrace the imperfections, laugh at your mistakes, and don’t forget the probiotics.
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