Because I’m not wise enough to have learned 30 things.

1. Health is much, much more than a physical state of being. We’re taught to focus on our physical health to “stay/get healthy.” You know what I mean – drink this (and not that), eat this not that, move move move, and now almond milk is bad for you?! What I’ve learned over the past five years, though, is that optimized physical health can’t be achieved without equally prioritizing mental and spiritual health, too. “Health” means so many things to me now. It’s about how much sleep I’m getting. It’s about seeking help to improve my mental health. It’s about responding to where my hormones are at during different times of the month. It’s about fellowship and full belly laughs with loved ones. It’s about doing a long run one day and then sitting on the couch the next. It’s about calling a friend (or my mom) for encouragement. For me, it’s also about praying and keeping up with my morning devotional. Health is HARD work! And on any given day, I’m really only “achieving” probably half of what health means to me. But you know what? That’s ok. Every day that we make one choice prioritizing health is a day worth celebrating. With cake, perhaps.
2. There is nothing more important than high-quality, affirming friendship and sisterhood. This doesn’t need any explanation. I’m so thankful for my gal pals. ♥️
3. And perhaps the only more important thing than friendship is family. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to appreciate my family more than ever. I also realize that not everyone has the relationship with their family that I do, and what an incredible blessing that is. I do not take that for granted.
4. One can be both “basic” and substantive. There has to be a better term to describe basic people than “basic.” You know, the ones who order a venti pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks and wear leggings as pants and shop at Trader Joe’s. Listen – if that’s what “basic” is, I am basic AF and proud of it!!! You will absolutely catch me shopping the Nordstrom sale and posting my recipes on Instagram. “Basic” doesn’t mean boring, ethereal, or lacking substance. I might be basic, but I am also a heck of a lot more than that.
5. There is perhaps nothing more valuable than knowing, trusting, and loving yourself. Every day I’m learning more about myself and trying to intentionally appreciate and accept who I am, while also working to be just a teensy bit better than I was yesterday. I don’t think this is something we can ever check off the list – it’s a lifelong journey with many twists and turns along the way.
6. “Don’t half-ass two things. Whole-ass one thing.” I really just put this quote on the list because I aspire to be more like Ron Swanson from Parks and Recreation. Regardless, I’m just now starting to learn the value in prioritizing. As a solid enneagram 3 wing 2, I have always been the gal to take on all the things. As the years go by, I’m starting to see where the trouble in that lies. Check back in with me at 31 to see how well I’m prioritizing things 😅
7. Contrary to #5, though, it’s totally ok not not have all your priorities straight. I certainly don’t!!! Someone let a gal know what it feels like to say “no.” I’m 1000% still working on that.
8. Cooking is the best AND the worst. I recently saw a meme that said something like, “wow. This is a lot of nights in a row to have to make dinner.” And I felt that deep in my soul. Cooking is absolutely therapeutic for me, and I love the focus it requires and the sensory experience of enjoying the fruits of my labor. But dang, every night?! I did not know this was what I was signing up for in adulthood.
9. While understanding your own personal values is incredibly important, spending time and building relationships with folks who hold (sometimes very) different perspective is equally as edifying. Anyone who knows me knows how stubborn I am and how tightly I hold my views on things like politics and religion. And while I certainly believe there are some values differences which cannot and should not be overlooked, I also believe in learning other folks’ stories and trying to see things from their perspective – even when I disagree. Understanding what leads people to their views expands our minds – and helps us realize we often have more in common than we think.
10. The gift of travel is unmatched. Jake and I want to experience as many new places as we can because it broadens our perspective, exposes us to new things, helps us connect with people, and helps us reconnect with ourselves. We aim for one international trip, several trips back home to North Carolina, at least one new-to-us Colorado town, and a couple other US trips each year.
11. There is no “right” order or way to live your life. While I definitely hit the jackpot by meeting Jake so long ago and I recognize that privilege, we aren’t following the societally understood “trajectory” of life decisions. At this point in our lives, we’d much rather spend our time and money on traveling, home projects, and experiences than on expanding our family. I used to feel uncomfortable sharing that when people asked, but I’m finally starting to believe myself that it’s ok to do things differently. Whatever place you are in your life, your timing is perfect.
12. Productivity can look like crushing your to-do list AND it can look like resting or doing absolutely nothing at all. As an enneagram 3, it’s really hard for me to disassociate my self-worth with getting things done. I’m trying to challenge myself to think of productivity differently in my 30s and build rest and relaxation into my routine – not as a reward for checking things off, but as a required part of life.
13. Your career isn’t absolutely everything (unless you want it to be). I’m having a really hard time with this, personally, because I have conflated my career goals with my identity since setting foot on campus my freshman year of college. I’m still deciding how central I want my career to be in my life. Increasingly, and especially since living in Colorado, I’m discovering other passions that have nothing to do with my day job and that’s ok.
14. It would be REALLY nice to win the lottery. Jake and I joke that if we won the lottery we’d spend 33.33%, save 33.33%, and donate 33.33%. We disagree strongly on what we’d spend that 33% on 😆 As I sit here on my old IKEA couch and look around at all the unfinished projects and dreams I have for our home, I’m thinking I could easily spend all 33% in my living room.
15. Making a budget is actually really helpful. We just use a Google Sheet, but it works.
16. Other people aren’t looking at you. High school Paige would be so proud of 30-year-old Paige for this one. Wear the outfit. Eat out alone. Post the photo. Be the tourist. Do what you want without fear of what others might think – because chances are, everyone else is too worried about how they look to be looking at you.
17. Keeping a gratitude journal is a small habit with a big impact. I’ve been keeping one for years (thanks to my bestie Kelli who shared the amazing Four Things Gratitude Journal with me) and it is absolutely the best way to end (or start!) the day.
18. Every single day is a blessing. A friend recently shared that she’s reading a book called 4,000 Weeks. I asked what’s up with the title, and she said that’s how many weeks of life the average person gets. That nearly knocked me over. 4,000 weeks? That’s IT?! It feels inconceivable. And so many weeks just fly by and you can barely remember what you experienced or who you spent time with or how you felt. I want to live every single week with purpose, gratitude, and intention. After all, who knows how many we have left ♥️