8 Things Every Woman Learns In Her Late Twenties

When you hit your late twenties, everyone is keen to tell you that thirty is just around the corner.

I always thought that when I reached thirty I’d have it all together. Like Jenna in 13 going on 30, I thought that I’d be thirty, flirty, and thriving. Smashing it in my career, paying off a mortgage and owning it.

I’m three years away from thirty and I am proud to say I’m building that life for myself, but it isn’t just a twinkling montage where you wake up approaching thirty and with all your ducks in a row. It’s about graft. Hard work and missed moments and dedication.

Whether you’re in your early twenties, late twenties, or beyond, you’ll recognize some of these lessons. I’ve learned them and I’m still learning every day. Be sure to leave me a comment and let me know if you have anything else to add!

O N E 

Life isn’t waiting for your ‘gift’

Life isn’t waiting for what you have, you have to go out there and show it. Show it what you’re made of. Finish that novel and send it to every agent you can. Go and sing on the stage if that’s your talent. Pursue your passion relentlessly, because nobody’s going to help you dedicate yourself to it.

Remember, life is tough and so are you!

T W O 

Trust your gut 

If something doesn’t feel right to you, don’t do it. As you get older, you learn to trust your gut and your instincts more. You have enough experience to be able to trust in yourself and do what feels right to you always.

T H R E E 

Invest in yourself 

The best thing to invest in is yourself. Investing in yourself means reading a book that you want to read, working out, eating well and doing what’s best for you. In the future, you will thank yourself for investing so heavily in the one asset that should appreciate with age – your health and wellbeing. Using a journal that’s specifically designed to help you be the best version of yourself that you can be is the best way to stay on top of that.

F O U R 

Be the person who makes an effort

It’s easy to let friendships slip away as you get older. You’re so busy that keeping up with everyone is hard. Seeing your friends going out without you stings, but it happens when you’re busy. Instead of getting caught up in the negatives, be the person who makes an effort to keep your friends together.

F I V E 

Comparison gets you nowhere 

It’s easy to compare yourself to what you see on social media in this day and age, but as you get older you start to realize that comparison gets you nowhere. You are unique, stop trying to slot yourself into other people’s lives and instead live yours.

S I X 

Just have fun 

Life moves pretty fast, you’ll realize that as you approach thirty because it’ll only seem like yesterday when you were sixteen. The most important part is that you just have as much fun as you can, while you can. Make everything enjoyable, from your commute to your workout and you’ll feel positive.

S E V E N 

Be thankful 

Don’t lose sight of what you have, instead be thankful for what brought you to where you are. Practice gratitude as often as you can (daily to feel the full benefits of the habit), think about all the circumstances that led you to become who you are today, all the people in your life to thank, and all the things that have happened that have made your life better.

E I G H T 

Nobody is telling you who you can be 

Once you realize that nobody is telling you who to be or how to live, the world will open up for you. There are no rules on what you can do. You can be an operatic singer that trains dogs, you can start your own business selling pom poms. As long as you do what you want and are willing to dedicate yourself to it to make it work – you’ll be fine.