It’s almost here. t-minus 4 days until I exit my twenties and enter a new decade. Although we are just now entering birthday week, I’ve already started celebrating (read here if you missed it).

And while I’m not quite 30 yet, I’ve been thinking a lot about what 30 looks like, what it means, and what it doesn’t. Hence the title of this post, which is going to be part 1 of 2  written pre and post turning the big 3-0.

So, while turning 30 is a milestone, here’s what it doesn’t mean (for me)…

1. That I have it all figured out.
2. That life is what I thought it would be.
3. That I’m finally a grown-up (ok, well maybe I am..but I sure don’t feel like it most days).
4. That I am old.
5. That I take myself too seriously (ok, I never have).
6. That I do what I think I’m “supposed” to do.
7. That I need other people to make me happy.
8. That I need to have all the answers.
9. That I believe in happy endings that don’t come from a lot of hard work, grit and determination.
10. That I’m scared to try so I sit on the sidelines.
11. That I need to do something just because other people are.
12. That “being cool” is the be-all, end-all (spoiler alert: I’ve never been that cool).
13. That I will invest my time and resources into people who are not worth my time.
14. That I need to apologize for who I am (this one is still a work in progress. In theory I  know this, but in practice, owning up to and believing it all the time not always easy).
15.  That I will bend over backwards to please everyone else at the expense of my own happiness and well-being.
16. That I search for my identity in other people and what they are doing.
17. That I view exercise as a punishment instead of a reward.
18. That I value my body for what it looks like, not what it can do.
19. That I will let myself get pressured into something even if I don’t think it’s what is best for me.
20. That I will let life’s disappointments get me down and stop me from trying again.
21. That I will stay in my comfort zone because it’s safe.
22. That I will let fear keep me from doing something really awesome.
23. That I will be afraid to make friends with someone just because they are different from me.
24. That I will believe that just because something isn’t what I expected, it’s not the best thing for me.
25. That I will shy away from hard work.
26. That I will feel trapped by my choices and remain stuck instead of making a change.
27. That I will believe I need to change in order to make people like me.
28. That I will be afraid to laugh at myself.
29. That I will let any other person have control over where my life is headed.

Some of these statements may seem a little bold, and I hope I don’t come across as arrogant, but I’m not going to apologize for any of them (see number 14). However old you are turning on your next birthday – own it! You do you. Celebrate the beautiful person that you are, and don’t let anyone get you down. That’s what I plan on doing this week, this year, and; quite frankly, for the rest of my life. Stay tuned next week to find out what turning 30 DOES mean. 🙂