30 Little Life Secrets Learned By 30

James Bond - 30th Celebration 

Last December, I turned 30.

30 is a big milestone. For most people, it marks the transition from a period of life exploration in the 20s to a time where you start to feel more settled in your career and life path.

Here are 30 mantras, I learned from throughout my life. Some of these may be cliches, others are little perils that I have discovered.

30) Dance like no one is watching. You may not have the moves of MJ or Julianne Hough, but who cares? Dance and enjoy it! It's free and allows yourself to snap out of your regular routine and appearance.


29) Take calculated risks. It can be said that if you don't take risks, you don't reap a reward. This thought process may encourage you to take extreme risks in order to maximize your return. However, it may also lead to a reckless course. Taking calculated risks can allow to reap reward, while limiting your downside. For example, you may apply for jobs or start a company while you are currently working, instead of quitting everything and jumping straight at it. Or you may do your due diligence and research the financials of a stock, before just buying it on a hunch or strictly with a friend's recommendation.


28) Learn from Failure. Reflect on success. It's okay to try something and fail. Failures push us forward and build upon our live experiences. They help teach us that not everything will be perfect or always go the course. When you do have a success, enjoy your victory and learn how to reflect these successes into other endeavors.

27) Take a Workcation. It can be easy to follow into a routine of commute, work, commute, and repeat. Break this cycle every once in a while! Try visiting a local park or beach before or after work. Even if it's only for 10-15 minutes, the time to yourself or with friends in nature will go a long way.


26) Call instead of text. It's easier to send a text instead of call. However sometimes the context and personal connection of a text can be lost. Phone calls take a little more effort, but connecting over over a call allows conversations to naturally grow and provides deeper connection with friends and family.  


25) Try something new. It's easier and more comfortable to build upon our prior experiences and hobbies. However, when we try new experiences, it helps broaden our horizons and life understanding. Trying something new may mean taking a different route home from work, exploring a new restaurant or taking a community class in an unknown field. No matter the new element, the experience helps us develop and grow. 



24) Take vitamins. As our food becomes more and more mass processed, essential vitamins and nutrients are often lost. Taking vitamins and probiotics will help you stay healthy and feel better.



23) Send Handwritten Cards. Cards make people feel special as it shows the thought and effort you spent to reach out. Try sending 2-3 cards a week and see how it impacts your friendships. The cards don't necessarily have to be thank you or birthday cards, they may just be thinking of you cards or recognizing an accomplishment in someone's life.


22) Learn. Maybe it's time to learn more about a new topic or refresh your knowledge on a past subject matter. The mind is a muscle and the more we use it, the stronger it gets. From reading new books to trying online experiences, such as Kahn Acadamy or listening to a podcast; there are plenty of interactive and engaging learning elements that can enhance our life knowledge.


21) Travel. The more we experience, the more we grow. Travel opens our eyes to new cultures and helps us appreciate various aspects of our lives. 


20) Challenge yourself. Push your limits and try new adventures or life experiences. From tennis to cooking, sky diving to mountain biking, gardening to surfing, it's never to late to learn a new skill or try something adventurous. It can become harder as we grow older to try new adventures and be as open to pushing ourselves through new experiences. Even if the experience is a one time adventure, it will open your eyes to new horizons or possibly even grow into a regular hobby.


19) Break your routine. It's easy to fall into the habit of coffee, commute, work, commute, dinner, shower, repeat. It's easy and safe. However, there is a lot of life that exists beyond our walls of comfort. Breaking your your routine, doesn't necessarily mean making BIG changes. It may involve simply trying a different coffee shop around the corner, ordering something unique off the menu, or visiting a friend on the way home from work. The more we share different experiences in life, the more we grow.


18) Know your personality. Are you a morning person? Or an evening person? Do you prefer to socialize with a large group, small group or with just a few friends? It's okay what your answers are to these questions; the main part is to live life how you enjoy it and not feel confined to live it out to make other people happy.


17) It's okay to say no, but be selective. Don't feel pressured to always say "yes" to invitations, but remember that if you say "no" regularly to people; the invitations may not come as often.


16)  Cook. I've find the most challenging part of cooking is actually the preparation and making sure you have the proper ingredients. Cooking itself is actually not too challenging. As you cook, you grow. It's important to know what's in your food, especially as we get older and understand how these ingredients impact our body.


15) Cash is king. Debt is not your friend, it's easy to be attracted to special offers or justify an extra splurge on a credit card, but those charges can add up and take away from the power of being financially sound and debt free.


14) Respond and commit. If you are invited to a party or sent an invitation to a function, respond quickly. The RSVP deadline may be weeks or even a few months away, however responding quickly will help the event organizers with their planning and even give them a chance to invite someone else if you are not able to attend.


13) When you commit, you commit. There may be times when you commit to one function and then something bigger or better comes up. Unless it's a one time event, like a wedding; stick with your original plans.


12) Save for a rainy day. We never know what weather is around the corner, having an emergency fund will help shield you from any unpleasant weather. 


11) Treat your friends. Don't keep tabs on friends. The cliche of "what goes around comes around" is often more true then not. Treating your friends to a drink or meal out with no expectation in return is freeing and will eventually come back around to you.


10) Stretch. Remember how easy it was to sit with your legs folded in elementary school? Now, the same stance may be more challenging. The older we get, the tighter our muscles become. When we stretch we open our joints and ligaments, helping to improve our overall health and well being. 


9) Open doors and doors will open. When we provide opportunities for other people or make ourselves available to other people, our availability will in turn make ourselves open to new opportunities. 



8) Give. Giving may mean financial contributions or simply volunteering our time, however having an open heart and giving helps our personal growth.


7) Unplug.  It's okay to ditch the cell phone. You may miss a few Instagram or Facebook posts, but you can always catch up. Have one day or 1/2 a day while you simple leave your phone behind and just connect. 


6) Treat your in-laws like your parents. Even if you are just dating, treating your significant other's parents just like your own can go a long way!


5) Pray. You may not be "religious," but praying and opening ourselves up helps us reflect upon our lives and center our thoughts for causes and interests that live beyond you.


4) Sweat (daily). Working out doesn't have to mean hoping on a treadmill for 45 minutes, it may mean going for a rigorous walk around the neighborhood or a pushup challenge. No matter the workout, sweating daily helps us remove our toxins, counter acts stress, keeps us fit and generally makes us feel better. 


3) Eat organic. The next time you are at a supermarket try buying one regular apple and one organic apple. See if you can taste the difference. It may be subtle, but the benefits of eating organic extend beyond just the taste. 


2) Treat each day as a gift. We only have one life, make the most of each day and you'll make the most of life!



1) Don't forget the sunscreen. 


What are some of your life little secrets? Leave a comment with some tips below!