$pent Millennial

This weekend, I took an impromptu trip down to Chicago to visit my friend and celebrate her entering her 30s.

I’ve been told that your 30s are one of the best decades, much better than in your 20s. So far, that’s definitely been the case for me.

One of my closest friends from college turned 30 just a few weeks ago. So, this weekend I made a last-minute trip to Chicago to catch up and welcome her into this exciting new decade..

Over local eats and Dunkin’ coffee runs, we talked about everything—work, friendships, relationships, and whatever else was on our minds. I shared some of what I’ve learned in my first year of being 30, and now, I want to share those reflections with hear as well.

Be good to your body.
My relationship with my body has been complicated for a long time. Like most women, I’ve spent a lot of time criticizing it—wishing it was tighter, thinner in some places, and thicker in others. And let’s be real, wondering why my big toe has hair on it. Like, eww, right?

For years, I convinced myself that I needed to accept my body while low-key still trying to change it. Over the past year, though, I’ve embraced the idea of moving, exercising, and caring for my body not because I hate it, but because I love it.

I’ve struggled with disordered eating since middle school, and as an adult, this manifested in skipping meals, especially lunch. While visiting my friend, she commented, “Well, you don’t eat three meals a day…”

There was a time when I wore that as a badge of honor—first to show how little I could eat in a day, and later, as proof of how “busy” and dedicated to work I was, that I didn’t even stop for lunch.

But this year, I’ve been working on taking breaks to eat and giving myself mental breaks from work. It’s a small change, but it feels like a big shift in how I take care of myself. Being kinder to my body has boosted my confidence and helped me appreciate it more.

You don’t need permission to exist.
I’ve been working on bringing this newfound confidence into every corner of my life—work, relationships, and daily interactions. For me, it’s about owning my worth, believing I deserve to be where I am, and knowing that I have the right to take up space, speak my truth, and set boundaries.

Part of this process has been learning to trust my own instincts more deeply. Instead of second-guessing myself or seeking approval from others, I’m focusing on what feels right for me. I’ve spent so much of my life worrying about how other people will react—whether they’ll approve, whether I’ll be seen as “enough.” But the truth is, I no longer need external validation to feel confident in my choices.

I’ve come to realize that the most important person I need to impress is myself. Now, I ask myself: Does this align with who I am? Am I proud of this decision? It’s a subtle shift, but a powerful one. It’s less about the fear of judgment and more about making sure I’m living in a way that honors my own values and priorities.

I’m still learning and growing in this area, and it doesn’t happen overnight. But each day, I get a little better at listening to my inner voice, trusting it, and allowing myself to move through life with more ease. And in doing so, I’m finding a kind of freedom that’s been a long time coming.

Be the change.
When I turned 30, the world didn’t magically change for me. The universe didn’t wave a wand and say, “Congrats, you’re 30! We’ll go ahead and switch life to Easy Mode now.”

What’s made my 30s different from my 20s is me. I changed.

I got decisive, intentional and confident in my decisions. I took control of what was in my control, accepting what was not. I have begun setting and expressing expectations and boundaries with actions that are in my control to respond to things that are not in my control. 

Rather than wishing that my job, situation or other people would change for me, I take control over what I am in control over -which is myself, my choices, responses and intentional actions. I cannot control the world or others in in. I can’t control all situations. What I can control is how I respond and react. So, that is what I have been working on and changing this year. 

These changes haven’t been easy—they’re a daily work in progress. Some days I nail it, and others, I don’t. But every day, I learn something new about myself, and that growth is what makes this decade so exciting.

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Turning 30 doesn’t come with a rulebook, and no one hands you all the answers. But the beauty of this new chapter is that you’re in control of your own growth. It’s about showing up for yourself, making decisions that align with your values, and letting go of what doesn’t serve you anymore.

The lessons I’ve learned in my first year of this decade are things I’m still working on. But the journey toward becoming the best version of myself, both mentally and physically, is one that I’m grateful for. And I’m excited to see where it leads.

So, here’s to more learning, more growing, and more embracing of who we are—exactly as we are.