4 Reasons Why Your 30’s Will Dominate Your 20’s.
I used to think people in their 30’s were old. In fact, we had a friend, Kevin, that we referred to as “Old Balls.” Everything I gathered from movies, t.v. shows, and other media gave me the impression that the pinnacle of your life will be around 25 years old. After, that, you’re pretty much just waiting to die. Ok, that’s extreme but that’s how I saw it.
As I type this, I am 31 years old with my 32nd birthday approaching in a few months and I couldn’t be more excited. If you’re in your late 20’s and feel nervous about your looming 30’s, don’t fret. I have 4 reasons why I am enjoying my 30’s way more than my 20’s and why you will too!
Stronger relationships
Time really does a number on things. It heals and it also strengthens. Think about some of your best friends. Hopefully, you’re still close to people you grew up with. If not, maybe you’re an asshole. Just kidding, but maybe I’m not. Some of my best friends today were best friends of mine in middle and high school. We’ve been friends for roughly 20 years. It’s insane how the last 8–10 years has strengthened our bond.
As adults, I have been to their weddings, have held their newborns in my arms, and been at their side at their family member’s funerals. I have been there during their most important and memorable moments in life and they have been there for me. There is something very special about that on the deepest of levels. I can say that these few friends of mine that were always my “best friends” can be classified as platonic soul mates. I couldn’t say that in my 20’s.
More Confidence
It’s funny, looking back at my 20’s, how insecure I was. Not to say I have everything figured out now, but back then I cared way too much about stupid shit like how I would look to others and what they thought of me. I don’t know if it’s from reaching another level of maturity or simply getting tired of trying so hard, but now I just do me. I stopped caring about chasing the approval of my parents, faux friends, and strangers on the Instagrams. It’s f’ing liberating.
Another factor involved is all the trials and lessons learned during the prior decade. My 20’s, just like yours, consisted of a lot of experimenting with different mentalities, career paths, romantic relationships, and living arrangements.
It was like throwing a dart in a dark room. Only towards my late 20’s did I realize where in the room, the dart board was located. Now that I know where it’s at, I can get closer to the bulls eye. Much of my 20’s was discovering what I didn’t want out of life. I learned that I had to live in a big city with warm weather, surrounded by open-minded people and doing work I loved, regardless of the downside.
After so much insecurity from searching endlessly for my identity and purpose, I finally found some answers in the last few years. Sometimes, it just takes years of tough lessons, but I am grateful for each one.
More Substance
This is what excites me the most. I have always been an old soul. I love astronomy, astrology, philosophy, business, etc. I also preferred deep conversations over a glass of Merlot than fist bumping at the club to that new EDM DJ that sounds exactly like the other 1000 I heard before.
Don’t get me wrong, I liked to have this shallow fun in my 20’s, but was never fulfilled from it. I knew what I valued and it was quality time with quality people and a deeper connection, not necessarily a crazy Hangover-esque story that lacked meaning.
Same thing with hooking up with girls. I never valued one night stands, but felt like I should since my friends did. I guess it’s just an old-soul, Virgo thing.
What’s awesome is that my friends are in their late 20’s to mid 30’s and their mentality is catching up to what mine always was. They’re not looking to rage their face off at LIV, but would rather smoke a California peace pipe and talk about our dreams and ambitions. You might think that’s boring, but you won’t someday. You’ll find that the depth of these moments have a residual value far greater than the wildest, drama-filled birthday party.
Career Momentum
This is a cool one. After 20 years of studying irrelevant subjects, filling Scantron bubbles with lead from your #2 pencil, and taking exams that test your cramming skills rather than your critical thinking skills, you finally enter the real world only to realize you are back to being on the bottom of the totem pole of life.
You get a job and quickly learn what you like and hate. After a year or two, you quit to find something you like more and hate less. You repeat this a few times, gaining knowledge and experience each round.
Just like your relationships and living arrangements, you start to build confidence and momentum with every lesson learned. Hopefully by 28 or 29 years old, you have a good idea what you want to do based on doing enough of what you despise.
The career snowball begins to move a lot quicker. You aren’t the rookie sent on the coffee run anymore. You offer true value to your company or you have your own business and are starting to see success. You’ve weathered some storms and came out on the other side.
Better yet, your friends are in the same boat. They are advancing in their careers and are there to help out. They hire you to design their website or to personally train their spouse. They call you with job openings at their company. They’re also starting to have disposable income to use on better vacations, to invest, and to start business ventures with. All of this helps you and it’s a two way street.
Here’s a bonus…
Get this, if you live in a but city, you will find that your 30’s is the new 20’s. Living in Tampa, Florida, everyone was married with kids by 25 and divorced by 30. It’s a small town mentality there. Living in New York, Miami, and Los Angeles has taught me that you can be fit, dress stylish, be single, and have an exciting career well into your 60’s and beyond. Big cities keep me feeling young, because it truly is a mindset backed by a youthful culture.
Now, not only am I embracing being 31, I am eager to see what my late 30’s and early 40’s will hold for me. You should too. Remember, at the pace technology is going, we’ll probably all live to 100, so don’t freak out because you’re 30% through your life.
Thank you for reading! If you got some value out of this, please applaud and connect with me on Instagram @The_Bradsss.
-Brad
