10 things every woman should know before turning 30

Now that I am in my mid-thirties, I often reflect on the things I wish knew before turning 30. And while I want to live one day at a time without regrets, I also want to embrace the lessons that come with certain life experiences. So please patiently read through this list of 10 things every woman should know. I believe it will serve someone out there about planting the right seeds in your life before turning 30.

1. Health is so important

If you take anything from the list, let it be this: your health is your foundation.

And by this, I mean your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health. When people think about physical health, they tend to forget that skin care, hair care, and dental care are just as important as fitness and exercise. For many of us, our 20s are a time we take our health for granted. Once you hit 30, you’re reminded that little things can turn into big things.

2. Family plays a huge role in who we become

Many of us hate to admit it but our families play a huge role in the people we become. Granted, not everyone has a supportive biological family, but it is still possible to find genuine ‘family’ in extended relatives, friends and wider support groups. Some of us spend our 20s rebelling against this notion but when you get to 30, you look at yourself and then look at the people around you, only to realise how alike you actually are.

Hopefully, that’s a good thing. 

3. Sacrifice usually pays off

The farther along your journey into your 20s, the more sacrifices you are likely to make. It’s hard at first, but as we get older, it tends to get easier to choose and insist on setting the right priorities in life. It could be simple things like bringing lunch from home to save money or switching to a value-brand cereal. You’re a gardener planting seeds. Your 30s are when you start to really reap the harvest.

4. Old habits are hard to kill

Addictions like smoking, drinking, overeating etc, tend to get harder to quit once your 30s roll around. The longer you do something, the harder it is to stop. It becomes second nature. So, if there are things you do that you don’t like, try to quit before you turn 30.

5. You learn to love yourself

Besides the health stuff, this is the most important of all. We spend our 20s trying to discover who we are and once we do, sometimes we don’t like the person we find. It can be for good reasons and sometimes, it can be trivial reasons. If the latter is the case, by the time you get to 30, you start to like yourself. For better or worse, it’s who you are, and no one is better at being you than you.

6. Time is money

Anyone can do something to earn more money, whether it’s reducing expenses, getting a pay rise or having a second source of income. But no one knows how much time we have. Time is a limited resource so use your free time wisely and spend it on things that genuinely make you happy. 

7. Communication is the key to healthy relationships

So many of the failed relationships in my life ended because of the same reason: a lack of communication. It is important to communicate clearly and properly with anyone you care about. It’s only with love and transparency that relationships can thrive and stand the test of time. 

8. Your parents are usually always right

Your parents are usually right. At least mine was, to my great dissatisfaction at times. There isn’t one piece of advice that my father gave me that turned out to be wrong, even though throughout the years I was convinced that he was.  Look with love on your folks and listen with love. It makes a huge difference. 

9. Balance is key

Whether it’s about eating, drinking, partying, working, sleeping, spending, loving, hating, or anything really, it is wise to indulge in moderation. This is how we achieve balance.

10. And, on a final note

You likely won’t have everything figured out by the time you turn 30. Don’t be embarrassed to call your mum, dad, or someone you trust when things go wrong. It’s more than OK. If you had everything figured out by your fourth decade of life, you’d be so bored for the rest of it. And if there’s one thing your 30s aren’t, it’s boring.

I wish you the best for the rest of your life. You will do great!

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Written by Cathy Ben-Ameh 

Illustrated by Francesca Mariama