Turning 31 this year felt more significant to me than the previous year’s milestone. It was the shift from the novelty of a new decade to really being in it with my thirties which I could not be more excited about. While we often hear about plenty of complaints about turning 30 or getting another year older, I’m a big believer that it truly only gets better as you age so I started jotting down a running list of reasons your 30’s are better than your 20’s and took to Instagram to hear from you guys as well and you DELIVERED (seriously I don’t think I have ever gotten so many replies to a question!).

So without further ado, let’s take a moment to give it up for your 30’s:

1. You’re established in your career and out of the grind and stress of the early years
2. Mo’ money less problems 
3. You’re more secure in who you are, what you want, and what you don’t need to deal with
4. Less likely to have to deal with roommates (unless that’s your thing)
5. Greater appreciation for the feeling of having no plans 
6. You’ve made a lot of dumb mistakes already and have learned some lessons along the way
7. More comfortable asking for what you want, less likely to expect anyone to just hand it to you
8. Saying no thank you, with no guilt about it 
9. Giving zero fucks 
10. Being able and open to say yes to more spontaneous experiences
11. Recognizing the value of travel and experiences over material possessions
12. You’ve escaped the comparison trap and have recognized that we’re all on our own paths
13. Faster to forgive yourself and move forward
14. Value of sleep, especially on good quality sheets 
15. Hold both others and yourself to higher, yet more realistic standards
16. More forgiving with your body, at this point you know what to expect, what to work on and what’s basically impossible 
17. You’ve identified your danger drinks and are smart enough to avoid them at all costs
18. A little convenience can go a long way, and you recognize the value of your time and/or energy 
19. You probably have a go to karaoke song (or have a firm stance on never ever doing karaoke)
20. The dynamic with your parents has changed and you’ve realized they’re normal people too, and they’re actually pretty cool sometimes
21. You know who your real deal friends are, what kind of work is needed to put into them to maintain them
22. Finding your signature style and building out a wardrobe you love (and lasts)
23. The confidence and new perspective that comes with age and experience
24. Feeling 0% guilty about staying in on a Friday and/or Saturday night
25. You’re now wise enough to throw timelines out the window and ditch the social pressures surrounding when you’re “supposed to” do things.
26. Recognizing that most of what’s shared by others is just a highlight reel and not at all representative of the reality behind the scenes
27. “Busy” isn’t a status symbol. It’s an excuse. 
28. The power of a leap of faith and the incredible things that can happen when you step into the unknown
29. Gotten serious about your skincare routine and the importance of SPF every damn day
30. You’ve put your fair share of effort, stress, confusion and uncertainty in to establish yourself as you and now you’re free to channel that energy in other directions

Bring it on, 30’s!