I’ve always been a deep thinker – constantly searching for meaning in everything I do and in the actions of those around me. I often wonder how others perceive me and whether I should be doing more to be “successful” or simply how to be a better person. So, turning thirty this year was bound to spark a wave of reflection and self-discovery.

As I often do when there’s a lot on my mind, one sleepless night around 2am, I found myself mulling over the past three decades. A product of that moment of contemplation is – what I can only describe as a type of – poem (see below). A spontaneous collection of lessons learned and perhaps a few universal truths I’ve now come to accept.

A month later, after some refining, I shared it at my thirtieth birthday celebration as my speech. People laughed, a few teared up, and there was even some lively debate over my “mushrooms are still gross” comment.

It was both nerve-wracking and liberating to share my innermost thoughts and feelings. And yet, here I am starting this blog, choosing to open up even more, and hoping that somewhere in my words, you’ll find a little piece of yourself too.

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Thirty Things For Turning Thirty

1. A few meaningful friendships serve you much better than many fleeting, popular ones.
2. Has it always been this hard to find shorts that actually cover your arse, or have I just never looked for them until now?
3. Don’t stay in a job you don’t enjoy, you spend most of your days there.
4. Mushrooms are still gross.
5. While you were busy searching for Prince Charming in the London party scene, you’d never have guessed that five years later, you’d find them on a dating app in Bristol.
6. You also wouldn’t have guessed that he would be a she.
7. Ballet taught you a thousand more things than just how to dance.
8. After many battles and tears, you’ve decided that life is too short to make your own pastry.
9. Spiders are still terrifying.
10. Dogs, however, are angels on earth.
11. Your heart will probably always sink a little when you watch a dance production…
12. but your heart will also always soar.
13. You still don’t understand how pensions work.
14. You should probably learn how pensions work.
15. You’re not just lucky to be part of one big, loving family, but to have been welcomed into a second one, too.
16. The Sound of Music is still the best movie ever made.
17. You don’t have to be an expert in something; you’re allowed to dabble and try on many different hats.
18. You’ll never get tired of singing ABBA and Dolly Parton songs.
19. At this point, it seems the anxiety is here to stay, but you recognise it better now and can live happily alongside it.
20. No one else is thinking about your embarrassing moments at 2am; they’re probably too busy lying awake thinking of their own.
21. Never be ashamed of, or hide, your relationship. It brings you more joy, safety, and love than you ever thought possible.
22. You still haven’t lost your accent.
23. You hope you never will.
24. Your sister will always be your protector. Even after thirty years, she’s still ready to stand up to whoever makes you cry.
25. The best house parties now are the ones spent around the dining table on a Thursday night with your friends, discussing utter nonsense, your hopes, dreams, and everything in between.
26. Rosé still makes you feel sick; your eighteenth birthday really saw to that one.
27. The most practical life skill your parents taught you was how to calmly (and successfully) build flat-pack furniture.
28. The most important thing your parents taught you is that no experience is ever a wasted one. Each is an opportunity to learn something new and find happiness along the way.
29. And the most important thing you’ve taught yourself is self-forgiveness, even though it’s still hard to do sometimes.
30. You realise that thirty isn’t scary, sad, or depressing, it’s just a great excuse to throw a mega party with all your favourite people!