30 Things to Know Before You Turn 30 According to Shreveport

I feel some type of way about turning 30. I felt like 29 was supposed to be "my year" and lately I feel like I fell flat on my face. I thought I was on track for my so-called "plan" but as the Carly Pearce song 29 says "I held on for dear life, but I still fell off the horse". For me, 29 felt like a series of trials and errors.

What is it that makes me look forward to turning 30?

The fact that almost everyone that is older than 30 promised me that my 30's will be the best yet. I asked Shreveport-Bossier to give me their best advice before I turned 30. Actually, my exact question was "What is one thing you should accomplish before you turn 30? What is one thing you should quit caring about after you turn 30?".

I went through and picked out 30 of My favorite pieces of advice:

1. "Travel a good bit if you can and stop worrying about what people think. Just love your life." -Elizabeth Smith Benoit
2. "I tell my daughters…Accomplish being secure in your own skin, independent, and okay being alone with yourself. Quit caring about relying on others’ opinions of you for validation. You only live once. Own. Your. Shi*. Be free and authentic." -Jen Paradise
3. "Not dying before turning 30 & quit caring about getting older. Maybe change underwear more often as your momma told you." -Tom Gardiner
4. "HAPPINESS! Period!! Don’t compare yourself to others!! 30 is the new 20! Think of it like the coronavirus, everyone is getting extensions on bills and stuff. You get a two-year extension" -Bobbie DuBois
5. "Set up a retirement fund, and work hard. That way you can retire while you are still young and travel with leisure. After 30, accept the aging process. It only gets better from here." -Sherry Rowe Hussey
6. "Before you hit 30, TRAVEL!! After 30, quit comparing yourself to others and just enjoy being yourself. Very hard to do though." -Cindy Whiteside
7. "Glad to see I wasn’t the only one thinking that traveling is definitely something that should be done before 30 but also before kids." -Ainslee Saunders
8. "Find a job you love by 30. Leave behind other people’s opinions." -Mitch Puerling
9. "How to fold a fitted sheet on both sides of the coin." -Hillary Edman Doyal
10. "There’s no timeline for accomplishments but you should definitely be moved out of your parent's house by 30" -Jessica Shaw
11. "Accomplish: learn to love yourself for who you are. Quit worrying about things you should accomplish before a certain age.. just do them when it feels right for you!" -Sidney Wagner
12. "1) Personal Independence, 2) That you have turned 30! Remember, “Yesterday is a canceled check. Tomorrow is a promissory note. Today is ready cash!" -Aubrey Sharpe
13. "Accomplish: accepting and choosing to celebrate yourself. Quit caring about: what corporations tell you to buy/do." -Alysia Starnes Fletcher
14. For me, I’m working on: Stop constantly trying to please other people. Create your own happiness & allow yourself to be truly and authentically you! After you turn 30, forget the idea that your life has to fit some kind of agenda because of your age, gender, background, or other societal influences." -Julianne Casey
15. "Have all of my babies by 30 and quit having babies after 30!" -Julie Craig McCoy
16. "Accomplish- how to make yourself happy…and how to properly do a Good Morning exercise. Quit caring- about anybody’s opinion of how you choose to make yourself happy!" Mary Catherine Ackel
17. Accomplish a vibrancy mindset. What brings the most value/joy/beauty/love to your life. Try new things and cling to people, hobbies, experiences, etc. that add to your life. Quit a comparison. Stop comparing yourself to others/your glory days/who you’re not at this moment. Set beautiful goals/dream big, but meet yourself where you’re at. -Jessica Rose
18. "Accomplish: how to twerk properly. Quit: caring what your body looks while doing it." -Cortney Mann
19. "Loving yourself unconditionally. It’s something that most people never do while in a physical body, but it’s a superpower." -Amanda Grimm Johnston
20. "Accomplish: Sneak on a tour bus in New Orleans Quit: Worrying about being kicked off said tour bus in New Orleans ‍♀️" -Sara Balisha
21. "Realize the best years are to come when entering your 30s! If you haven’t accomplished all the “things/achievements “ you set out to do before 30. That. Is. Okay. You have time!" -Maigan Mauldin Lopez
22. "Own your own house. Save money." -Randy James
23. "After 30 settle down, you will not need as many material things. Take care of your health." -Kristin Hudgins White
24. "Honor yourself. Stop giving 2 shits what anyone else thinks of you." -Erin Wiggs
25. "Make yourself happy first and quit carrying about what others think of you." Tessa
26. "Not everyone is going to like you get over it and love yourself" -Tresa Frye
27. "Judge yourself against yourself only!" -Brandon Michael
28. "Welcome and enjoy your dirty 30's!" -Erin Bristol
29. "Don't make your happiness someone else's responsibility and don't feel responsible for other people's happiness. It's an impossible thing to do and it will always lead to unhappiness." -Tammy Gonzales
30. "Always wear nice underwear you might get lucky or you may get in a wreck. Either way, you could meet a single doctor!" -My Glammy