30 Things from 30

Last month I turned the big 3-0. My brain is still stuck on me being 27, the age when I was diagnosed. For the majority of the past 25 months my life has been on hold. You all have gotten the sliiiiiightest preview of that from quarantining in the pandemic.

Looking back at my first 30 years, I have learned a lot, loved a lot, been inspired, had some tough times, and hey, I’m still here!

My “30 things from 30” aren’t just lessons or things that I’ve learned. It’s 30 things that I want to take with me into my next decade of life, and beyond!

30 Things from 30:

I’m still here! No matter what has been thrown at me, especially the past two years, I have gotten through it, and I’m still here.
Love your family. Whether it’s your blood family, or your friends who have become your chosen “family”. I don’t know what I would do without my friends and family. They are the best!
Sleep is important. I’m not sure how I underestimated sleep and rest until I was diagnosed, but let me tell you, if your body says “SLOW DOWN” or “I need a break”… LISTEN TO IT. Yes, you might miss a dinner or a day of work, but you can’t run on empty and you can’t help others either.
Appreciate the small things. The coffee maker is working – AWESOME! My stomach isn’t a mess from that buffalo wing sauce – HELL YEA! I can go for a walk outside today – LET’S SOAK UP SOME SUN!

You can’t do everything by yourself and it’s ok to ask for help! That could mean asking someone to help you lift a heavy piece of furniture, go dress shopping with you(pre-COVID), or going to therapy. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness.
Allow yourself some time to heal. From a workout, from an emotional book, from anything that changed you in some way. Taking timeouts are worth it. You need to recharge.
Always wear SPF. On your face especially!! Yes, even in the winter, AND inside! I have MANY freckles, aka “kisses from the sun”, and as much as I love them, I don’t love getting burnt, wrinkles, and age spots.
Yes you can eat that – but maybe don’t have as much. My stomach gets upset with a few of my favorite foods, so I try to eat smaller portions of them to minimally upset my stomach but still enjoy some of it.
Brush your teeth and floss. This one might sound silly, and some of you may have laughed out loud reading that. I have very porous teeth, and have had quite a number of cavities and root canals(2). Take care of your teeth. They are EXPENSIVE.
Watch the sunset. And capture pictures if you want! I can never have enough sunset pictures as I get mesmerized by the ever changing colors!
Find your comfort things. This can be a song, a place, a food, a sweatshirt… the possibilities are endless! When you’re feeling down, you need to know how to *attempt* to pick yourself back up.
Surround yourself with people that inspire you. This could be mentors in your job, friends who are married, friends who are single, people who are different from you! It doesn’t necessarily mean that you “want to be like them”, but that they spark something in you.
Try new foods! This one has been a little tough the past two years due to often being on a neutropenic or transplant diet and not being able to have some of my favorite foods(sushi). I have some go-to meals that I love, but sometimes you can add one or two ingredients and it changes the whole meal!
Keep your hobbies going. Or, if you don’t have hobbies, FIND ONE. As much as I may love going to breweries, that isn’t a hobby. Luckily, I grew up with many hobbies including sports, art, and playing the piano. I can play the piano and do many art-related activities for the rest of my life; and I would recommend having 1-2 that you can do for the rest of your life. I won’t be wakeboarding or snow skiing when I’m 80… but then again, CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!
Find books that you like. I was never considered a reader until summer 2019. I read 20 books in 2019, and 31 in 2020. Granted, I had A LOT of free time on my hands. It only took a few books, and Elin Hilderbrand, to get me to become “a reader”. It’s a time to put down my phone and go into a different world. We could all use a little more of that.
Self-care isn’t just facemasks and bubble baths. Self-care is talking to a friend for 2 hours on Facetime just catching up. It’s eating nutritional food to make you feel better from the inside out. It’s giving a goddamn bear hug. I MISS HUGS.

Figure out how to dress your body. This one is more aimed towards women, but it is really important. Dressing for your shape as well as your style type are both equally as necessary. I’ve had a lot of hits, and a heck of a lot of misses… I’m finally starting to figure out what shapes of clothing I look good in(especially after losing weight from chemo), and what style I feel the most comfortable in, and when I feel most like me. This also includes hair and makeup!
Learn to be by yourself. No, scrolling through social media and dating apps or the news doesn’t count. I would love to challenge everyone to spend a week without TV, and spending minimal time on your phone. It recharges your soul.
Learn who you are by yourself. From a surface level of how you decorate your room, to what foods you like to eat/cook, to a deeper level of what is important to you when it doesn’t affect anyone else. Who are you when no one is watching? Be more of that person.
Spend more time in nature. Spending minimal time on your phone. Go for walks. Go for a road trip! You’d be amazed where you can get to in just an hour and a half!
Friends come and go, but the ones that are meant to stay, will. It’s not an easy lesson to learn in life, but you should never feel like it’s an effort to be friends with someone. Don’t waste your time and energy on people who aren’t reciprocating – that goes for friendships and relationships.
Invest in good sneakers. I have high arches and know that I have to put arch supports in most of my sneakers. It’s not worth the knee and back pain. Your body will thank you.
Drink water. If you’re thirsty, you’re already dehydrated. Most of the time that you’re hungry, you’re thirsty.
Health is wealth. Nothing is more important than your health. Mentally and physically. You need both. You need to work on both. While nothing genetically caused my cancer, it doesn’t mean I don’t need to change things about my lifestyle. Everyone does. Again, nothing is more important than your health.
Curved pillows saved my neck and shoulders. I sleep on my sides and this was a GAME CHANGER.
Surround yourself with people who make you laugh until you cry. Thankfully I have many friends and family that make me do this. Sometimes I laugh at flashbacks in my mind years later.
Put lotion all over your body, every day. Even if you have oily skin, or if you don’t think you need it. Your skin needs it. Especially in the wintertime.
Find things that make you truly happy. Not just buying the new iPhone or eating a cookie. Things that constantly make you happy and keep you happy in the long term. Moving closer to your family, starting your own company, marrying your best friend. DO IT.
Giving back gives back to you. I’ve learned that I probably get more out of giving back, than the person or company that I’m giving to. Do more of that.
Celebrate the small wins. You tackled 2 weeks of laundry – HECK YEA! You ran a 5k as your workout today – WAY TO GO! You remembered to make your bed today – WOOT WOOT! When you’re sick(sickness or illness), some of the simplest things are truly a challenge, and we often get defeated when we can’t do even them. Celebrate the smallest wins.

I’m sure that I could think of another 30, but I hope I inspired you to think of your own things that you have learned that you can take with you to the next year, next decade, and the rest of your life!

What are some of the things from this list that you want to do, focus on, or work on? Comment below! #inspireothers

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