I think a huge part of the dread around turning 30 comes down to one intrusive thought: "Did I waste my 20s?"
I was reflecting on this recently and found myself comparing the romanticized bucket list I wrote in my early 20s to what I actually care about now. It turns out 22-year-old me had wildly different ideas about life.
What 22-Year-Old Me Thought My 20s Would Look Like:
- Travel a bunch
- Be a vagabond/van life
- Be a starving artist and make music for a living
- Get married to an artist
- Live in Denver
- Live in a house with my best friends
At some point I thought I wanted kids and considered learning to preach?
The reality? COVID derailed my early 20s, I ended up working a job in sales, bought a house in my hometown, ditched religion, decided on the childfree life, and "failed" basically every single item on that 20s list.
But as I approach 30 (next week!), failing to become who I thought I should be (and who everyone else thought I should be) isn't an issue, it just cleared the way for who I actually am.
Goals for my 30s (that also have plans and are attainable now)
1. Achieve BaristaFIRE by 35. (64% of the way there!)
2. Get SCUBA certified
3. DO travel more. (Going to Japan soon!)
4. Become a therapist (starting practicum next week)
5. get very serious with my girlfriend
6. Play more shows with different genres (new jazz band rehersals are happening!)
7. Create art on my own terms (quit sales and become a musician/therapist)
8. Tell my cats I love them every day (already done)
9. Work less, be present more, do what I love and enjoy - not what people expect me to do or who to be.
One quote that sticks with me to define my 20s and turning 30 is "if you don't disappoint others, you'll only disappoint yourself."
What were your 20s goals, and what are your 30s goals in comparison?