30 years old.

One of my earliest memories was from when I was 4, on my mom's birthday. We were gathered around the cake with a few neighbors when my mom stated she was excited to be 29. I guess I was old enough to count because I blurted out "Again? You turned 29 last year!," thus outing her to everyone and causing a burst of laughing.

Turning 30 years old holds a lot of expectations. Mine specially arise from not only my personal history of having parents who married at 23 &25, but also the cultural pressures to reach for the American dream of 2.5 kids with Prince Charming, while building a 401-K and a white picket fence. Wait too long to achieve the dream and the only available men left will be duds, my uterus will shrivel up, or I'll be mistaken as the grandma at the carpool lane. Turn 30 and life is downhill. I'm being dramatic but doesn't it sometimes feel like that? Even my mom tried to outsmart the game and forever be 29! 

In about 20 minutes, I'll turn the dreaded 30 years old. The age in which I've achieved nothing, or so it feels sometimes when I see myself surrounded by adorable love stories and baby showers. BUT I decided to put my damn birthday crown on and act like the birthday queen I am instead of having myself a pity party of what I'm not. To re-establish my mindset and for your kicks and giggles, I've created a list:

30 of my favorite things about being 30!

1. Wearing overalls as a fashion statement without any confusion that I'm in high school (Ok, that's maybe up for debate, but I'm going to keep rocking them.) 

2. Being carded is officially a compliment. 

3. Being able to afford and appreciate stylish yet supportive shoes.

4. Having the experience to know who is good for me to date and who is not. 

5. Still being young enough to surprise others by having a doctorate degree. 

6. Having the flexibility to coordinate vacation with oversea friends when it's best fitting for their schedule. 

7. Having no kiddos to steal my PTO by being sick. 

8. My habit of snoozing for 30-45 minutes every morning. 

9. Others ask for my expertise on a number of topics. (Just not pop culture or history!)

10. Placing all valuables wherever I want as there are no tiny hands around to break them. 

11. Staying out and about, away from my home for 12+ hours multiple days a week. 

12. Being addicted to social media but not getting the fidget spinner fad. 

13. I've figured out how to kindly say "no" whenever I simply don't want to. 

14. Also I finally figured out how to curl my hair in a way that holds. 

15. Still dreaming of actually moving to SoCal or Sydney one day. 

16. Having a job where I get paid to play Uno and with bubbles on a nearly daily basis. 

17. Having mastered healthy meal prep for my picky taste buds. 

18. Actually, I'll go ahead and admit I'm pretty good at selfies too. (Without being that weird middle age parent who is just trying too hard to fit in with the millennials.)

19. Knowing my "type" on a plethora of personality test. Yet don't let them define me. 

20. Reading essentially only for enjoyment, no longer for studying. 

21. Being able to run the furthest I've ever been able to. (I'll be running my first 10K on July 4th!)

22. Often choosing to make risky and daring choices for my good, not others. 

23. Keeping a secret stash of white chocolate chips in the freezer at nearly all times. 

24. Being disconnected (or old?) enough to not understand the point of the Kardashians. 

26. Knowing when to act like Wonder Woman and when to drink wine while taking a bath.

27. Having the freedom to spontaneously nap or run.

28. Being rich in friendships where we collectively bolster and edify one another constantly. 

29. Having killer intuition. (Kinda freaky how right I can be.)   

29. Wearing bright red lipstick in confidence.

30. No longer seeing 30 as a limitation but as a springboard to be young and beautifully free. 

Silly and serious, one of my favorite combinations and how I plan to march forward into this new year!