i cannot believe i am 30 or that every adult when i was younger was absolutely telling the truth when they warned me about how each year picked up pace as we got older.

i thought about making this post one that was fuzzy and warm but that wouldn’t have been fully me. so instead, i am going to share 30 life lessons that i will carry into my 30s to make this decade the best one yet.

1. authenticity is underrated.

2. no two people handle grief the same way and that is OKAY.

3. “no.” truly is a full fucking sentence.

4. there is no need to feel guilt around saying “no.” to someone you love because that likely means you are saying “yes.” to you.

5. the five people you are closest to serve as mirrors – do you like what you see? if not, time to change up the starting five.

6. gratitude is something to practice regularly. daily, i jot down three things i am grateful for. i haven’t had a day yet where i couldn’t list three things and that has been an eye opener.

7. work hard, play just as hard.

8. that being said, do not rely on luck. hustling is not negotiable if you want to be successful.

9. do something once per week that is completely selfish – it pays to have something to look forward to.

10. busyness is not an indicator of success. what are you spending your time on?

11. do not bring more baggage into a relationship than you can comfortably carry.

12. do not enter a relationship with someone that expects you to carry their baggage.

13. vulnerability is strength.

14. friends are the family you choose.

15. all good relationships have healthy boundaries.

16. age is not indicative of maturity.

17. self care is more than bubble baths and manicures – be sure that you are not ignoring your mental and emotional health.

18. while your friends, family and partner(s) are your support system, they have limits to the amount of space they can hold for you. even therapists have therapists.

19. for every action, there is a reaction that you do not get to dictate.

20. your dreams don’t have to make sense to anyone but you.

21. you regularly show people how to treat you, even without words.

22. check in on your strong friends. they are tired even if you cannot tell.

23. don’t punish people for not showing up for you if you have not communicated what showing up for you looks like.

24. pour into people who pour into you.

25. you don’t ever get over the loss of someone, you just learn to live with/work through it.

26. love on your inner circle in their preferred love language(s).

27. words mean nothing without action.

28. you are more than your job/career.

29. when questioning whether or not you are treating yourself with the love and respect you deserve, ask yourself what advice you would give to your best friend if in the same situation. whatever your answer is, channel that inward. be one of your own best friends.

30. life is short and unpredictable so give people their flowers while they are still here to enjoy them.

and to all of you who reached out today, thank you so much for all of the birthday wishes. it is greatly appreciated and made my heart warm.

to see what i am up to in vegas this weekend, check out my instagram stories.

cheers to the next 30 🥂.

xoxo,

k. tap