30 Things I Learned in My 20s

So, I am officially a 30 year old! I was laying in bed last night typing this and feeling excited + sad about this whole situation pahaha! I am aware I’m being a little dramatic! It’s just a number right? Another birthday!

ya see, kissing this decade goodbye is kinda bitter sweet! It was a rollercoaster, I experienced a lot of love, a lot of loss, a lot of fun, a lot of lessons, a lot of growth in career, a lot about people and relationships, & a LOT about ME! When I say a lot about me, I mean a lottttt – I got real with myself, spent a lot of time with myself, and really figured out what makes Chelsey happy!

My 20s were just overall a major time for me – they were empowering and created some of my BEST times that brought me to my best me!

With that being said though, I know the best is definitely still yet to come!! I have an amazing family, friends, career, & I don’t even know what I’d do without Ryan and Hayden! I plan on making my 30s even more amazing than my 20s, especially since I have all these fabulous life lessons tucked in my back pocket now that I’m so old and wise 😜

What are these fabulous life lessons? Your in luck because that’s the whole reason for this blog post …..

HERES 30 THINGS I LEARNED IN MY 20

1. You are in charge of your life / the only person that’s in charge of the things you want/don’t want and is responsible for your happiness is YOURSELF! If your not happy, no one else playing a major roll in your life can really be.

2. Take the vacation / there’s always time for the day to day routine, it’s not going anywhere! Getting away & having a change of scenery with friends, family, or your loved one is something you never regret!

3. “Whatcha gunna do” / I adapted this life motto in my mid 20s, and let me tell ya it’s the freakin truth! When life throws you curve balls, big or small – guess what? It’s what you’ve been dealt! and guess what else? There’s absolutely probably not much you can do about it! Learn to roll with the punches + sit back and enjoy the ride! Life’s easier that way!!

4. Your mom is ALWAYS right / you grow up thinking this is bullshit. It is totally not.

5. The worst will get worse but the best will keep getting better / when you think it can’t get worse, it probably will – but then you’ll come out smarter, stronger, & a billion times better then you could ever imagine! Trust me.

6. A little kindness goes a long way / sometimes the smallest acts of kindness can make the biggest impression! Being intentional about treating others the way you want to be treated is a game changer!

7. Drama is exhausting, & so is being mean and ugly / it takes so much less energy to just be nice and it has a way better effect on your mood as well! drama is for the birds, I’d rather shoot it down and focus my time/energy on things that actually matter. I like to think I kissed drama goodbye in my mid 20s, and now you couldn’t even pay me to engage in it.

8. Looking your best will make you feel your best / having a bad day? Just add lipstick!

9. Be present / this is something I am still kinda working on! We’re always so busy planning for tomorrow, next week, next year. Sometimes when you block it all out it feels amazing to just live in & appreciate the moment happening right now!

10. Honesty is the best policy / the truth ALWAYS comes out, I don’t care how long you’d think it can go. It. Always. Comes. Out. Being honest from the get go is probably a lot easier & keeps you out of a lot of trouble!

11. Some alone time is the best time / moments to yourself are CRUCIAL! Get inside your own head a little & take a break from everyone else’s thoughts, needs, & wants!

12. What Sally says of Susy says more about Sally than Suzy / if someone’s being negative about you the problem that they have is more likely with themselves. easier said than done but you can’t take these things personally & kill them with kindness!

13. ALWAYS wear your sunscreen / skin cancer in your 20s is a real thing, been there, done that & have the scar by my eye to prove it!

14. When opportunity knocks answer the door / if you get an opportunity, big or small, go for it! Small things can lead to bigger things and sometimes taking on something you think you can’t handle brings you somewhere you’d never thought you’d be!

15. Gossip isn’t a good look / something I’ve learned in my later years! You never know who knows who & you probably wouldn’t want anyone gossiping about you!

16. Exercise is your friend / as much as you hate it, you gotta admitt …. you always feel better when your done! And when it becomes part of your daily routine your body + mind do better!

17. Support your sistas / I’m a huge advocate for women empowering women! There’s enough room in this world for everyone to succeed – we should build each other up instead of trying to one up each other! Congratulate each other’s accomplishments, compliment each other’s looks, & cheer each other on! And for the love of god help a sista our if she needs some direction or advice, you never know when you might need the same!

18. Give without expecting something in return / there’s fulfillment in sacrificing for others!

19. Pick your battles / not everything requires your attention! If its not life threatening, someone getting something major over on you, or something that’s not going to matter in a few days, it’s probably not worth the energy!

20. Quality over Quantity / this goes for lots of things in life – clothes, girlfriends, alcohol …. But seriously, with the girlfriends be thankful if you have a handful of good ones, these are the people who mater and deserve your time/attention. They will show up when it matters most and you’ll do the same for them!

21. Family is everything / literally these people are stuckkk with you! be grateful for them, they love & will be there for you like no one else!

22. Dating as an adult is FUN if you play your cards right / dating in my mid 20s was so different then dating when I was younger! I mean hello you know what you want/like and your secure enough in yourself to know the shots you want to call! The person taking you out can afford to go to nice places and they probably aren’t super needy because they have their own life + career going on too! I had an absolute blast dating and took the opportunity to discover even more what I wanted in a partner and what I didn’t! (Of course that all brought me to Ryan and I definitely love being with him more the single a thousand times over lol but you get the point) if your single, enjoy it!

23. When people show you who they are, believe them the first time / people are who they are. Don’t waste your time looking into it or thinking they will change, because it’s just that simple!

24. If something fails, it just means there’s something better coming / think about it, has this ever not been true! I thinks it’s almost proven! Always hold out for that silver lining!

25. Everyone has a love language, and you should know yours / knowing and understanding how you receive and give love will make all your relationships easier, with spouses, family, & friends!

26. Go to therapy, you probably need it / talking to someone completely bias can really be an eye opener to things or situations you could use clarity on!

27. EAT THE BURGER / life’s too freakin short! Enjoy the things you love!

28. Live life on your own timeline / this is something I am currently working on because people can put some freakin pressure on! They think because they just got married, or had a baby, or got a new job, that you should be too. This isn’t true because your not them and your situations special to you! what’s meant to be in your life will happen at all the right times so you just just enjoy the ride and experiences!

29. Show gratitude / to others & yourself! Be grateful for all you have + all that’s to come! There is so much to be thankful for in this life!

30. Just be YOU / your the only you in the world, and that right there should inspire you to be and give the best version of yourself to everyone! Embrace who you are in every aspect – be proud of yourself and your story! After all, we’ve all got one!

XoXo, Chelsey Rae

📷 : Nina Celie