On Saturday, I turn 30.

As a young woman, 30 can feel like a wall you have no choice but to climb. Society tells us that at 30, you should be…

• well-read
• married
• settled (whatever that means)
• excelling at your career
• thinking about having babies (that mythical crocodile clock is ticking, yo)
• great at managing your finances, nutrition, scented candles for each season, etc.
• svelte and polished

But… what about happy?

Because while I think I’m on track for some of the items on that list, what I am bringing with me as I cross the threshold into 30 is much more intangible. It’s the knowledge that I’m mortal, the wisdom that it’s ok to try and fail (at hobbies, love, political campaigns – whatever!). It’s knowing who my true friends are and what’s worth my tears (which doesn’t mean I don’t get upset when my dress rips or my cookies burn in my dastardly oven – it just means I also know that those things don’t really matter). It’s adventures and wishes and bruises and “league champion” t-shirts and shoes that are so comfortable, I don’t care who knows that they’re Crocs.

I – and many of my peers – spent my late 20s thinking that life was something we could win at, as though there would be a medal waiting for us at the end. But what in the world would the “end” be? And who would be by our side to celebrate? And was it all worth busting our butts for?

I hope that my 30s bring more adventures.  More opportunities to prove myself and have the world open up to me.  More spicy food and late nights and late mornings recovering.  More love – from the people I know now and those I haven’t even met yet who will change my life.

Because this isn’t the end – this is barely the beginning.

So now I’m going to eat up every bite of this last week of being 30 – and then, going to dive headfirst into whatever’s next!

For more mid-year reflections on turning 30, read this!