As I celebrate turning 34, I thought I’d share the most important lessons I’ve learned over the past 12 months. I truly believe there is so much we can learn from each other’s stories and experiences. My hope is that in sharing mine, something will resonate with you, inspire you, or maybe even spark a lesson of your own. So grab a cup of tea (or a glass of wine) and a notebook—because here are 12 important life lessons in your 30s that I’ve learned this past year.

You don’t feel behind because you’re not there yet. You feel behind because you’re still letting Instagram decide where “there” even is. But we’re not doing that anymore. We’re washing our hands, starting fresh, and getting you out of this spiral of thinking you’re not good enough or haven’t achieved enough. Because here’s the truth: you are not behind.

We’ve all made mistakes, right? My twenties were mistake after mistake and whilst I’m definitely still making some in my thirties, there are 7 mistakes I’ve stopped making so I thought I’d share those with you. Not because I’ve got it all figured out because let’s be honest, I definitely don’t, but because I’ve stopped pretending that I should have it all figured out.

You not taking yourself out on regular solo dates in your thirties is something we need to sort out ASAP. Solo dating isn’t just a cute TikTok trend, it’s a radical act of self-worth and confidence. Keep reading as I break down the beliefs and barriers stopping you from dating yourself, show you simple tricks to remove solo date anxiety, and help you schedule your very first solo date.

As a 30-something, if you’ve ever sat there and thought to yourself “Why do I feel so lost?”, “Everyone else seems to have figured it out.” or “I should know what I want by now.”, this is the episode for you. The truth is you’re not behind, you’re not a failure and you’re definitely not alone. 

If you’ve ever been on the receiving end of a "got a boyfriend yet?" or watched everyone around you tick off life milestones while you’re still getting your shit together, this one’s for you.

If you're in your 30s, still living at home, and feeling ashamed about it, you’re not alone. Society might have fed you the idea that by now, you should own a house, be married, have kids, and basically have your entire life figured out. But let’s be real: life doesn’t work like that, and it’s time to ditch the unnecessary shame.