We all remember that time when we were kids and thinking ‘Oh when I get older I will have this and I will be that….’ Our pure, innocent minds with thousands of thoughts and dreams…
And now here I am – Older.
Most of the things I dreamed of never came true.. why? Because reality hit.
I realised that what I once thought was perfect for me—what I believed was my dream—was actually shaped by society, TV (back then), social media (now), and the people around me. And in the end, it simply wasn’t what truly made me happy.
Growing in my 30s is bringing me closer to who I really am and who I want to be… And this journey makes me so happy!
Here are 10 things which older me have noticed changed in my 30s :
- ME Time Is Necessary, Not Optional – you remember Bridget Jones movie being alone eating popcorn, drinking whatever – I never thought I will be happy doing exactly the same. Stressful jobs, fast life, almost no time to do anything interesting – being alone it is perfect time to disconnect from outside world and to connect with ourselves.
- GYM – In my 20s, I used to say, “I will never go to the gym,” thinking how pathetic it was for people to go and sweat for no reason. Now, I love it, I enjoy it, and half of my wardrobe is filled with gym clothes (yes, guilty!). I don’t overdo it or spend hours every day. Instead, I do what I like for 30–40 minutes. It all depends on my mood, energy, time of the month, etc. It helps me maintain balance, relieve stress, and sometimes escape into my imagination with great music as my companion.
- FRIENDS N FAMILY – I choose loyalty, care, and the feeling of comfort over superficial relationships—both in friendships and family. There are many reasons for this, but one thought keeps coming back to me: we all have a limited time on this earth, so why waste it on meaningless connections or trying to look better in someone else’s eyes? I’m not wasting my time on that. I’m lucky to have people around me who genuinely care, love me for who I am, and trust me—you can feel that. What is very important to me is being accepted for who I am, not being forced to wear a mask of someone I’m not.
- RELATIONSHIPS N DATING – Single, Single, Single and what does that really means? Everyone keeps asking ‘Did you meet someone, Who is this guy?, Do you want to have kids? Blah, blah, blah Oh, It was frustrating to answer for years. Now, I approach it calmly because I understand that not everyone can relate how I feel… I don’t believe it I need to be in relationship to feel happy, valued or fulfilled. In fact, some of my happiest memories are not even tied to being with someone. So why force it ? I have decided to take a break from dating and stop exhausting my energy on something that does not feel right for me.
- INNER CALM – Is it worth it or not? This is a questions I find myself asking more often than ever before. When anxiety feels overwhelming I pause and ask myself this simple question. More often than not, my answer is NO; Here is my point – we tend to take small issues so seriously as if our life depend on them, but when we reflect weeks or years later we realize how silly we were. So I keep calm and simply carry on, leaving behind the stresses that are not worth it my peace of mind.
- DO NOT CARE WHAT OTHERS THINK – THIS is my favourite part of growing up—what a freedom it is. Once you realise that everyone has an opinion on everything (and honestly, on nothing too), and that listening to all of it doesn’t help you grow, something shifts inside you. That’s the moment you start to break free, and the person you listen to the most becomes yourself. Go with your gut—there’s a reason this saying exists. I do not waste energy worrying about what others think, because in a few years I might not even remember those opinions anyway.
- HOLIDAYS – Throughout my life, I have tried different types of holidays with different people and in different ways: solo trips, holidays with friends, family trips, and travelling with boyfriends. I’ve also experienced different styles of travel—from backpacking to 5-star luxury hotels, Airbnbs, and cruises. What I realised is that my favourite style is solo backpacking, with a touch of luxury (nothing over the top) and sprinkle of adrenaline. For me, it’s the perfect mix of freedom and adventure. What I love most about solo travel is the person I become while I’m on the move—I feel more open-minded, calm, and fully present, enjoying every moment. I’m not dependent on someone else’s mood, which can sometimes turn a holiday into a disaster. Instead, I get to experience everything on my own terms.
- HOUSE – Growing up, I shared a room with my sibling, then a dorm with other students, and when I moved to London I shared flats with strangers, and later on with friends. Sharing, sharing, sharing—it was fun at times… but also a long-term group project I never actually signed up to for life. Once I hit my 30s, it started to feel exhausting. Now, working hard in hospitality, having my own space is no longer negotiable. In my small studio, I finally feel like I have a home where I can rest, recharge, and enjoy silence without negotiating who left the lights on—and I wouldn’t change that for anything
- GOING OUT OUT – I don’t really know what happened… or when it happened! It just slowly stopped being fun to go out until 4am for three days in a row like it was some kind of extreme sport. Now it’s more reading, self-care, and nice restaurants instead of clubs that feel like they require a recovery plan and a day off work. But I guess that’s just life—we change, and so do our preferences. I still go out from time to time, and honestly, it just makes me appreciate a quiet evening and a good night’s sleep even more than I ever did before.
- DRINKING ALCOHOL – 365 DAYS which change my life in my 30s – I did it to try and see and let me tell you…. LIFECHANGING. In my next chapter I will share more about that 🙂
And now stop for a minute and think about your 10, what has changed? what people were part of your life and are not anymore; new connections; new lifestyles. Write it down and no matter what appreciate all the time given to YOU 🙂
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