31 Things I️’ve Learned at 31

I️ can hardly believe Friday is my 31st birthday – it feels like I️ just hit the 3-0 milestone and it’s already been a year! Admittedly, we had a crazy and busy year and I️ was pregnant with Brynn, so it’s not surprising that time flew by. I️ thought it would be fun to share 31 things I’ve learned or “valuable life lessons,” if you will. Most of these are kind of funny, but still true.

31 Things I’ve Learned By The Time I Turn 31

1. Age is just a number. I️ feel the same as I️ did in my early 20s.
2. Being an adult is fun because you get to make the rules. Eating chocolate chip cookie dough on the sofa and bingeing on Netflix after the kids are in bed rocks.
3. Having kids doesn’t mean you have to be boring. My husband and I️ still act like immature kids (okay, not too much around our actual kids…more when they’re not around).
4. I️ prefer staying in a lot more and don’t feel pressured to go out. The occasional date night is nice, but snuggling on the sofa and wearing leggings is my jam.
5. I️’ve learned how to achieve balance with my diet. I️ used to stress over calories and punish myself for eating something indulgent, but now I️ just move on after a treat and continue eating a healthy diet. 80/20 rule.
6. I️’ve also learned to enjoy exercise for how it makes me feel. Not how many calories I️ burn.
7. Shopping online is life. Need groceries? Order online and they’ll be there in 2 hours or less. Kids suddenly outgrew their shoes? Order via Amazon and they’ll be there in 1-2 days. Who needs a shopping mall…not this girl.
8. I️ still refuse to drive a minivan. 3 kids later and I️’m holding strong to my only-ever-driving-an-SUV policy.
9. Just because I️’m a mom doesn’t mean I️ have to dress like one. When we were kids, it seemed to be frowned upon for moms to be stylish but now moms are the style influencers.
10. I️f I️’m at the playground with my kids, you better believe I️’m the one swinging right next to them.
11. Washing dishes by hand still sucks as much as at did as a kid. I️’ll put a dish in the dishwasher 3 times in a row until it finally comes clean. Truth.
12. Music from the 90s and early 2000s is and will always be the best. You heard it here first.
13. I️ still procrastinate on tasks as badly as I️ did during college. Don’t think that’s going to improve anytime soon.
14. Working for myself is empowering. It requires a certain amount of diligence, responsibility, scheduling, planning, etc. but realizing I️ call the shots is exciting.
15. Quality trumps quantity for everything. Wine, clothes, shoes, home decor, wine….did I️ mention wine?
16. I️ still don’t feel the need to wear a mom swimsuit – as long as I️ feel good rocking a bikini, I️’m going to continue doing it!
17. Adult hobbies like gardening, wine tasting, and cooking are actually enjoyable.
18. It’s normal to feel guilty about everything when it comes to your kids. Too much TV? Too much sugar? Not enough fun activities? Too restrictive? Too much of a helicopter parent (guilty!)? It’s a daily battle.
19. Childbirth isn’t the scariest part of having kids. It’s when they learn to talk and become sassy.
20. Immature comedies that I️ loved during college are still the best (and funniest) movies to watch.
21. Christmas is still the most exciting holiday to me as an adult – there can never be too much decor or Christmas activities.
22. I️ always look for ways to better myself. Having big goals and aspirations is what keeps me going day after day!
23. Hard times make way to even happier times.
24. A weekend spent at home is entirely underrated. We’ve jampacked our weekends before, but I️’ve found that relaxing weekends at home can be refreshing.
25. You can actually afford big things, like a nice vacation, a full suite of new appliances or a home remodel. In my 20s, it seemed like that was so far out of reach.
26. The thought of Botox or anti-aging procedures in general are not a big deal. As someone who professed it was stupid as a teen, I️ can honestly say I️ have nothing against it now.
27. Positivity breeds positivity. In general, we try to avoid negativity in our home – it’s not worth complaining about something that affects you minimally in the long run.
28. Buying houses is just plain fun. Selling isn’t as much fun (allll the showings), but let’s be real, seeing the dollar bills in your bank account at closing makes it worthwhile. We fully intend to keep buying and selling every few years for fun as long as the market is in our favor.
29. Diet can affect so many health-related things. When I️ cut dairy and gluten, I️ felt so much better and had much more energy. To this day, I️ still avoid dairy and rarely eat gluten.
30. Buy the Starbucks. If you can afford it, never deprive yourself of little luxuries that make you happy. Dave Ramsey can suck it.
31. There’s nothing better than being married to your best friend. Almost 12 years into our relationship, we are closer and even more on the same page every single day.

It was daunting when I️ sat down to write this post, but I️ ended up thinking of 31 things much more quickly than I️ anticipated! If the only thing you got out of this was to not take things too seriously, then I️ did my job. 🙂

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Jaclyn from Coffee, Pancakes, and Dreams
Brittany from Dreams and Coffee
Mary Leigh from Live Well Play Together
Tiffany from Lake Life State of Mind
Lindsay from Lindsay’s Sweet World
Keri from Cultivate an Intentional Life