Hey guys, Courtney here - I just celebrated my 29th Birthday, and I’m sharing the lessons I’ve learned throughout this crazy decade. Can’t wait to see what the next one holds!

Well guys, it’s officially the last year of my 20s.

Your 20s are such formative years, full of exploration, adventures, mistakes, achievements.

I thought when I hit 29, I’d feel bummed that my 20s were coming to an end. I figured I’d have the “time to get serious” mentality that people so often associate with your 30s.

I can honestly say that all I feel at this moment is pure gratitude and excitement. Gratitude that I get to wake up every day and have another chance to connect with people, explore the world, learn, and ultimately, give and receive love. I'm excited for more adventures, lessons, and yes, even change.

Change is what has taught me so many of these “life lessons” I’ve learned — and I know that I still have SO much more to learn. I haven’t even scratched the surface. But in honor of my 29th year, I wanted to share some of the wisdom my 20s brought me. Note: these lessons are true for me, they may not be for you, and that’s totally okay!

29 Things I Learned in My 20s:

Being present is the best gift you can give yourself and others. Try as best you can to mindfully live in the present moment, letting go of the past and surrendering to the uncertainty of the future.
DO YOU. Stop worrying about what other people are doing and be your authentic self, unrelentlessly.
Your career doesn’t define you. I wrote an entire blog post about this, but in short, you are so much more than your job title or career trajectory. Worry about WHO you are, not WHAT you do.
Don’t settle for the wrong person. I’ve had my share of bad relationships to know that it’s SO worth it to wait for what you deserve rather than forcing an unhealthy relationship or trying to change someone. Which leads me to my next point...
You can’t change people. Trust me, no matter how hard you try, you cannot and will not change people. It’s not worth your energy.
The little decisions make up your life. Even though the “big” decisions often get all the credit (accepting a new job, moving to a new city), it’s the little decisions you make every day that end up shaping who you are and the quality of your life (your attitude, the way you speak to yourself and others).
Create fearlessly. Whatever your version of “create” looks like — baking, drawing, singing, writing, coding, etc. — never stop creating just for the love of creating.
Kindness is outrageously powerful. It’s also rare these days. Never miss an opportunity to show someone compassion or lend an ear.
Ask people questions about themselves. It’s really easy to talk about yourself (I fall in this trap still), but I’ve learned that to form genuine connections and show people you care, ask them questions and just listen.
Tell your people you love them. Even if they already know it, it never gets old to hear it <3
Gratitude will change your life. I try to begin every day writing down at least one thing I’m grateful for. Whenever I’m in a funk, I start naming off my blessings, and it completely changes my perspective.
Life is too short to have a bad relationship with food. Many of us struggle with diet culture and restriction. Get whatever help you need to have food freedom — food should be enjoyed, not feared.
You can play a role in saving the planet. Whether you employ Meatless Mondays, opt for public transportation instead of driving, or kick your recycling game up a notch, the little things you do matter.
You won’t regret getting ahold of your finances. Don’t put off saving, investing, and contributing to a 401K. For those who don’t have strong finance knowledge (me for sure) and are interested in learning about how to do this despite your financial situation (or age), I’d highly recommend The Latte Factor by David Bach.
Less is more. Whether you take the Marie Kondo route and Konmari Method the sh*t out of your closet or just attempt to be slightly less of a hoarder, getting rid of things will make you feel lighter.
Experiences will bring you more joy than things. As an avid traveler, this rings extremely true for me. Even if you don’t like to travel, spending money on things like concerts, events, and dining experiences often bring me way more joy in the long run.
Self-care is important. Move your body often in ways that feel right for you, eat food that makes you feel good and gives you energy, take luxurious baths, take a deep breath (or a hundred). You deserve to be taken care of!
Being intentional goes a long way. Be intentional about keeping in touch with people. Be intentional about complimenting your significant other. Be intentional about the way you spend your time. People will notice and they will love and appreciate you for it.
Worry will get you nowhere. As a chronic worrier, this is a lesson I learn over and over again — oftentimes, more than once a day. There is freedom in letting go, not everything has to be certain.
You don’t have to have motivation to do something. If you wait until you have motivation to go for that run or apply for that dream job, it might never happen. Sometimes, you just have to DO. Even if you don’t feel like it. Check out my blog about it here!
You can’t overthink your way into certainty. Use that mental energy to be creative and express gratitude. Overthinking gets you nowhere.
If things don’t go your way, there is a reason. That job you didn’t get? That relationship that didn’t work out? All these things lead you to where and who you’re supposed to be.
Be humbly confident. Keep your ego in check and know that you are no more important or special than the next guy, but never forget your unique place in this world and be confident in who you are.
Your thoughts do not control you. Choosing to think positive thoughts can help shift your mindset, but don’t take all your thoughts too seriously. They are just thoughts. Even those silly, wild thoughts that intrude your day do not have power.
Self awareness is absolutely crucial to your relationships. Learn about yourself and why you do the things you do. My 20s taught me that I’m a chronic people pleaser, avoid conflict like the plague, and have to be careful not to root my own happiness in my significant other’s. I try to be hyper aware of these things in my relationships and it has helped me be a better partner.
Don’t be afraid to be vulnerable. Be willing to open up to people about your dreams, struggles, and needs. We’re all just humans doing our best.
Your body has a purpose, but it does not hold your value. Your body is the vessel through which you can explore and move and create and connect and taste and touch. It does not define your worth. Stop obsessing over every dimple, wrinkle, and roll.
Accept yourself, just as you are. We all have things we’d love to change about ourselves. Sure, I wish I didn’t have a little bump on my nose or my teeth weren’t so pointy or I didn’t worry so much. But this is me and I have to love and accept myself and give myself grace or I’m going to live my whole life absolutely miz, and I’m not willing to do that!
Stop taking life so seriously. Laugh as much as you can and enjoy the little things :)

Whether you’re in your 20s, 30s, 40s or 50s, I’d love to hear any “life lessons” you’ve learned. Drop them in the comments below!

29 Things I Learned In 29 Years

29 Things I Learned in My 20s: