Blink and you’ll miss it: 29 lessons I learned throughout my twenties

May 30, 2017

So, in just over a week, I will turn 30-years-old.

I swear, I literally blinked and it happened.

One day I was 21 in a pair of knock-off Uggs and an over-reliance on Velour tracksuit bottoms, and the next I was 29 and lamenting my lost youth.

And while turning 30 is nothing to fear (or so I’ve heard), the milestone undoubtedly gives pause, and acts as a fairly handy platform to reflect on your twenties.

And this is what I realise I have learned…

1. The size on an item of clothing means nothing.

At this stage we know they are totally inconsistent, so why EVER get hung up on them?

2. You will ALWAYS feel better after you exercise.

No matter how tired or how miserable, 30 minutes of exercise will genuinely lift your spirits and energy levels.

3. Hangovers will catch up on you.

Enjoy your level 1 hangovers for as long as you can because there will come a day in your late twenties when a hangover means eight hours heaving into a wastepaper bin before a two-hour phonecall to The Samaritans.

4. There’s a lot to be said for comfortable shoes.

'Car to Bar' shoes aren’t for the fainthearted… or the flat-footed.

5. And even more to be said for a good bra.

The support! The comfort! The silhouette!

6. And then there’s the sheer joy of a hooded coat.

For a country as wet as ours, owning a hooded coat is still a novelty.

7. The way you’re treated by someone says more about them than it does about you.

Never forget that.

8. And what you say about someone says more about you than it does about them.

Be kind.

9. It’s never too early to save money.

Even if it’s just €5 a week, you’ll be thankful of the €260 at the end of the year.

10. The ‘you can sleep when you’re dead’ mantra is BS.

Sleep now; you’re bloody wrecked.

11. Your friendships will change, and accepting that sooner rather than later saves a lot of heartache.

Change isn’t always bad, but it is sometimes unavoidable.

12. You’re much more resilient than you ever give yourself credit for.

You will face challenges that you think you’ll never overcome, and guess what? You do.

13. Social media is a total swizz.

The day I see someone cutting their toenails into an empty Coke can on a Saturday night is when I’ll start believing it.

14. Keeping a diary is worth the effort.

Yes, it can be cringey, but for every toe-curling moment, there are ten laugh-out-loud memories.

15. Comparing yourself to other people is time wasted.

Be inspired; don’t be downcast.

16. The heartbreak you thought would cripple you will, in time, become a distant memory.

And guess what? You can also make that experience work to your advantage in the future.

17. Make time for your family.

You don’t know how long they’ll be around, and showing up means more to them than you’ll realise.

18. Spend money on experiences, not material things.

There are only so many photos of your designer bag you can show the grandkids.

19. Say yes, and figure it out later.

Hey, if it worked for Richard Branson…

20. Butterflies don’t last, but what follows is much more exciting.

Don’t ever lament the disappearance of butterflies if a feeling of contentment has replaced them.

21. Wearing your earphones does not entitle you to break wind in public.

You can't hear it, but everyone else can. And you know that.

22. It wasn’t a mistake, it was a lesson.

It might not feel like it at the time, but there will come a point when it dawns on you.